Hike

Coastal exploration with a side of shipwreck! Participants will be guided on a Castle Hill hike to Steep Hill Beach, where we will explore the beach and discover treasures washed up by the waves. Piece together clues to learn what is living under the sand and below the water line. We will use field guides to identify shells, egg cases, seaweed and more to tell the story of what creatures inhabit the beach. We will also share the fascinating tale of the schooner Ada K Damon, wrecked on Steep Hill Beach in 1909. Participants will have the chance to search for remnants of the shipwreck and make observations and measurements of what they find.

Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! Over one hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here. Learn about the buildings, bridges, and breakwaters built to last. Touch tools of the trade. Find out how they moved these large, heavy stone pieces and how they “paved” dirt streets in our new Nation’s growing cities—and around the world! For all ages.

Greenbelt and North Shore Nature Programs team up for this event for all ages! What sound do frogs make? Turns out, they make a lot of different sounds! Come meet the residents of the vernal pools to learn who says ribbit, quack, chirp, peep and more!​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We recommend all participants wear waterproof boots, as the woods can be quite soggy this time of year!

The sand dunes at Crane Beach are like a desert. Water is hard to come by; the sand is hot and the dunes are always moving & shifting with the strong ocean winds. Despite these stressors, a variety of life thrives here. Come explore the dunes of Crane Beach, and learn how animals and plants survive in this unforgiving habitat. Learn the basics of animal tracking, see sand up-close, and learn how it’s formed, and discover different adaptations that allow plants, animals, and even fungi to survive the stress of the dunes.