Itasca State Park Nature Program Update
Itasca State Park Nature Program
Nature of Science: Eyes on the Skies: Birds as Indicators of Ecosystem Health
Thursday, August 20, 2026, from 11 a.m.– noon
Meet at the Biome Center, University of Minnesota Itasca Biological Station (along Main Park Drive, watch for signs)
Ever wonder how science helps us understand nature? Tag along with a scientist! Today's guest is Victoria Ricke, Station Scientist, Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories, and this program will focus on how bird populations can tell us about the health of their habitats. Come learn about some of the ways researchers study birds to track their populations and behaviors. Take a look at the Itasca Biological Station’s bird collections and see how different species specialize for their habitats. This program is coordinated by the University of Minnesota's Itasca Biological Station and Itasca State Park.
Itasca’s Music Under the Pines Series for August
Music Under the Pines: Basement Brass
Saturday, August 15, 7-8 PM
Lake Itasca Amphitheater (Forest Inn if raining)
LIVE MUSIC at the Lake Itasca Amphitheater!
This is an outdoor event. Bench seating is provided, or bring your own lawn chair or blanket. Pets on leash welcome. This event will move to the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center in case of poor weather conditions.
The Music Under the Pines summer concert series is sponsored in partnership with the Friends of Itasca State Park. The Friends will host an ice cream social at this event.
Music Under the Pines: Bill and Julie Kaiser
Sunday, August 23, 4-5:30 PM
Forest Inn
LIVE MUSIC at the Forest Inn!
This is an indoor event. Seating is provided.
The Music Under the Pines summer concert series is sponsored in partnership with the Friends of Itasca State Park.
Music Under the Pines: North Wind Clarinets
Sunday, August 30, 4-5:30 PM
Forest Inn
LIVE MUSIC at the Forest Inn!
This is an indoor event. Seating is provided.
The Music Under the Pines summer concert series is sponsored in partnership with the Friends of Itasca State Park. The Friends will host an ice cream social at this event.
Poetry and Prose Open Mic Night
Writing the Wild: Poetry and Prose Open Mic Night
Thursday, August 6, 2026, from 7:30-9 p.m.
Meet at Lake Itasca Amphitheater in the picnic grounds. If raining, meet at the Biome Center, University of Minnesota Itasca Biological Station (along Main Park Drive)
Come and present -- or listen to -- prose and poetry about nature as the students from the Itasca Biological Station present their work from the class Writing the Wild. Essayist and poet Kathryn Nuernberger and biologist and author Marlene Zuk, along with their students, will showcase the writing from their class. Audience members can contribute their own short works for everyone to enjoy, or if there's a passage from a favorite writer that you'd love to share, feel free to do that as well. There will be an open mic portion of this reading. Share your writing inspired by Itasca (3 minutes or less please) or read a favorite poem or short writing by someone else that captures the spirit of Itasca. Look for the sign-up sheet when you arrive.
Naturalist Programs
August 2026
Mysteries in History: The Douglas Lodge Area
- Friday, August 14, 2026, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Meet in Douglas Lodge Lobby.
Once proclaimed a “jewel set in mud,” Douglas Lodge is a point of pride in Itasca State Park and is Itasca’s oldest surviving structure. Join us on a walking tour around Douglas Lodge and its surroundings to learn more about this “jewel” and how the park developed the “mud” surrounding it into a hotspot of activity. Walk will be about one-third mile in length.
Old Timer’s Cabin and the Civilian Conservation Corps
- Friday, August 14, 2026, from 1:30- 3 p.m.
- Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 1:30-3 p.m.
- Monday, August 17, 2026, from 1:30-3 p.m.
Held at the Old Timer’s Cabin, located along the boardwalk of Dr. Roberts Trail, below Douglas Lodge, (come and go at your leisure)
Only 4 (massive) logs tall, learn more about this Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed building as well as what life was like in the CCC. Feel free to stop by at your leisure.
Five Facts in Five Minutes Series
Near the Mississippi Headwaters (under the porch of the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center if rain.)
- Tuesday, August 11, 2026, from 10 a.m.-Noon— Red, White & Black: The Common Loon, Our State Bird
- Wednesday, August 12, 2026, from 10:30 a.m.-Noon—Weasels
- Wednesday, August 12, 2026, from 2-3:30 p.m.—Porcupines
- Friday, August 14, 2026, from 10:30 a.m.-Noon—Sculpting the Mississippi Headwaters
- Monday, August 17, 2026, from 10:30 a.m.-Noon—Monarch Butterfly
Only have a minute to learn about Itasca State Park? Check out a unique feature at the naturalist station as you visit the Headwaters of the Mississippi River.
