BC Forestry Outreach Center

Exploring Amphibians Walk
2026-02-22 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Kentucky/Monticello) | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
We will take a walk to our pond to explore and learn about the amphibians in the forest!
Meet at the Center to leave at 2:00pm.
All ages welcome.

Family Activity: Likin' Lichen Walk
2026-02-15 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
*rescheduled to Feb. 15th
While many plants lay dormant for the winter, there’s still a lot of green to be found in forest.

We’ll leave at 2:00pm to go on a slow-paced, child led walk in the lower forest to learn about lichen and moss. We can collect some to bring back and examine under a microscope!
This is geared towards elementary ages. Look for our lichen walk geared towards upper ages and adults on February 17th!

Red Oaks Forest School Art Club
2026-02-14 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-10 10:00 - 12:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join Red Oaks Forest School for their monthly art club at the Pinnacles! Free and open to all.

Great Backyard Bird Count
2026-02-13 09:30 - 2026-02-16 10:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join in on a decades long global citizen science project. All it takes is 15 minutes a day from February 13th through February 16th.
Using the apps/websites Merlin and eBird, you’ll record the types and number of birds you see during your observation windows on those days. You can observe in your own backyard, go to a park, or join us here in the lower forest at the Pinnacles!
We will meet at the Center at 9:15am to start observations shortly after. Come one day or all four–all observations help scientists worldwide study bird populations.
Learn more about the GBBC on their website!
All ages are welcome. Using your own phone/app is optimal but not required, you can just join in on the birdwatching!

Valentines to Nature Craft Night
2026-02-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
We will have crafting materials to make valentines, love notes/letters to nature. Some light refreshments and warm beverages will be provided.
You’ll be welcome to keep them private, or we can share them on our social media on Valentines Day!
All ages welcome.

Family Activity: Animal Tracks & Snow Science
2026-01-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Explore the stories that snow can help tell us.

From showing clues from critters to crystal formation to melting, snow can tell us a lot about our environment.

Eco-Friendly Ornament Crafting
2025-12-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join us for a relaxing crafting session using natural/repurposed materials to make ornaments, garlands, etc. to decorate your home or yard this winter!Materials provided, but feel welcome to bring items if you’d like.Open to all ages.

Collage Art @ LJAC Craft Night
2025-11-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Loyal Jones Appalachian Center, 205 N. Main St., Berea, KY, United States
Did you know LJAC has a craft night every Tuesday during the semesters? This night, we are bringing hot chocolate with lots of toppings as well as old nature magazines to repurpose into collage art! Come relax and create with us!

Whimsical Woods
2025-11-16 17:00 - 19:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join us and Berea College’s Art in Action for a fun evening of whimsical forest crafts, fairy house making, and learning about some of nature’s cute creepy crawly friends.
Come dressed up as your favorite real or fictional forest creature! Meet at the Nature’s Classroom gazebo.
We will be indoors in the case of bad weather.

Playscape Build Day
2025-11-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
This is a great time of year to revitalize the playscape and we hope you’ll come share your creativity with us!
We’ll have materials and a volunteer well-versed in “pioneering” to help with building a structure together.

Family Activity: All About Bats
2025-11-02 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Many animals are getting ready to hibernate for the winter, including bats! We will have crafts to learn about different aspects of bat life.

Star Party
2025-11-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Local astronomer, Jeff Hutton, will be here with telescopes set up to view the skies over the Pinnacles! If you have a telescope, we welcome you to bring it!

Learn about the night sky each month with an article by Jeff, head of the Pinnacle Astronomy Club!

Cyanotype - Solar Printmaking
2025-10-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join the Berea College Printmaking Club in making cyanotype prints–using the energy from the sun to develop designs on paper/fabric. Supplies and paper provided. You’re welcome to bring a small linen or cotton item to dye. Rain date: November 2nd

Whimsical Woods Costume Making
2025-10-12 13:00 - 15:00 | KY
We’re teaming up with Berea College Art in Action to make nature-inspired costumes that you can wear this Halloween season, including during our upcoming Whimsical Woods event! We will have supplies, just bring your creativity to room 101 in the Hafter-Gibson building on campus from 1:00-3:00pm.
Our Whimsical Woods event is Sunday, October 19th, 5:00-7:00pm at the Forestry Outreach Center’s Nature’s Classroom Gazebo! Inside in case of bad weather.

Mini Tree Nursery Box Painting
2025-10-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
The Berea College Grounds team is starting the Free Tree Initiative–a project to grow native trees from the forest that can then be intentionally planted on campus or in the forest or given to community members to plant. The mini tree nursery boxes will be placed in the forest by the Center to get tended while they grow, so we would love help decorating them! We’ll be set up by the trailhead with the boxes and paint supplies for you to add your creative touch and learn more about the project!

Tree I.D. Walk
2025-10-11 11:00 - 12:30 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Celebrate Tree Week by joining us on a walk where you can learn how to identify different tree species in the forest! The walk will be slow-paced and approximately 1 mile with some uneven terrain.
Meet at the Pinnacle Knob trails parking lot to leave at 11:00am.

Owl Pellet Lab
2025-10-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Scientists can learn a lot about owl health and behavior from looking at their diet. We can do that with owl pellets–what an owl regurgitates after eating! We will dissect pellets and see what our owl friend ate.

