Sunrise Hike on Shingle Oak Trail
Saturday, June 3 - 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
Enjoy a guided, 1.5-mile early morning hike along the Shingle Oak Trail. We will walk along gravel and natural surface paths. Our group will meet at the Shingle Oak Trailhead sign at the back of the Visitors Center parking area.

Beaver Encounters
Sundays, June 11 & 25 - Sunset (pre-registration is required)
Can you imagine the sounds beavers make inside their lodge? You might hear them gnawing or communicating with grunts, grumbles, and whines, or even hear the splash and “kerplunk” of a beaver slipping into the water. You might even see these industrious creatures! Join us to make this one of your enjoyable experiences!  Participants must be able to walk down a hill and sit silently on the ground for up to an hour. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Call (513) 648-3330 or email fernald@lm.doe.gov to register.

Sunrise Hike at Lodge Pond Trail
Saturday, June 10 - 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
Enjoy a guided, early morning hike along the Fernald site’s 1.5-mile Lodge Pond Trail. We will be walking along gravel and grass paths. Our group will meet at the Lodge Pond parking area.

Nocturnal Soundscape
Saturday, June 17 - 9:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Rich Bitting, a local artist and musical composer, will be our presenter this evening. What does “earth music” sound like? Have you ever heard a frog soloist accompanied by an insect chorus? We’ll walk silently, at a leisurely pace, and share our experiences at the end of our walk. This deep listening activity will really open your ears! Bring a handheld flashlight and meet us in the program shelter next to the Visitors Center.

Fireflies Friday
Fridays, June 23 & 30 - 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Did you know there are different firefly species? Can you identify them by their different flash patterns? Don’t miss this illuminating experience! Bring a flashlight for this 1.5-mile night hike. We will meet in the program shelter next to the Visitors Center.

July 2023

Fireflies
Friday, July 7 - 8:45 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Did you know different species of fireflies can be identified by their flash patterns? This evening you’ll learn how to recognize what makes these patterns unique — their color, the length and number of the flashes, the interval between flashes, and the time of night. Don’t miss this illuminating experience! Bring a flashlight for this 1.5-mile hike.

Astronomy is “Far Out!”
Friday, July 14 - 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
The summer sky presents celestial wonders like planetary nebulae and globular clusters. Experience them for yourself with the Cincinnati Astronomical Society.

History Hike: Restored Prairie
Sunday, July 16 - 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
On this guided, off-trail hike, participants will walk through the restored prairie grassland habitats of Fernald Preserve and learn about the site’s Cold War-era history. The hike will be about 2 miles over rough, uneven ground. The group will meet at the visitors center. For ages 12 and up.

History Hike: On-Site Disposal Facility
Saturday, July 22 - 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Walk to the top of the on-site disposal facility and learn about the lodge pond. You’ll also get a bird’s eye view of Fernald Preserve during this guided experience. The hike will be about 1 mile over rough, uneven ground. The group will meet at the Lodge Pond parking area. For ages 12 and up.

History Hike: Weapons to Wetlands/Shingle Oak Trails
Saturday, July 29 - 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Join us for a guided walk along the Weapons to Wetlands trail to learn about Fernald Preserve’s Cold War history, cleanup, and restoration. The hike is about 1.5 miles along paved and gravel paths. The group will meet at the visitors center flagpoles.

August 2023

Sunrise Hickory Trail Hike
Saturday, Aug. 5 - 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Get up with the birds for a guided 3-mile walk along the Hickory Trail. The hike will be over gravel and on uneven ground. Bring your binoculars and insect repellent! For ages 12 and up. The group will meet at the program shelter next to the visitors center.

Perseids: Invasion of the Space Rocks
Friday, Aug. 11 - 8:00 p.m. to midnight
See genuine space rocks provided by the Cincinnati Astronomical Society and watch the Perseid meteor shower. Grab a lawn chair and bug spray.

Perseids Meteor Shower
Saturday, Aug. 12 - 10:00 p.m. to midnight
The moon will be a waning crescent and 10% illuminated during tonight’s peak of the Perseid meteor shower! Grab a blanket or lawn chair and some bug spray and check into the visitors center at 10 p.m. (weather permitting). There will be a designated viewing area.

