Parks and Land Use Events
Special Events
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Wild Winter Night Candlelight Hikes February 27, 2025
Parks annual membership or Parks daily permit required for each vehicle • No event registration required
• Self-guided hike around the lake by candlelight from 6 - 8:30 pm
• The Gift of Wings Grill will be selling hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, coffee, hot cocoa, and snacks
• Campfire on the beach
• Well-behaved dogs on a 6 ft. leash are welcome
• Recommended: Purchase your Parks annual membership or Parks daily permit in advance -
Spring Workshop Day March 15, 2025
$20 per person • Ages 15+
Required: Register online by March 14 at noon
Discover why birds captivate us and how we can help birds in our yards through certain native plantings. Experts will share information on bird biology, migration, tips for identifying birds, with an optional short hike to Retzer hotspots.
All About Birds and Bird ID Tips
9:00-10:30 a.m.
Presented by Erin McKeon, Wisconsin Master Naturalist at Retzer specializing in ornithology and Tim Hahn, Vice President of Ben Goss Bird Club
Pollinator Gardening to Bird Habitat
10:30 a.m. - Noon
Presented by Jennifer Lazewski, Wisconsin Society for Ornithology Executive Director, Master Gardener Volunteer and Master Naturalist, will present Pollinator Gardening to Bird Habitat, showing participants how to expand the birds you see right out your door by building layers of trees, shrubs and native plants to feed and shelter birds and their nestlings. She is a native gardener with extensive experience in native plant gardening and has been featured in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel articles about hummingbird and butterfly gardening, among other subjects.
Birding Hike (optional)
Noon-12:30 p.m.
Binoculars will be available.
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Waukesha County Scout Nights at Retzer Nature Center March 18, 2025
Cub Scout Night
2025 schedule
Registration is open$6 per Scout per Retzer program
$7.50 per person for the PlanetariumJoin us to complete adventures during our Spring Scout Nights!
• Come as a Scout Den or independently
• Each Scout must be accompanied by parent chaperone (individual scout) or leader chaperones (den).
• Each Scout must register individually for desired programs
• For Planetarium programs only, leaders/parents/siblings must also pay for their seat at the door (space permitting).
• Programs start promptly at scheduled times; please arrive on time.
• Portions of programs may be outside; be sure to dress for the weather.
• Cancellation: A program may be cancelled if fewer than 10 enrollments
SPRING Scout Nights
2025 schedule
Registration opens Sept. 1, 2024Below: View program schedule and register for Lion, Tiger, Bear, Wolf, Webelos and Arrow of Light!
March 18, 2025 Tuesday
Scout Rank Time Program Registration Lion & Tiger 5:00-6:00 pm Mountain Lions and Tigers in the Wild
(limit 30 Scouts)
Take a hike at Retzer Nature Center and explore the outdoors! Learn about wild and domesticated animals, natural and manmade objects, and learn about the Outdoor Code and S.A.W. Requirements 1-4 will be completed.Register Bear 5:00-6:30 pm Bear Habitat
(limit 30 Scouts)
Come prepared for a one-mile hike at Retzer Nature Center! Review the Cub Scout Six Essentials and Leave No Trace Principles for Kids. Requirements 1-9 will be completed.Register Tiger 6:00-7:15 pm Sky is the Limit *🌠
(limit 60 Scouts)
During the Star Signs planetarium show, observe easy-to-see constellations and names of stars in the night sky. If weather permits, scouts will use a telescope, binoculars, or a sunspotter to observe distant objects, including but not limited to stars, planets, nebulae, galaxies and/or the sun. A live planetarium star talk will take place instead of telescope observation if the weather is not conducive for outdoor viewing. Lastly, a homemade model of a constellation will be made. Requirements 3-4 will be completed and guidance for Requirements 1-2 will be provided (weather permitting).Register Wolf 6:00-7:00 pm
Paws on the Path
(limit 30 scouts)
Join us as we identify the Cub Scout Six Essentials, learn about the buddy system, how best to prepare for a hike, discuss the Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace Principles for Kids and take a walk outside to explore Nature at Retzer. Requirements 1-5 will be completed.Register *🌠Any chaperone or sibling wishing to attend the planetarium show with their scout can pay $7.50 at the door on Cub Scout Night as space allows (capacity: 90).
