Events

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Prairie Remnant Hike at Hawthorne Lake

Hawthorne Lake is bordered by a small section of remnant prairie. Remnants are prairies that have never been plowed, and have been growing undisturbed since before Iowa became a state. Although Iowa was once about 80% prairie less than 1% of our remnant prairies remain, so hiking in one is a great way to connect to our state history while seeing many different flowers, and a beautiful view of Hawthorn Lake! 

This event will involve hiking over rough ground through unmowed vegetation, so do wear long pants and closed toed shoes!

Call Amy at 319-213-5607 if you need more specific directions for where to park! 

Kayaking at Hawthorne Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Come put your kayaking skill to use on a larger lake! We'll explore the lake at the DNR's Hawthorne Lake Wildlife Management Area, just 15 minutes southeast of Diamond Lake in Barnes City. We'll meet at the west boat ramp. Amy can help give you directions when you call to RSVP. 

Because Hawthorne Lake is a little bigger we ask that attendees have kayaked with Amy before at Diamond Lake prior to kayaking at Hawthorne

Kayaking at Hawthorne Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Come put your kayaking skill to use on a larger lake! We'll explore the lake at the DNR's Hawthorne Lake Wildlife Management Area, just 15 minutes southeast of Diamond Lake in Barnes City. We'll meet at the west boat ramp. Amy can help give you directions when you call to RSVP. 

Summer Nature Explorers - Fishing

Nature Explorers is a free program for preschoolers through 5th graders - though learners of all ages are always welcome! We will meet every other Friday in June and July at the 2nd shelter in Diamond Lake Park (on the NW side of the lake).  The same program will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, come to whichever works for your family's schedule. Feel free to bring a picnic to eat in the shelter before or after your program!

On June 16th we'll be fishing! We'll talk about what fish we might find in Diamond Lake, and will have a few other educational activities set up in the shelter. We will provide fishing poles (big and little), bait, and tackle, and be on hand to assist as you reel in a big one! Grown up are welcome to fish as well, but they should have a fishing license! 

RSVPs are not required, but they are always appreciated, especially so we can plan for equipment!

Summer Nature Explorers - Fishing

Nature Explorers is a free program for preschoolers through 5th graders - though learners of all ages are always welcome! We will meet every other Friday in June and July at the 2nd shelter in Diamond Lake Park (on the NW side of the lake).  The same program will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, come to whichever works for your family's schedule. Feel free to bring a picnic to eat in the shelter before or after your program!

On June 16th we'll be fishing! We'll talk about what fish we might find in Diamond Lake, and will have a few other educational activities set up in the shelter. We will provide fishing poles (big and little), bait, and tackle, and be on hand to assist as you reel in a big one! Grown up are welcome to fish as well, but they should have a fishing license! 

RSVPs are not required, but they are always appreciated, especially so we can plan for equipment!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Archery Trailer at Montezuma Booster Bash

Kids (6 and up) and adults are welcome to give archery a try during the Monte June Booster Bash. The archery trailer is a mobile, enclosed archery range. We have youth and small adult sized bows available for folks to try out. This is a great opportunity for experienced archers or folks picking up a bow for the very first time!

Building Better Birders

Join us for the second of three Building Better Birders Workshops to be held in Poweshiek County in 2023. A full schedule for Poweshiek (and other Iowa counties) is available at www.buildingbetterbirders.com

In June we will be focusing on Iowa's grassland birds! Here's the schedule for the day Come for as much or as little as you can!

6:15-6:30am -  Arrive at the Foster Center and grab a cup of coffee and a muffin and use the restroom.

6:35 - 7:00 -  Carpool or Caravan over to Hawthorne Lake WMA (about 15 minutes SE of Diamond Lake).

7:00 - 10:00 - Hike through the prairies around Hawthorne Lake to see what birds we see and hear, Binoculars and a birding checklist will be provided for the hike. The hike will be through a prairie, and along a lakeshore, so hiking boots and long pants are recommended, however it will not be strenuous, we'll be moving slowly and enjoying the morning!

10:00 - 10:45  - Drive back to Diamond Lake, restroom/snack break

10:45 - 12:15 - presentation on the grassland breeding birds of Iowa at Diamond Lake's Foster Center. 

12:15-1:15 - Lunch break. Bring a picnic to eat on the deck overlooking the lake, or go into Montezuma to grab lunch.

1:15 - 2:45 Kelly McKay will talk about his experiencing traveling internationally to see birds. 

Funding for this workshop was provided by the Resource Enhancement and Protection - Conservation Education Program (REAP-CEP). This workshop will be conducted by Kelly McKay (BioEco Research and Monitoring Center), with assistance from Mark Robberts (Clinton County Conservation), Brian Ritter and James Wiebler (Nahant Marsh Ed. Center. 

Summer Nature Explorers - Eagles

Nature Explorers is a free program for preschoolers through 5th graders - though learners of all ages are always welcome! We will meet every other Friday in June and July at the 2nd shelter in Diamond Lake Park (on the NW side of the lake).  The same program will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, come to whichever works for your family's schedule. Feel free to bring a picnic to eat in the shelter before or after your program!

On June 30th we'll be getting ready for the 4th of July by talking about eagles! When and where can we see them? How big are their nests? What adaptations do they have? Besides the bald eagle what other kinds of eagles are there? 

We'll also get a chance to look at taxidermy from a golden eagle and hear the story of how it came to "live" at Diamond Lake. 

