What's Your Nature?
Become a Nature Up North explorer to share your encounters with wild things and wild places in New York's North Country. Post your wildlife sightings, landscape shots, photos from your outings, and even your organization's events!
Nature Up North 2025 Calendars Are Here!
Proceeds from calendar sales benefit Nature Up North's community outreach initiatives. Each year, Nature Up North reaches hundreds of local residents through guided hikes, paddles, workshops, and K-12 programs. Thanks for your support!
March paddle on the Oswegatchie River
An unusually warm spring gave me an opportunity to kayak when I would normally be snowshoeing.
Pointe Au Roche State Park
Pointe Au Roche State Park is always a nice winter destination. This year we didn't need snowshoes.
The Moore Trail on the Oswegatchie River
A gloomy spring day hiking the trail from Wanakena to the Inlet.
Bloomindale Bog Hike
An easy rail-trail hike that always has Gray Jays looking for a snack.
Wellesley Island Paddle
A nice morning paddle from Eel Bay at the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center, through the Narrows, and into South Bay.
Ask a Fairy: Fall 2024 Answers
Thimble and Blossom let us know that they loved all of the nature questions you had for them this year, and were thrilled to receive a selfie too! Although it was a warm fall and they were able to enjoy the North Country into November this year, they had to continue south in search of warmer climates for the winter. Before they left, they took a moment to write their answers down and share them with us! They loved how curious you all were about nature and yourselves, and they hope you keep exploring the outdoors while they're gone.
North Country Voices: Paul Hetzler
This installment of North Country Voices is a little different than usual. You might recognize the name Paul Hetzler from any number of articles posted to our page about different features of North Country nature, and you may remember the articles for their jokingly light yet incredibly informative writing style. Paul recently finished a new book titled Birds of Happiness Aren't Blue and we thought it would only be fitting to help encourage folks to check out his professional writing too!
Chimney Bluffs State Park
Hiking Chimney Bluffs State Park along the shores of Lake Ontario.
Rabbit Island Paddle on Spitfire Lake
Rabbit Island Paddle on Spitfire Lake. A plaque on Rabbit Island commemorates the tuberculosis experiments Dr. Trudeau performed here in the summer of 1886. The plaque reads: "On this island in 1886 Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau conducted his historic experiment to determine the effect of environment on the incidence and progress of tuberculosis in a colony of rabbits. This plaque was placed by Trudeau Institute, Inc. in commemoration of this pioneering study in experimental epidemiology, October 7, 1972.".