Friends of Willow River and Kinnickinnic State Parks, Inc.

09/02/2026

Willow River State Park Wildlife Trail Cam Highlights — Summer 2026! 🌲✨📸

Beyond our usual coyotes, fishers, and mink, we finally caught a black bear (on two different cameras!) and a river otter. Plus a gorgeous buck in velvet!

Pure summer magic—swipe through the best shots of the season! 🐻🦦🦌

08/31/2026

🚨 Our park needs us! Lend a hand & enjoy the view. 🌿

Labor Day weekend brings incredible crowds to Willow River State Park, and nature needs our help to recover! Join us on Tuesday, September 8 at 9:00 AM for our "Waste-Free Walk along the Willow" event to help clear away post-holiday litter.

Join your neighbors for a morning of fresh air, scenic views, and meaningful action. ☀️ Grab a friend, step outside, and let’s give back to the trails we love together! 💚

We will meet at the Willow River Nature Center, where we will provide all the necessary trash bags, gloves, and litter pickers before splitting into teams to cover the trails, beaches, picnic spots, and parking areas.

🌟 SPECIAL PERK: Vehicle park admission is 100% WAIVED for all cleanup volunteers as a big thank-you for lending a hand! Just be sure to wear sturdy hiking boots, dress for the weather, and bring a water bottle.

🌦️ All outdoor events are weather dependent.
📣 Tag a friend, share this post, and help us restore the park! 🧡

08/28/2026

Fascinated by fungi? 🍄 Curious about foraging? 🔎

Some of the tastiest mushrooms can be found right here in St. Croix County -- if you know where to look! Join us for a presentation and guided walk in the woods to discover local mushrooms on Saturday, September 5 at 10AM! Learn how to spot wild fungi on the trails, keys to identification, and deepen your connection to the forest. 🌲

🧡 Perfect for adults and budding naturalists! 🌿

Tap the link below to save your spot!
https://secure.givelively.org/event/friends-of-willow-river-and-kinnickinnic-state-parks-inc/fall-fungi-in-our-forests-0c10850d-be4f-4a7d-a516-bdbee28e6787

08/27/2026

Did you know we have a Natural Playground right here at Willow River State Park!? 🌿🤸✨

Located just steps from the Nature Center, this interactive outdoor play space is designed for pure, hands-on discovery. Kids can hop across stepping pods, cross the wobbly bridge, climb up to the eagle’s nest lookout, and MORE!

It’s the perfect place for little adventurers to explore walking paths, connect with nature, and let their imaginations run wild in the shade. 🤸🌳

🤩 Want a fun reason to visit?
Join us on Saturday, September 19th anytime from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM for our Natural Playground Scavenger Hunt! 🔎🌲🎒
🧡 Ideal for kids ages 4–12 (and fun for the whole family)!

Drop into the Nature Center to grab a scavenger hunt sheet, test your skills at all the playground stations, and earn a fun participation prize when you finish! 🎉

🙌 Event Entry: FREE!
🚙 Vehicle admission is required for every car entering the park. Just grab your pass at the park office when you arrive!
💚 Donations: Warmly welcomed! Your support helps our nonprofit Nature Center bring high-quality, naturalist-led outdoor programs to our community at an affordable cost.

Come check out the playground and play for an afternoon! ☀️

08/26/2026

🍁 Fall 2026 Young Naturalist Classes are officially OPEN for registration! 🍁

Designed specifically for preschoolers ages 3–5, this program helps little explorers fall in love with wildlife and the great outdoors through hands-on activities, creative crafts, guided hikes, and plenty of fresh-air fun.🌲🍂🐿️

🎟️ Registration Info:
Classes are held at Willow River State Park and run October through December for a full season of outdoor discovery! Select your preferred weekly morning class time and view full schedule details on the registration page.

🚨 Spots are filling up fast—click below to save your child's spot before it sells out!

👉 https://secure.givelively.org/event/friends-of-willow-river-and-kinnickinnic-state-parks-inc/2026-fall-preschool-young-naturalist-class

08/23/2026

Echolocation did not disappoint last night! 🙌🔊🦇

During our "Echoes in the Night: Bats by Sound Identification Hike," our group tracked over 30 individual bats flying overhead at Willow River State Park. Using special bat detectors to translate their ultrasonic calls into audible sounds, we identified an impressive 6 out of Wisconsin’s 8 native bat species:
🌲 Hoary Bat
🤎 Little Brown Bat
🦇 Big Brown Bat
🩶 Silver-haired Bat
🎨 Tricolored Bat
❤️ Eastern Red Bat

WHY IS HITTING 6 OUT OF 8 SPECIES SUCH A BIG DEAL?
Bats are key indicator species—meaning their presence gives us a direct report card on the health of our environment. High bat diversity at Willow River State Park tells us our aquatic and forest ecosystems are thriving! Plus, with White-nose Syndrome heavily impacting bat populations, recording sensitive species like the Tricolored bat is incredible news for local conservation.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at dusk to learn, listen, and explore! 🤩🦇✨

08/19/2026

Hands in the river, hearts in the parks 💚 Our newest Master Naturalists are officially certified! Huge congratulations to the graduating class of the 2026 St. Croix Valley Master Naturalist program! 🎓🎉

🤝 We’re thrilled to stand alongside Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center as co-hosts for this training, working hand-in-hand to bring the Master Naturalist program to the St. Croix Valley! 🌲

📣 Shoutout to our very own Master Naturalist, Ash Goldbeck!!! 👏 Ash helps lead and educate this cohort through key topics like geology, ecology, plant communities, wildlife, water quality, and human impacts! 🧠🔬🌿

📸 Swipe through to see our Master Naturalists in action at Kinnickinnic State Park! The group waded right in for a hands-on field day, getting their feet wet with seining, sampling macroinvertebrates, and monitoring water quality. 🔍

We are so proud to have a hand in such impactful, local stewardship and environmental education! 💚 Thank you to all our graduates, and we can't wait to watch you shine! 🙌✨

08/19/2026

😍

Get ready for the new school year and support conservation and environmental education and outreach initiatives by purchasing DNR merch for your kids!

The Flora & Fauna of Wisconsin Youth Tee features a vintage-inspired pattern depicting some of the state’s most iconic native plants and animals.

Or help Smokey Bear share important info about wildfire prevention with our Smokey Bear Youth Tee. A portion of the proceeds also supports the National Fire Prevention Program.

Free shipping is available on all orders over $75. All online orders are shipped within 2-5 business days.

Explore our online merch store: https://shop-widnr.kramermadison.com/collections/apparel

08/18/2026

and by kinda we mean very 💅🏽