Events

Welcome Summertime with a guided public tour of the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery! Join a Naturalist to learn the difference between the Rainbow and Brown Trout raised at the hatchery, then visit the raceways and discover the amazing trout-raising process! And for just a quarter, you can feed the fish, too! Tours will meet at the large trout aquarium inside the Conservation Education Center.

Tours will be held four times daily at 10am, 11am, 1pm, and 2pm on Tuesdays through Fridays, beginning May 26th and continuing through Friday, September 4th. (The Hatchery will be closed for state holidays on June 19th and July 4th.)

All ages are invited, and no registration is required. For questions, call us at 417-334-4865 ext. 0, or email Shepherd@mdc.mo.gov.

If you love to have fun outdoors and would like to learn new skills, then this program is for you! Teamwork, safety, and leadership are stressed. Join us in June as we learn the basics of these outdoor skills: (archery, atlatl, canoeing, fishing, fire starting/knot tying, and air rifles).

Each child may only sign up to attend one day. Participants must dress to be outside the full length of program, wear sturdy shoes (no flip flops or flimsy sandals) and bring sack lunch and a water bottle that can be refilled. Bug spray, sunscreen, and a hat are recommended. Registration will begin Friday May 1 at 8 AM and will end Thursday, May 28 at 5 PM.

Trade the neighborhood sidewalk for the paved trails of Powder Valley! Join Powder Valley volunteers for a guided hiking experience for you and your stroller aged little ones. On the hike the volunteers will engage you with the nature found along the way. What wonderful plants, animals and scenery will you encounter? Only one way to find out!

Stroller Strolls is monthly walk designed for parents and guardians with stroller aged children. Please register the child and the parent or guardian.

Come meet one of the ambassador snakes who call Powder Valley home. Learn all about that species and hear about its journey of coming to live at the nature center. After the snake encounter, spend time enjoying the rest of the exhibits! An MDC naturalist and ambassador snake will be located inside the nature center lobby.

Discover what’s for dinner at Burr Oak Woods as the nature center’s amphibians, fish, and turtles enjoy their feast every Tuesday and Friday. The snakes are fed on the second and fourth Wednesday (June 10 & 24).

Registration required by visiting www.deeproots.org/discover-native-gardening (adults) It's one thing to read about native plants and another to get your hands dirty! Learn seasonal gardening skills, be empowered and grow community alongside native plant experts and enthusiasts. This month we'll identify and manage summer native plants and warm season annuals. Visit the Deep Roots KC website to learn more. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.

Registration required by visiting https://mostateparks.com/basic-page/learn2-aim (ages 10+) Begin your archer journey by attending a hands-on workshop this summer! Take a step back in time and join Missouri State Parks for one or more of our Learn2 Aim events This is a great opportunity to learn new skills with instruction on the basics of archery. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.

This is a short educational program geared for 6-10 year olds about firearm safety. What should a child do if they find a firearm? How should firearms and ammunition be stored? We will cover the basics to open this topic for further discussion at home!

Registration email addresses will be used to send a link to join this virtual program. Please watch for this link to be shared out on June 2nd.

If you love to have fun outdoors and would like to learn new skills, then this program is for you! Teamwork, safety, and leadership are stressed. Join us in June as we learn the basics of these outdoor skills: (archery, atlatl, canoeing, fishing, fire starting/knot tying, and air rifles).

Each child may only sign up to attend one day. Participants must dress to be outside the full length of program, wear sturdy shoes (no flip flops or flimsy sandals) and bring sack lunch and a water bottle that can be refilled. Bug spray, sunscreen, and a hat are recommended. Registration will begin Friday May 1 at 8 AM and will end Thursday, May 28 at 5 PM.

Join us as we explore the wonders of dragonflies and what species call Missouri home in this informative virtual program.