Sunset Sycamore Trail Hike
Sunday, Aug. 13 - 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Enjoy a guided 2-mile hike around the Sycamore Trail. The hike will be on gravel and moderately steep, uneven terrain, so wear sturdy shoes and bring your binoculars and a flashlight. Insect repellent is encouraged! For ages 12 and up. The group will meet at the program shelter at the visitors center.

Owl Prowl
Saturday, Aug. 19 - 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
A nocturnal adventure awaits as we hike through the woods in search of owls in their natural habitat. This adventure requires participants to stand still and silently in the dark for at least 20 minutes. Bring a flashlight. The hike is about 2 miles.

Evening Off-Trail Hike
Sunday, Aug. 20 - 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Enjoy a guided 2-mile hike through grassland and forest habitats to watch wildlife. Bring a flashlight and binoculars and wear sturdy shoes. For ages 12 and up. The group will meet at the program shelter next to the visitors center.

September 2023

Beaver Encounters
Sundays, Sept. 3, 10, and 17 - Sunset
Imagine the sounds inside a beaver lodge. You might hear gnawing, grunts, grumbles, whines, or splashes. Come experience this for yourself! Participants must be able to walk down a hill and sit silently on the ground for up to an hour. Pre-registration is required. For ages 12 and up.

Space: The Final Frontier
Friday, Sept. 8 - 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Celebrate the 57th anniversary of the original airing of Star Trek with a trivia quiz! The Cincinnati Astronomical Society will then boldly take you to the stars.

History Hike: On-Site Disposal Facility
Saturday, Sept. 9 - 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Walk to the top of the on-site disposal facility and learn about the lodge pond. You’ll also get a bird’s eye view of Fernald Preserve on this guided experience. The hike will be about 1 mile over rough, uneven ground. The group will meet at the Lodge Pond parking area. Don’t forget your binoculars! For ages 12 and up.

Monarch Butterfly Tagging
Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 23 and 24 - 4:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Migrating monarch butterflies are here for a limited time as they pass through on their way to ancestral roosts in Michoacán, Mexico. Learn about the monarch’s fascinating life cycle, habitat, and migration and place a tiny identification tag on each Monarch butterfly we catch. This hands-on activity collects information about how climate and humans affect monarch butterfly migration patterns, overwintering sites, and populations. Please wear sturdy shoes and long pants. You’ll also want to bring your camera! This event is part of Great Outdoor Weekend presented by Green Umbrella Regional Sustainability Alliance.

Sunset Sit-In Saturday
Sept. 30 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
We all know the saying “out of sight, out of mind.” But when it comes to seeing wildlife, the rule is “be still and you will!” Bring an easy-to-carry stool or camp chair and your binoculars and enjoy this guided wildlife-observation experience. The group will meet at the program shelter next to the visitors center. For ages 16 and up.

Call (513) 648-3330 or email us for additional information.

All programs begin in the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center, unless otherwise noted. Outdoor programs are weather dependent.

The staff at the Fernald Preserve is available to address schools, scouts, senior groups, and other organized groups on a variety of topics relating to the site’s history, mission, groundwater remedy, ecological restoration, environmental sciences, wildlife, ecology, and green building features. Nature and history programs can be customized to meet your group’s specific objectives.

To schedule a program or for more information, please email us at Fernald@lm.doe.gov or call us at 513-648-3330.

To view the Meeting Space and Program Request Policy, Fernald Preserve, Ohio, Site click here.

The Community Meeting Room, Resource Room, and outdoor Program Shelter were designed to be used by the public when they are not in use by Fernald Preserve staff. These facilities are available free of charge for noncommercial use by organized groups.

Seating capacity for the Community Meeting Room is 120 for theater seating and 80 for conference seating.

Seating capacity at standard tables in the outdoor Program Shelter is 58.

The seating capacity in the Resource Room is 8 (at a conference table).

The application review process to reserve these facilities could take up to two weeks.

To make a room reservation or for more information, please email us at Fernald@lm.doe.gov or call us at 513-648-3330.

To view the Meeting Space and Program Request Policy, Fernald Preserve, Ohio, Site click here.

• The Great Beaver Dam Build-Off: Engineering… Naturally!
• The Mathematics of...BUNNIES?! (for grades 4 and up)
• My Nature Notes (for grades K and up)
• The Secret Lives of Wildlife: Engineer-A-Wild-Creature Challenge
• Wild at Home: Operation Wildlife Observation
• STEM with LM