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. 

Do you love outdoor exploration? Wandering around in the woods? New challenges? 

The Canton Recreation Department is partnering with Nature Up North to provide a Canton Trails Series this fall. Join us each Friday afternoon in October as we feature one of Canton’s beautiful trails! Each Trails Series event will begin with a guided activity (30-45 minutes) after which you will be invited to continue to explore the trail on your own. This family friendly program is open to all, and children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Nature Up North invites interested 10th-12th graders to participate in a free field-based workshop. St. Lawrence University senior and local to Northern New York, Jessica LaMay, will be incorporating fundamentals of conservation biology, nature-based learning, and field research methodologies into this fun three-hour event. The Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that feeds on  Ash Trees, was recently discovered in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties.