Event Type : Education

“Woah! What animal made that footprint??” Walking the forests in Elk Country, you can come across all kinds of wildlife tracks and it can be difficult to identify the critter that made them. Come join our Con Ed staff as we dive into the world of Wildlife tracking. We will go over a couple of different wildlife tracks and some tips on how to identify each one!

Join our educators as we learn all about moths, how to identify them, and catch some! Using our new skills to identify moths that we attract after dark!

The Elk Country Visitor Center is celebrating some of PA’s popular fish species. Join the Con Ed staff as we take turns catching each of our fish cutouts, and learn a fact or two about each one! Activity is great for families with young children.

Join us for a family-oriented slide show as we learn how all living things in a given area interact with one another and make up an ecosystem. After the presentation stay for some follow-up activities and to hit the trails together as we explore some of the ecosystems found here at the Center.

Travel back to the Ice Age to discover one of the largest deer to ever roam the Earth! Learn how Irish Elk compare to today’s Pennsylvania elk, what caused their extinction, and explore how people portrayed the animals around them through cave art. Make your very own cave paintings to bring home.

Elk SMART is a vital initiative to help remind visitors who come to visit Elk Country to preserve the wild nature of the PA Elk Herd. Walk up and learn the four principles of Elk SMART, how to practice them, and their importance.

“Oh snap! That’s a big turtle!” Snapping turtles happen to be the largest turtle in the state of Pennsylvania. Come join Jacob Deberti and learn all about the common snapping turtle. Jacob will cover everything from their biology/ecology to safe handling tips when catching and locating “snappers.” There may even be snapping turtle stew!

Discover how elk have been a significant resource for humans throughout history. Uncover how early Native Americas used elk throughout precolonial history. Find out how early Europeans settlers utilized elk during colonization.  Uncover elk’s cultural significance in the past to the present. Bring to light why people hold so much value to the Wapiti.

The rut is nearly upon us. Join us as we discuss the behavior of the elk during their breeding season, appropriate and safe elk- watching etiquette, as well as some additional exciting seasonal happenings here in Elk Country.

Learn binocular viewing basics! Test your skills, and hit the trails to view elk and other wildlife! There will be binoculars available to use along with a spotting scope, but feel free to use your own!

Come explore the plant life at your feet with the Elk County Master Gardeners at the Elk County Visitor Center. Learn about plants that can feed, support, and even heal us and the earth. This program is one of the three opportunities to learn about foraging in spring May 16th, summer August 1^st, and fall October 3^rd. Please join us for one or all three programs, starting at the Vista Pavilion, plus participants are invited to picnic on the Elk Country Visitor Center lawn after each program.