RSVPs are not required, but they are always appreciated!

Summer Nature Explorers - Eagles

Nature Explorers is a free program for preschoolers through 5th graders - though learners of all ages are always welcome! We will meet every other Friday in June and July at the 2nd shelter in Diamond Lake Park (on the NW side of the lake).  The same program will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, come to whichever works for your family's schedule. Feel free to bring a picnic to eat in the shelter before or after your program!

On June 30th we'll be getting ready for the 4th of July by talking about eagles! When and where can we see them? How big are their nests? What adaptations do they have? Besides the bald eagle what other kinds of eagles are there? 

We'll also get a chance to look at taxidermy from a golden eagle and hear the story of how it came to "live" at Diamond Lake. 

RSVPs are not required, but they are always appreciated!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Hawthorne Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Come put your kayaking skill to use on a larger lake! We'll explore the lake at the DNR's Hawthorne Lake Wildlife Management Area, just 15 minutes southeast of Diamond Lake in Barnes City. We'll meet at the west boat ramp. Amy can help give you directions when you call to RSVP. 

Prairie Walk at Drake Community Library

This prairie "walk" will be more prairie, less walking, as the Drake Community Library prairie is locatied just off the library's south patio. We'll look at what's in bloom, and talk about using native plants in an urban landscape. 

Archery Trailer at Poweshiek County Fair

Kids (6 and up) and adults are welcome to give archery a try during the Monte June Booster Bash. The archery trailer is a mobile, enclosed archery range. We have youth and small adult sized bows available for folks to try out. This is a great opportunity for experienced archers or folks picking up a bow for the very first time!

Summer Nature Explorers - Great Blue Heron and Friends

Nature Explorers is a free program for preschoolers through 5th graders - though learners of all ages are always welcome! We will meet every other Friday in June and July at the 2nd shelter in Diamond Lake Park (on the NW side of the lake).  The same program will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, come to whichever works for your family's schedule. Feel free to bring a picnic to eat in the shelter before or after your program!

The great blue herons that wade along the shore of Diamond Lake are favorites of many campers! Did you know we also sometimes see green herons or little blue herons? We might even see an elusive American bittern - the beady-eyed cousin of herons. Some times of year we find snow- white egrets, and our neighbors to the north in Tama County regularly see sandhill cranes. From their nests, to their babies, to their unique sounds come learn all about wading wetland birds! 

RSVPs are not required, but they are always appreciated!

Summer Nature Explorers - Great Blue Heron and Friends

Nature Explorers is a free program for preschoolers through 5th graders - though learners of all ages are always welcome! We will meet every other Friday in June and July at the 2nd shelter in Diamond Lake Park (on the NW side of the lake).  The same program will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, come to whichever works for your family's schedule. Feel free to bring a picnic to eat in the shelter before or after your program!

The great blue herons that wade along the shore of Diamond Lake are favorites of many campers! Did you know we also sometimes see green herons or little blue herons? We might even see an elusive American bittern - the beady-eyed cousin of herons. Some times of year we find snow- white egrets, and our neighbors to the north in Tama County regularly see sandhill cranes. From their nests, to their babies, to their unique sounds come learn all about wading wetland birds! 

RSVPs are not required, but they are always appreciated!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Hawthorne Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Come put your kayaking skill to use on a larger lake! We'll explore the lake at the DNR's Hawthorne Lake Wildlife Management Area, just 15 minutes southeast of Diamond Lake in Barnes City. We'll meet at the west boat ramp. Amy can help give you directions when you call to RSVP. 

Summer Nature Explorers - Monarchs

Nature Explorers is a free program for preschoolers through 5th graders - though learners of all ages are always welcome! We will meet every other Friday in June and July at the 2nd shelter in Diamond Lake Park (on the NW side of the lake).  The same program will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, come to whichever works for your family's schedule. Feel free to bring a picnic to eat in the shelter before or after your program!

Late July is a great time to see the whole life cycle of a monarch butterfl! Amy will bring in a few different stages of cateripillars and we'll take a walk around the park to see if we can find eggs on milkweed plants or adult monarchs flying around!

RSVPs are not required but always appreciated!

Summer Nature Explorers - Monarchs

Nature Explorers is a free program for preschoolers through 5th graders - though learners of all ages are always welcome! We will meet every other Friday in June and July at the 2nd shelter in Diamond Lake Park (on the NW side of the lake).  The same program will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, come to whichever works for your family's schedule. Feel free to bring a picnic to eat in the shelter before or after your program!

Late July is a great time to see the whole life cycle of a monarch butterfl! Amy will bring in a few different stages of cateripillars and we'll take a walk around the park to see if we can find eggs on milkweed plants or adult monarchs flying around!

RSVPs are not required but always appreciated!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Prairie Walk at Diamond Lake

This short and accessible walk along a paved trail is a great opportunity to see lots of Iowa's native plants. The hike is about  1 mile round trip, and we will look at wildflowers, large oak trees, and views of Diamond Lake Park. Meet at the Diamond Lake's main shelter. 

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!

Kayaking at Diamond Lake

RSVPs are required for kayaking. To RSVP, call Amy at 319-213-5607.

Meet at the Diamond Lake Boat Ramp. Beginners welcome! All sessions start with a quick lesson. Kayaks and life jackets are provided.. These events will be held regularly throughout the summer, and are a great time to do something as a family, meet up with an old friend, or make new friends!