March 20, 2025 Thursday
Scout Rank Time Program Registration Arrow of Light 5:00-6:00 pm Into the Woods
(limit 30 Scouts)
Learn about what trees and plants do for us and animals and why taking care of them is important to our planet’s well-being. Visit Retzer Nature Center and conduct a tree inventory. We will select a tree, classify it, learn how it deals with wildfire and how wildlife uses the tree. Requirements 1-5 will be completed.Register Webelos 6:00-7:30 pm Champions for Nature
(limit 30 Scouts)
Learn about the wildlife we share our planet with - Explore the components of habitat, learn about an endangered species, what caused it to be endangered, and what is being done to protect the animal. Participate in a conservation service project to help endangered species habitat. Requirements 1-6 will be completed.Register -
Waukesha County Scout Nights at Retzer Nature Center March 20, 2025
Cub Scout Night
2025 schedule
Registration is open$6 per Scout per Retzer program
$7.50 per person for the PlanetariumJoin us to complete adventures during our Spring Scout Nights!
• Come as a Scout Den or independently
• Each Scout must be accompanied by parent chaperone (individual scout) or leader chaperones (den).
• Each Scout must register individually for desired programs
• For Planetarium programs only, leaders/parents/siblings must also pay for their seat at the door (space permitting).
• Programs start promptly at scheduled times; please arrive on time.
• Portions of programs may be outside; be sure to dress for the weather.
• Cancellation: A program may be cancelled if fewer than 10 enrollments
SPRING Scout Nights
2025 schedule
Registration opens Sept. 1, 2024Below: View program schedule and register for Lion, Tiger, Bear, Wolf, Webelos and Arrow of Light!
March 18, 2025 Tuesday
Scout Rank Time Program Registration Lion & Tiger 5:00-6:00 pm Mountain Lions and Tigers in the Wild
(limit 30 Scouts)
Take a hike at Retzer Nature Center and explore the outdoors! Learn about wild and domesticated animals, natural and manmade objects, and learn about the Outdoor Code and S.A.W. Requirements 1-4 will be completed.Register Bear 5:00-6:30 pm Bear Habitat
(limit 30 Scouts)
Come prepared for a one-mile hike at Retzer Nature Center! Review the Cub Scout Six Essentials and Leave No Trace Principles for Kids. Requirements 1-9 will be completed.Register Tiger 6:00-7:15 pm Sky is the Limit *🌠
(limit 60 Scouts)
During the Star Signs planetarium show, observe easy-to-see constellations and names of stars in the night sky. If weather permits, scouts will use a telescope, binoculars, or a sunspotter to observe distant objects, including but not limited to stars, planets, nebulae, galaxies and/or the sun. A live planetarium star talk will take place instead of telescope observation if the weather is not conducive for outdoor viewing. Lastly, a homemade model of a constellation will be made. Requirements 3-4 will be completed and guidance for Requirements 1-2 will be provided (weather permitting).Register Wolf 6:00-7:00 pm
Paws on the Path
(limit 30 scouts)
Join us as we identify the Cub Scout Six Essentials, learn about the buddy system, how best to prepare for a hike, discuss the Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace Principles for Kids and take a walk outside to explore Nature at Retzer. Requirements 1-5 will be completed.Register *🌠Any chaperone or sibling wishing to attend the planetarium show with their scout can pay $7.50 at the door on Cub Scout Night as space allows (capacity: 90).
March 20, 2025 Thursday
Scout Rank Time Program Registration Arrow of Light 5:00-6:00 pm Into the Woods
(limit 30 Scouts)
Learn about what trees and plants do for us and animals and why taking care of them is important to our planet’s well-being. Visit Retzer Nature Center and conduct a tree inventory. We will select a tree, classify it, learn how it deals with wildfire and how wildlife uses the tree. Requirements 1-5 will be completed.Register Webelos 6:00-7:30 pm Champions for Nature
(limit 30 Scouts)
Learn about the wildlife we share our planet with - Explore the components of habitat, learn about an endangered species, what caused it to be endangered, and what is being done to protect the animal. Participate in a conservation service project to help endangered species habitat. Requirements 1-6 will be completed.Register -
Story Hike April 01, 2025
Stroll a bit, read a bit! This spring's edition of Story Hike is the children’s book “A Place for Rain” by Michelle Schaub and illustrated by Blanca Gómez.
This family-friendly event is free and completely self-guided. Set out on the Orange Trail to read the book while enjoying the outdoors at the same time!
• Free
• Retzer Nature Center (directions)
• Sunrise - 10 pm
• All ages
• The Orange Trail (view map) is a mowed grass trail with some sloped terrain (0.75 mile approx).
• Note: Trail not fully paved and not lit after dark.Sponsored by Bridges Library System and Retzer Nature Center