Mysteries in History: The Picnic Grounds
- Tuesday, August 11, 2026, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
- Tuesday, August 18, 2026, from 1-2 p.m.
Meet at the Lakeside Museum in the picnic grounds
Have you ever had a picnic in Itasca State Park’s picnic grounds and wondered who had eaten a meal in the same place? What would their view have been? Who would they have seen? What kinds of activities could they have done nearby after lunch? Come along on a hike through this area to visualize and learn more about the buildings both past and present, the previous residents, and how the area came to be the picnic grounds.
Woods and Wildflower Walk
- Tuesday, August 18, 2026, from 10:30-11 a.m.
Meet outside Douglas Lodge.
Interested in the plants of Itasca State Park? Join us on a short walk to see what wildflowers are blooming along with the trees around them. We will be walking along the Dr. Roberts Trail, a trail noted for its variety of plants and bog boardwalk!
Family Fishing Fun
- Thursday, August 13, 2026, from 10-11:30 a.m.
Meet at the Lake Itasca Fishing Pier, below Douglas Lodge.
Kids and adults, are you a ‘first time’ fisherperson wanting to try the new skill of fishing? Learn to identify common fish species in Minnesota, do a craft, and have the chance to catch some fish. Suitable for ages 6-12. NOTES: An adult must accompany children. Bring your own fishing pole or use one provided (limited number). Poles are available on first come first serve basis. Bait provided. Non-Minnesota residents will need a fishing license.
Mississippi Headwaters Mysteries Walk
- Wednesday, August 12, 2026, from 11– 11:30 a.m.
Meet at the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center.
Did you ever wonder: How did Lake Itasca get its name? Have those rocks always been there? Does the river ever freeze? Discover the answer to these mysteries about the Mississippi River and Lake Itasca as we walk to the headwaters.
Outdoor Kids Series
- Sunday, August 16, 2026, from 2-3:30 p.m.—Water Mammals
Meet by the Swim Beach/ Playground (at the south end of the picnic grounds on Lake Itasca; come-and-go at your leisure)
Kids of all ages come out and explore nature at your leisure. This program series allows kids to connect with nature through hands-on activities that focus on life around the lake. Have fun discovering Itasca while hanging out at the swimming beach or playground.
Jr. Naturalist: Hiking and Drawing in Nature
Thursday, August 13, 2025, from 2:30-3:15 p.m.
Meet outside Douglas Lodge.
Let’s get outside and get creative! Join us on a hike and draw the beautiful nature around you – the colorful flowers, tall trees, sparkling lake, and interesting animals! Come create art and learn about what you are drawing from a naturalist.
Itasca’s Mysteries in History: The Itasca Biological Station
Friday, August 14, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the new Tester’s Hub located at the Itasca Biological Station (along Main Park Drive, watch for signs).
In 1907, the University of Minnesota began its first field classes in Itasca State Park, a tradition that continues today at the Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories. On this tour, you'll uncover the rich history of this iconic site while learning about cutting-edge biological education and research that takes place here. Visit the Biome Center, a modern hub for current field classes, before stepping back in time to the site of the historic State Park House, where Mary Gibbs once lived in 1903. Along the way, you'll also explore one of the rare National Youth Administration (NYA) buildings from the 1930s that still stand at the park, a reminder of the era's impact on the station. The tour also follows the path of the 1920-era Jefferson Highway, offering insights into how this historic route passed through the station and influenced the park’s development.
Jr. Naturalist: Birds!
Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Meet at the campfire circle outside the Lakeside Museum in the picnic grounds.
Kids, come learn all about birds! From cool feathers to colors and sounds, so many fun things to explore about birds. We’ll take a short walk to see what birds we can find!
Misunderstood Animals, Campfire
Saturday, August 16, 2026, from 7-7:30 p.m.
Meet at the campfire circle by the Lakeside Museum in the picnic grounds.
Not every furry face gets the love it deserves! Join us as we uncover the truth about some of Itasca’s most misunderstood animals. Discover how these animals play an essential role in our ecosystem and bust some common myths about these incredible animals. You may leave with a whole new appreciation for these amazing neighbors! We will have a campfire, so bring supplies if you would like to fix some s’mores.
Connie Cox
Lead Interpretive Naturalist | Parks and Trails
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Itasca State Park
36750 Main Park Drive
Park Rapids, MN 56470
Phone: 218-699-7259
Fax: 218-699-7210
Email: constance.cox@state.mn.us