Hendricks County Parks & Recreation

Maple Syrup Days
2026-03-14 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | McCloud Nature Park, 8518 Hughes Road, North Salem, IN, 46165, United States
It’s syrup season! McCloud Nature Park is full of sugar maple trees, which produce sap with a high sugar content. Once the daytime temperatures start rising, the sap starts flowing, and is ready to be collected. Come on out to McCloud Nature Park in March and join us in discovering the rich deliciousness of maple sugaring at our 16th Annual McCloud Maple Syrup Days! Bring the whole family because Maple Syrup Days are FREE to attend! This event is held entirely outdoors, so be sure to dress for the weather. Learn how to tap a tree, stop by our nature center to enjoy a pancake breakfast (8 a.m.- 2 p.m.) and buy syrup from Harris Sugar Bush to take home with you. See you there!
APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGES
FREE TO ATTEND
NO ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
APPROX. PROGRAM DURATION: 5 HOURS (ONGOING)
Would you like to volunteer some time during Maple Syrup Days? It’s all outdoors, so dress for the weather! There’s a free pancake breakfast in it for you! Thank you! We appreciate you very much!
Click here to sign up to volunteer!

Tadpole Time: Flower Power!
2026-04-08 10:00 - 11:00 | McCloud Nature Park, 8518 Hughes Road, North Salem, IN, 46165, United States
Come along with us as we explore the wonderful world of flowers, nature’s true superheroes! We’ll chat about different kinds of flowers, the animals they help, and much more. Afterward, we’ll have fun creating and decorating our own flower masterpieces. If the flowers are blooming nearby, we’ll take a lovely walk to see if we can spot some!
RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 2-7 WITH PARENT OR GUARDIAN (THIS IS NOT A DROP-OFF PROGRAM).
OLDER SIBLINGS, AGES 6-7, ARE WELCOME TO REGISTER AND PARTICIPATE, TOO.
FEE: $5/CHILD (PARENT/GUARDIAN IS FREE).
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY APRIL 1 AT: https://hcparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=976
APPROXIMATE PROGRAM DURATION: 1 HOUR.

Tadpole Time: Flower Power!
2026-04-09 10:00 - 11:00 | W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park, 4521 Gibbs Road, Danville, IN, 46122, United States
Come along with us as we explore the wonderful world of flowers, nature’s true superheroes! We’ll chat about different kinds of flowers, the animals they help, and much more. Afterward, we’ll have fun creating and decorating our own flower masterpieces. If the flowers are blooming nearby, we’ll take a lovely walk to see if we can spot some!
RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 2-7 WITH PARENT OR GUARDIAN (THIS IS NOT A DROP-OFF PROGRAM).
OLDER SIBLINGS, AGES 6-7, ARE WELCOME TO REGISTER AND PARTICIPATE, TOO.
FEE: $5/CHILD (PARENT/GUARDIAN IS FREE).
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY APRIL 2 AT: https://hcparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=977
APPROXIMATE PROGRAM DURATION: 1 HOUR.

NATURE DISCOVERY: Naturalist Crossing: McCloud Horizons
2026-05-20 10:00 - 12:00 | McCloud Nature Park, 8518 Hughes Road, North Salem, IN, 46165, United States
Welcome! The naturalists invite you to explore a new “island”: McCloud Nature Park! There are many activities to complete at McCloud including fishing, bug collecting, fossil finding and more! We’ll explore each activity, just like in the classic game Animal Crossing. Don’t worry, you can leave your video games at home.
FOR AGES 7-12 WITH A PARENT OR GUARDIAN
FEE: $5/PARTICIPANT
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY MAY 15 AT: https://hcparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=988
APPROXIMATE PROGRAM DURATION: 2 HOURS

Plant ID Hike
2026-05-26 13:30 - 15:00 | McCloud Nature Park, 8518 Hughes Road, North Salem, IN, 46165, United States
Ever wondered, “What is that plant, flower or tree?” Our Plant ID Hike is just the activity for you! Our naturalists will lead you on a guided hike and point out plants of interest on the way. Though we will not cover every plant we see, we will try to discuss different plants each hike! We will also share historical uses of the plants, if any. Feel free to bring any supplies on your hike to make your experience better. We hope to see you there!
RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 8 AND UPFEE $3/PERSONADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY MAY 25 AT: https://hcparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=1001APPROXIMATE PROGRAM DURATION: 1.5 HOURS

TADPOLE TIME: Natural Dyes!
2026-07-14 10:00 - 11:00 | W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park, 4521 Gibbs Road, Danville, IN, 46122, United States
Come join us for a fun and creative time as we explore how to make natural dyes from things you can find right in your backyard! Plus you’ll get to dye a piece of fabric to take home and cherish!
FOR AGES 2-7 WITH A PARENT OR GUARDIAN
FEE: $5/CHILD
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY JULY 10 AT: https://hcparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=1011
APPROXIMATE PROGRAM DURATION: 1 HOUR

ROOTED IN NATURE CLUB: Wildflower Walk
2026-08-20 16:00 - 17:30 | W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park, 4521 Gibbs Road, Danville, IN, 46122, United States
What better way to end the summer season than by saying farewell to our wonderful wildflowers? Take a walk around the park with our naturalists as we make our very own wildflower bouquets. We will identify and discuss the perennial blooms we find along the way. Participants are also welcome to create their very own flower “junk journal” to secure their new collection. Snacks provided.
NOTE: The collection of plants in our parks outside of permitted program use is prohibited without written permission from park management.
FOR AGES 13-18
FEE: $10/TEEN
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY AUG. 17 AT: https://hcparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=1016
APROXIMATE PROGRAM DURATION: 90 MINUTES

Wildflower Bouquets
2026-08-22 14:00 - 16:00 | W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park, 4521 Gibbs Road, Danville, IN, 46122, United States
Have you seen the beautiful buds of late summer in W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park? For this special program, the naturalists will guide participants on a short nature hike through the park to our Pollinator Plot. There, we will discuss the importance of pollinators, what colors attract which pollinators, and then make our own wildflower bouquets!
Note: The collection of plants in our parks outside of permitted program use is prohibited without written permission from our park management.
Meet at the Bluegill Pavilion.
APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGES
FEE: $5/PERSON
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY AUG. 20 AT: https://hcparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=1003
APPROXIMATE PROGRAM DURATION: 2 HOURS

Plant ID Hike
2026-08-26 13:30 - 15:00 | McCloud Nature Park, 8518 Hughes Road, North Salem, IN, 46165, United States
Ever wondered, “What is that plant, flower or tree?” Our Plant ID Hike is just the activity for you! Our naturalists will lead you on a guided hike and point out plants of interest on the way. Though we will not cover every plant we see, we will try to discuss different plants each hike! We will also share historical uses of the plants, if any. Feel free to bring any supplies on your hike to make your experience better. We hope to see you there!
RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 8 AND UPFEE $3/PERSONADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY AUG. 25 AT: https://hcparks.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=1002APPROXIMATE PROGRAM DURATION: 1.5 HOURS
