Leaf Pressing
Go outside and hunt for the perfect Fall leaf to save! The easiest method is to place leaves between sheets of newspaper and press with heavy books for about 2 weeks, checking after one week to insure the leaves are drying properly.
Another method is to sandwich the leaves between wax paper and old cloth/towels, and iron on high (no steam). The wax will melt onto the leaves (and not onto the iron or ironing board thanks to the cloth) and preserve them for several months. Cut the leaves out from the wax paper making sure not to break the wax seal and use them in collages and other art projects.
You can see more methods and more info on these methods here.
Take a hike!
Hiking can be a safe way to get outside, and a great way to celebrate Outdoors month! Below is a list of some of our favorite lesser known hiking spots around Badgerland. Don’t forget to practice social distancing and follow safety guidelines when visiting public hiking spots.
Monches Segment of Ice Age Trail- Hartland
Owen Conservation Park- Madison
Sand Cave Trail & Little Sand Cave Loop- Wyalusing State Park, Bagley
Old Settlers Trail- Wildcat Mtn. State Park, Ontario
Perrot Ridge Trail- Perrot State Park, Trempealeau
Black River State Forest- Black River Falls
Gear up for Girl Scout Founder Juliette Gordon Low’s Birthday (Oct. 31) with our (virtual) Founder’s Day camp out! Practice outdoor skills while learning about Girl Scout traditions and history. The event will be a mixture of recorded and live sessions that cover basic outdoor skills like building fires, tying knots, setting up tents, and cooking over the campfire with sticks and pudgie pie irons. Older girls will cover dutch oven cooking, jackknife safety, and how to light fires without matches. We’ll end the camp out with a Girl Scout history lesson and fun trivia! Girls will earn parts of the following badges:
Brownie: Outdoor Adventurer
Junior: Eco Camper
Cadette: Primitive Camper
Senior: Sky
Ambassador: Survival Camper
Registration closes October 13!
There’s still time to join our Sloth Shuffle! Walk, run or shuffle your way through October and get outside to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and help adopt a sloth for a year. Track your daily steps and see if you can finish a 5K (3.1 miles) or go all the way for a 10K (6.2 miles) by the end of October. Participants will get a Sloth Shuffle patch, pedometer, sports towel and tracking sheet mailed to them. One dollar for every participant will be donated to the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison to help care for their sloths.
Can’t get outside? Take a virtual nature walk!
We found a bunch of virtual nature walks to help you experience the Outdoors, even when you can’t get outside. Find the videos on our Sloth Shuffle page here.
How are you enjoying Outdoors month? Let us know in the comments below!
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