Cleveland Metroparks Weekly Spotlight

• New year, new trails! Take on the new year with the 2024 Trail Challenge presented by MetroHealth! Move to better health and discover new trails throughout Cleveland Metroparks with this year’s challenge. Sign up today! 

• It’s toboggan season: Experience the icy thrill of The Chalet’s twin, 700-foot-long refrigerated ice chutes through late February, weather permitting. Book your reservation today.

• Last chance! There’s still time to visit Cleveland Metroparks Holiday Pop-Up Shop at Mastick Woods Clubhouse and get that perfect gift for all nature lovers. The shop is open on select dates through Sunday, January 7. 

Explore the Splendor of Winter Waterfalls

Join us for the Winter Waterfall Series this January and February as we explore these icy works of art from the well-known Mill Creek Falls to the hidden falls that lie deep within the Tinker's Creek Gorge.

Meet Douglas the Tufted Deer Calf!

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s tufted deer calf, Douglas, can now be seen daily in Wilderness Trek! The calf was born on November 20, 2023.

Reserve an Igloo at Merwin's Wharf for you Next Group Outing

Reservable igloos are still available at Merwin’s Wharf!  Enjoy a delicious meal with family and friends in a fully furnished and heated igloo while taking in the wintry landscape of the Cuyahoga River.

Upcoming Nature Programs

Sat., Jan. 6: 

• Bring a photo, a specimen, or a story to share as we discover mysteries of the natural world together at Drop-By: Ask a Naturalist Hour (Or Two!) at Brecksville Nature Center. Free.
• Get fresh air and exercise while learning how different animals survive in the winter weather at Warm Beverage and a Walk in Rocky River Reservation. Free, registration required.  

Sun., Jan. 7: 

• Are you ready to find out what an owl eats? Drop by Owl Pellet Dissection at North Chagrin Nature Center to try your hand at dissecting owl pellets to see what they eat! Free.  
• Join a naturalist for a story, a craft, and a hike outdoors at Kids Love Winter in Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation. Free, ages 3 – 6 with adult. 

Wed., Jan. 10: Join a naturalist on the rigorous Hike to a Hidden Ravine in Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation to see if we can find this special, secluded ravine that’s relatively untouched by human activities. Free. 
 
Thurs., Jan. 11: 

• Gather by the fire and learn how snowflakes are formed and then make your own snowflake craft at Nature Sprouts: Little Snowflake in West Creek Reservation. Free, ages 3 – 5 with adult. 
• Learn to navigate the outdoors with confidence at Map & Compass Snowman Scavenger Hunt in Brecksville Reservation. Free, registration required. 

Look Ahead: Join us in February for an off-site trip at Ice Climbing Adventure for your chance to climb man-made ice towers up to 72-feet-tall. $155, registration required.