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DNR Events/Get Involved - December 2025

people hiking on snowy, wooded trail lit by lantern

This month, there are a variety of ways to enjoy and learn about Michigan’s outdoors and to get involved in helping the Department of Natural Resources take care of the state’s natural and cultural resources – here are a few ideas. For a full list of events, see Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar, and for more opportunities to volunteer, contribute and provide input, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers.

Help ‘Stuff a Truck’ with holiday toys

two conservation officers in front of patrol truck full of toys

If you’re out and about this week and weekend, consider donating to the seventh annual Stuff a Truck holiday toy collections. The drive, hosted by DNR conservation officers, will take place at several locations throughout the Lower Peninsula – including Clare, Detroit, Gaylord, Grandville, Kalamazoo, Northville, Traverse City and Whitehall – Dec. 6 and 7.

The goal is to collect new, packaged toys, as many as it takes to “stuff” the back of a conservation officer patrol truck. All collected toys will be donated locally to ensure more children have gifts to open Christmas Day.

Pitch in to protect natural areas at state parks

Several state parks in southern Michigan will host volunteer stewardship workdays in December. Volunteers are needed to help restore natural areas by removing invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems. Workdays will take place:

10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve (Washtenaw County).
10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 6, at Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County).
10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Dec. 7, at Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County).
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Waterloo Recreation Area (Washtenaw County).
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County).
10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 13, at Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County).
10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Dec. 14, at Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County).
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at Pinckney Recreation Area (Washtenaw County).
10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 20, at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County).

More details about each workday and how to register can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar.

Give holiday gifts that give back to Michigan’s outdoors

Collage of These Goods Are Good for Michigan products

Shop our "These Goods are Good for Michigan" partners collection to find unique, outdoor-inspired holiday gifts for just about anyone on your list. Proceeds from these products benefit Michigan state parks, trails and waterways, the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative, Hunters Feeding Michigan and other conservation efforts.

Think of it as gifting twice – once to your loved one, and once to Michigan's outdoors!

STEAM, mocktails and much more at the Outdoor Adventure Center

man in reindeer antlers playing game with two kids

December is chock-full of fun and learning at the DNR Outdoor Adventure in Detroit. A few highlights:

Full STEAM Ahead!, Dec. 7 – A fun way to engage the whole family in science, technology, engineering, art and math, with hands-on, minds-on activities revealing connections among STEAM, nature and the everyday world.
Grown-Up Gatherings: Mocktail Mixology Masterclass (age 21 and older), Dec. 12 – Discover the art of mixology this holiday season! We’ll discuss the science of mixing drinks and the plants and herbs that make our beverages taste so great. You can even make your own mocktail mix to take home. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7. This program is subject to cancellation if minimum attendance is not met.
Fishing Pole Setup (age 8 and older), Dec. 14 – Hooked on fishing and want to know more? Learn how to assemble and maintain your fishing pole, tie fishing knots, select bobbers and set up tackle in this two-hour workshop.
Reindeer Games, Dec. 28 – Bring your competitive edge and team up with your family to dash, dance and prance through our challenges and take home a fun prize.

You can also enjoy indoor snowball fights, archery, nature education for young kids, programs for seniors, birding, yoga and more. See the OAC activity schedule for a full list of events.

Take a (lantern-lit) hike at state parks

lantern hung along snowy, tree-lined trail

Seven Lakes State Park in Holly will host an Enchanted Borealis Hike Dec. 5 and Dec. 12-13. Enjoy a night hike through the park’s woods, guided by lanterns and lights, with warming fires available at the start and other points of the hike. Reservations are required for specific time slots to avoid overfilling available parking.

During the evening Lantern Hike at Island Lake Recreation Area in Brighton, Dec. 6, solar lanterns are hung from the trees to guide the way along a 1.5-mile loop trail near Kent Lake, creating a peaceful and scenic winter walk. Restrooms will be available, and a hot beverage truck will be on-site. Two fire pits, one at the trailhead and another at the halfway point, will offer warm spots to gather and take a break.

Be on the lookout for hemlock-harming insects

If you have eastern hemlock trees on your property, or spend time in the woods, take time this winter to inspect the trees for signs of hemlock woolly adelgid. It’s the best time of year to look for evidence of an infestation of these tiny, invasive insects that can cause significant harm to Michigan’s estimated 170 million hemlock trees.

Visit Mann House during holiday event

It's a great time of year to tour the Mann House in the historic village of Concord, when the Victorian home – a Michigan History Museum site – is decked out in holiday splendor. Plus, during the Mann House Holiday Open House, Dec. 5-7, get a free ornament celebrating the Mann sisters' beloved horse while supplies last.