GRASS RIVER NATURAL AREA WINTER EVENTS
Lantern-lit Evening

Friday, January 10, 2025

6:30pm to 8:30pm 

$5 per person 

Lantern light shining through the trees is a great way to enjoy the forest in winter. Enjoy a self-guided lantern-lit hike, or an evening ski or snowshoe on GRNA’s trails and boardwalks if there is snow. We will have a warm campfire at the Center pavilion and the heated building will be open and staffed. Come any time during the 2-hour, self-guided, "open-house" style event. Bring a flashlight or headlamp. Skis and snowshoes for all ages are available for rent at the Grass River Center for an additional $5 rental fee during the program, or bring your own.




Nature Trivia Night

Thursday, January 23, 2025 6:00-8:00pm 

$5 per person 

Short's Elk Rapids

Join us for Nature Trivia Night at the Short's Pull Barn in Elk Rapids! Get your team of 2-6 players together and get ready to stretch your brain with 5 rounds of clever, family-friendly trivia. Don't worry if you're not a nature expert; questions will draw from other areas of knowledge - like movies and music - as well. $5 per player, which supports GRNA. Players will pay upon arriving at Short's.



NMC Winter Tree Identification

Friday, January 31, 2025 

1:00-3:00pm at NMC

Gain the skills to identify Michigan trees in winter by their bark, buds, and branching patterns. We'll use a variety of real specimens collected from Grass River Natural Area, along with photographs and guides to learn ID techniques for woody plants, including broadleaf trees, shrubs, and evergreens. 





Grass River Shiver 5k/10k Snowshoe Race Fundraiser

Saturday, February 8, 2025 

10:00am start

Grass River Natural Area 

Put on your snowshoes and run or walk through the beautiful snow-covered Grass River Natural Area as a fundraiser for our programs! This snowshoe race in northern Michigan is only a short distance from Traverse City. A prize is awarded to overall male and female 5K/10K winners. 10k participants run two loops of the course. Walkers are welcome, too! An official clock will start at 10am on Saturday morning for those that would like an official clocked time to run their race with other runners and walkers, but the course will be up for the weekend if runners need to run it at a later time.