Limited supply. Pellets are sanitized.

Observe the Moon Night
2025-10-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Local astronomer, Jeff Hutton, will be here with telescopes set up to view the moon for International Observe the Moon Night! Feel free to bring your own telescope.

After Jeff’s presentation and moongazing, we will go on a short, slow walk through the woods. Please bring a flashlight/headlamp if interested. (weather dependent)

Learn about the night sky each month with an article by Jeff, head of the Pinnacle Astronomy Club!

Family Activity: TBD
2025-09-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Details TBD

Family Activity: Autumn Equinox
2025-09-21 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
The autumn equinox–when day and night will be equal– is September 22nd! Celebrate heading into autumn with a leaf suncatcher craft and making a simple sundial!
Meet in the Nature’s Classroom gazebo.

Family Activity: Nature Clay Crafts
2025-09-14 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
We’ll use clay crafts to explore nature and our creativity! You can use natural materials in your creations to make snails, mushrooms, and leaf and snake scale prints!
Meet in the Nature’s Classroom gazebo.

Family Open Mic Night w/ MCPL
2025-09-09 17:00 - 19:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Back by request!! Join Madison County Public Library and the Berea College Forestry Outreach Center for a family friendly open mic night on Tuesday September 9th.
*Sign ups will start at 5:00pm, followed by some performing tips and exercises before the performances start. The library will help kids prepare and go over the basics of public speaking before they take the stage to show case their creativity!
*There will be a pop-up library should anyone be struck with inspiration and want to show off their reading skills.
*All kids, families, and skill levels are welcome! This is a fun event to celebrate all different types of creativity in Berea.
*There is no electricity, but the acoustics from the stage are great!
*Feel free to bring a stadium seat or camp chairs as the amphitheater is stone.
The amphitheater is located right before you embark on your hike to the Pinnacles, look for the big flag that says “Pop-Up Library.”
Restrooms are available at the Forestry Outreach Center building by the parking lot. The restrooms by the amphitheater will NOT be open.
We will have some light refreshments.
In the event of inclement weather, this event will be rescheduled.

Family Activity: Nature Bracelets
2025-09-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join us to make bracelets inspired by nature!We will have beads and string to make monarch caterpillar (or the caterpillar of your choosing) bracelets. We will also make nature bracelets out of tape and go on a walk to collect items to add, and/or let nature add things for us to learn about seed dispersal!
Meet in the Nature’s Classroom gazebo.

Family Activity: Bug Safari
2025-08-31 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
We will go on a slow-paced, child led walk in the lower forest to look for as many bug friends as we can find!
Cancelled in the case of heavy rain/thunderstorms.
Meet at the Center to leave at 2pm.

Night Hike
2025-08-30 20:30 - 22:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
We will head into the woods after dark to see what wildlife we can see and hear. Please bring a flashlight/headlamp!
This will be a one mile loop with minimal elevation change and we will walk at a slow pace.

Family Activity: Bird Migration
2025-08-24 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Did you know some birds start migrating to their winter homes in August?
We’ll learn about the amazing journeys birds take twice a year through games, crafts, and books.
This is geared towards elementary aged kids but all ages welcome.
We will meet in the Nature’s Classroom gazebo.

Family Activity: Eco-Friendly Water Balloons
2025-08-17 14:00 - 17:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Beat the heat by playing with our eco-friendly water balloons! Made out of crocheted yarn, these “balloons” are reusable and easy to pick up.
We will be set up on the lawn in front of the FOC. Please keep balloons and playing to that area.
This is a friendly event–please throw at appropriate speeds as to not hurt others and avoid heads/faces.

Forest Families/Familias del Bosque
2025-08-14 09:00 - 10:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Forest Families: Thursday Morning Hikes

Looking for a safe and welcoming way to enjoy the woods with (or without) your kids? Join us every Thursday at 9am at the Berea College Forestry Outreach Center. This is a community hike for moms, dads, grandparents, guardians—everyone is welcome! Come with your little ones or on your own.

All family types welcome

Bilingual program – Spanish-speaking participants welcome!

Berea College Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd. Berea, KY

Thursdays at 9:00 AM
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Familias del Bosque: Caminatas los Jueves por la Mañana

Jueves a las 9 AM

Centro de Extensión Forestal de Berea College

Una caminata semanal para cualquier persona que cuide a niños pequeños y quiera disfrutar del bosque con compañía. Ya seas mamá, papá, abuelo/a, tutor/a o parte de una familia elegida, puedes venir con tus hijos o solo/a. Este es un espacio seguro para caminar y conectar con otras personas.

Todas las estructuras familiares son bienvenidas

Crea comunidad, conéctate y respira naturaleza

¡Programa bilingüe!

Dónde: Centro de Extensión Forestal de Berea College, 2047 Big Hill Rd. Berea, KY

Cuándo: Jueves a las 9:00 AM

Family Activity: Butterflies and Moths
2025-08-10 14:00 - 15:00 | Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Rd., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
We’ll learn about butterflies and moths–how can you tell the difference between them, what do they eat, what do they do for the ecosystem? We’ll look under the microscope and at books, and make our own butterfly or moth craft. After, we can head outside and see if we see any flying friends!
This activity is geared towards elementary aged kids but all ages welcome.
