The Friends of Schmeeckle host several programs and events throughout the year. Explore upcoming events below.
Do you find inspiration in nature? If you enjoy writing, reading a good poem, or just spending time outside, come along to bridge the gap between words and wonder via an interactive, poetry-filled hike around Schmeeckle. Please dress for the weather. Presented by Kevin Norris.
We need your help to plant trees and shrubs donated by the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve! Or join us on a litter pickup to tidy up the entire Reserve.Pre-registration is not required. Check-in and registration begins at 9 a.m. at the visitor center at 2419 North Point Drive. What to bring and things to know:
In 2025, the Friends completed the construction of the Frog Chorus Boardwalk and the North Lake Overlook, granting better access to Lake Joanis. To celebrate, the grand opening event will be held at the Menzel Pavilion to recognize donors and volunteers who made these projects possible. After the grand opening ceremony, take a guided hike to
Meander through Moses Creek Meadows with a naturalist from Schmeeckle Reserve and get to know the birds, bugs, and blossoms that call the area home. We will meet at the Yulga Disc Golf Course parking lot and walk to the site on the Green Circle trail. Please dress for the weather and conditions; the hike
Join Schmeeckle education fellows for a weekly story book reading for your tiny tots. Listen to age-appropriate children's books on a weekly nature topic and explore the great outdoors with a hands-on activity or craft. These programs are free and no registration is required. Theme for June 26: Gardening
Join Schmeeckle education fellows for a weekly story book reading for your tiny tots. Listen to age-appropriate children's books on a weekly nature topic and explore the great outdoors with a hands-on activity or craft. These programs are free and no registration is required. Theme for July 3: Respecting Nature
Found yourself admiring Schmeeckle’s 10-point bucks? Join UWSP’s new ungulate ecologist, Dr. Monet Gomes Goethlich, to discover the purpose and biology behind deer antlers. Dr. Monet Gomes Goethlich is a new faculty member and ungulate ecologist in the College of Natural Resources. She is originally from Fresno, California and earned her B.S. in Biology at
Just getting into birding? Don’t know where to start? Join our student naturalists in a peaceful morning birding adventure hike on the trail. Bring your Binoculars and ID books (or borrow some) as we fly into the basics of birding. The program is free and all ages are welcome. The program will meet at the
Join Schmeeckle education fellows for a weekly story book reading for your tiny tots. Listen to age-appropriate children's books on a weekly nature topic and explore the great outdoors with a hands-on activity or craft. These programs are free and no registration is required. Theme for July 10: Books by Indigenous authors
The Moses Creek Meadow is one of the largest sedge meadow wetlands remaining intact and still mostly free from weedy invasive species remaining in Wisconsin. The new boardwalk provides a rare opportunity to visit this important ecological community easily and without doing damage to it. Join UW-Stevens Point professor emeritus Dr. Robert Freckmann to explore
Many plants have restorative or medicinal properties - you just have to know where to look! Join student naturalists on a guided walk to explore the medicinal plants found here in Schmeeckle Reserve - including mullein, yarrow, and many more - while learning about their uses and benefits. The program is free and all ages
Join Schmeeckle education fellows for a weekly story book reading for your tiny tots. Listen to age-appropriate children's books on a weekly nature topic and explore the great outdoors with a hands-on activity or craft. These programs are free and no registration is required. Theme for July 17: Pollinators