Looking to get out on the water? Join us for our relaxing evening paddling on the Little River in Canton. You can bring your own canoe or kayak, or borrow one from us for free. Never paddled before? No problem! We'll be happy to providing tips for newer paddlers. Meet at the Little River Boat Launch on Park Street/Rt. 27 in Canton at 6:30pm. 

This event is part of our Summer Paddling Series. Join us on Thursdays June 28th, July 12th and July 26th for Evening Paddles, and June 30 for our Water Plant Paddle (family friendly).

Want to learn to start a fire by hand? As is tradition, we're kicking off our summer campfire series by inviting you to come help us light the first fire of the season! Len Mackey will be joining us for an interactive evening learning the Earth's oldest ways of making fire with hand or bow drill. Once the fire is burning, we will enjoy the deep, peaceful power of songs from Native North America and Guinea West Africa, and learn how to play traditional rhythms during a hand-drumming demonstration by Len Mackey.

Join us to celebrate Arbor Day by mapping Ash Trees on Remmington Recreational Trail in Canton. Bikers and walkers of all ages welcome! 

The Community Ash Tree Survey is a citizen science project in which community members survey the location and status of ash trees across St. Lawrence County in response to the arrival of the invasive emerald ash borer beetle (Agrilus planipennis; EAB) in 2017.

Timing makes all the difference.

From spring peepers and Canada geese to red-winged blackbirds and fiddlehead ferns, many of us have a favorite first sign of spring. What is yours? Have you spotted it yet this year? Did you know that sharing your observations helps us record seasonal changes, also known as phenology, over time?

Join us for an afternoon touring the maple sugaring operation at the St. Lawrence Sustainability Site! We'll spend some time helping sap, chatting about maple sugaring traditions, and stop by the farmhouse for hot cocoa. Then, we'll walk next door to Cornell Cooperative Extension's sugar shack, where you'll get to see (and taste!) maple sap being boiled down into the syrup we know and love. At the event, Nature Up North will share information about how you can help collect data this spring on the impact of climate change on sugar maple trees in the North Country!

**This hike has been canceled due to weather and trail conditions. A rain date will be announced soon.**

Join Nature Up North for a Snowshoe Hike up Azure Mountain to celebrate the middle of winter! Azure Mountain is a short hike perfect for those looking for a nice walk with a great view. The one mile trail to the summit covers steep yet navigable terrain and there are plenty of flat areas for water breaks and rest stops. Meeting at the trail head at 10:00 am. 

Snowshoes provided free of charge, please register in advance to loan equipment.

Join us for a Cardboard Sled Building Workshop in preparation for the Canton Winter Olympics! Teams of 2-4 are invited to work together to build a sled, and all materials will be provided. The workshop will be held in the Monaco Room in the St. Lawrence Campus Student Center (2nd floor) and is open to the public (campus map).

Canton Recreation and the Best Western University Inn are excited to bring you the Cross Country Ski Race as the final event in the Canton Winterfest 2018 Winter Olympics! Participants of all ages, skill, and experience levels are encouraged to participate. Youth participants (12 & under) will ski a 0.5-mile loop while Open (13 & up) & College division participants will ski the 0.5-mile loop twice for a 1-mile race. Points will be awarded to race winners in each division.

Canton Recreation is excited to bring you the Snow Sculpture Competition as the second of three events in the Canton Winterfest 2018 Winter Olympics! Teams of 2-4 will have 45 minutes to create a snow sculpture out of a provided pile of snow at Bend in the River Park.

Teams will be judged in one of the following divisions, Youth (12 & under), Open (13 & up), Family, or College. Sculptures will be judged and points awarded to teams winning their division along with several other categories. 

Nature Up North is excited to bring you the Canton Cardboard Sled Race as the first of three events in the Canton Winterfest 2018 Winter Olympics! The event will be held at the Canton Pavilion on February 9th from 3 - 5 pm. Sled building (materials provided) will be in 3:00 - 4:00 pm in the Community Room, and the race will begin at 4:00 at Bend in the River Park. Teams of 2-4 are invited to enter, and may build a sled in advance or at the event.