Stump Stories
October 6, 2026
10am
FREE
Bring your preschooler out for Stump Stories where we'll read a nature inspired story, make a simple craft, and go on a short hike.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR STUMP STORIES.
Cryptid Trail Hike
Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10, 2026
6-9pm (timed tickets)
$10/person (most suitable for participants age 8 and up)
Join us at the Outdoor Discovery Center for an evening of thrills and chills! Walk our Cryptid Trail, where legendary creatures like Sasquatch and Mothman lurk around every turn.
Fun awaits you, if you dare! A guided hike will take place every half-hour from 6:00pm to 8:30pm each evening. When registering, you will choose your preferred date and hike time. Space is limited and this event will take place rain or shine.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE CRYPTID TRAIL HIKE.
Nature Lessons for Elementary Age Homeschool Students
October 13, 2026
Sessions offered at 10am and 1pm
$10/student
With generous support from the Grable Foundation, the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek will offer nature lessons to elementary age homeschooled students. The approximately two-hour program will run the second Tuesday of every month, September 2026 – May 2027. Sessions beginning at 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM will be offered each month, and will include a fun and hands-on mix of nature lessons, crafts, games, hikes, experiments, and more.
Depending on the topic we will make use of our indoor and outdoor classrooms; our animal room which has an impressive display of mounted, taxidermized mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish; our lawn and trails.
Upcoming Class: October 13, 2026 – Spooky Science: Discover chemistry, forensic science, seasonal changes and more as you make a witch's potion, dissolve candy pumpkins, study fingerprints, build a no-heat lava lamp, and learn why leaves change colors.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE HOMESCHOOL NATURE LESSON ON OCTOBER 13, 2026.
Each session is $10/child. Advanced registration is required so that we may plan accordingly. You may pay by cash or check (made payable to the Armstrong Center for Community Learning) the day of the class.
Class size is limited.
If you have questions, please contact Rachel Filippini, ODC Program Coordinator at [email protected] or call 724-763-6316.
Nature Book Club
October 13, 2026
7pm
FREE
The book being discussed at the October meeting is The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoe Schlanger.
The book is a New York Times Bestseller. According to Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, the book is "A masterpiece of science writing." Join us for lively and informative conversation.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE UPCOMING NATURE BOOK CLUB MEETING.
History of Halloween Program
October 26, 2026
6pm
$10/person
All ages welcome. Snacks & refreshments provided
Explore with local author, Ron Murphy, The Haunted (and Not So Haunted) History of Halloween. This program explores the origins and evolution of Halloween from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain through the Christian observances of All Hallows Eve and into the modern celebration we know today. Attendees will learn how beliefs about the dead, spirits, witches, ghosts, monsters, and the supernatural became intertwined with seasonal traditions and eventually transformed into popular culture.
This talk will investigate the historical development of Halloween traditions including jack-o'-lanterns, costumes, trick-or-treating, bonfires, divination, haunted houses, witches, black cats, bats, ghosts, and other Halloween symbols. Particular attention will be given to the folklore surrounding the boundary between the living and the dead and humanity's enduring fascination with the unknown.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN PROGRAM.
Nature Lessons for Middle School Age Homeschool Students
October 27, 2026
1pm
$10/student
With generous support from the Grable Foundation, the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek will offer nature lessons to middle school age homeschooled students. The approximately two-hour program will occur once every month, September 2026 – May 2027. Sessions will include a fun and hands-on mix of nature lessons, crafts, games, hikes, experiments, and more.
Depending on the topic we will make use of our indoor and outdoor classrooms; our animal room which has an impressive display of mounted, taxidermized mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish; our lawn and trails.
Upcoming Class: October 27, 2026 – Spooky Science: Dive into chemistry, forensic science, seasonal change, and more by mixing a witch’s potion, analyzing fingerprints, creating a no-heat lava lamp, and exploring dry ice. This fun, spooky science lesson introduces sublimation, exothermic reactions, and other key chemistry concepts.
Each session is $10/child. Advanced registration is required so that we may plan accordingly. You may pay by cash or check (made payable to the Armstrong Center for Community Learning) the day of the class.
Class size is limited.
If you have questions, please contact Rachel Filippini, ODC Program Coordinator at [email protected] or call 724-763-6316.
Ceramic Turkey Lantern Painting Class
November 1, 2026
1pm
$35/each with a portion donated back to the Outdoor Discovery Center
Paint your own ceramic turkey lantern and learn some interesting facts about wild turkeys at the Empty Nest Art Studio in nearby Shelocta, PA.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND PURCHASE TICKETS FOR THE CERAMIC TURKEY LANTERN PAINTING CLASS.
PA Master Naturalist Certification Training
Registrat
ion for the Fall 2026 PA Master Naturalist training cohort is full and closed. A cohort is held every other Fall at the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek.
Do you enjoy learning about the natural world? Are you interested in sharing that knowledge with others? Would you like to know more about supporting natural resource conservation? Pennsylvania Master Naturalists are a dedicated group of people who share a passion for nature, getting outdoors and giving back. If you enjoy hiking, wildlife watching, being outdoors, and volunteering, you’ll love being a Master Naturalist.
Become a Master Naturalist by attending our 50-hour training course at the Outdoor Discovery Center. Classes will be held weekly on Thursday evenings with four field sessions on Saturdays.
Click here to access the Fall 2026 schedule.
Visit the PA Master Naturalist Facebook page by clicking here.
You can also visit https://pamasternaturalist.org/become_a_master_naturalist/ for additional information about becoming a Master Naturalist.
Learn more about PA Master Naturalist training course application at https://bit.ly/PMNtraining.
For more information and registration details, contact Rachel Filippini, ODC program coordinator at [email protected].