December 2025 Lake Fayetteville Exploration: Winter Solstice Wonderland

December Theme: Winter Solstice Wonderland

❄️ Winter Solstice Wonderland Hike! 🌲✨

🥾Step into the magic of winter and celebrate the shortest day of the year on this guided solstice adventure! 

As the world quiets and nature settles in for the season, we’ll explore the frosty forest, learning to identify trees without their leaves 🌳, spot animal tracks and scat 🦌🐾, and uncover the secrets of winter survival in the wild.

Feel the crisp air, listen to the hush of the season, and reflect on the Winter Solstice—a time of renewal, rest, and the promise of longer days ahead. ☀️

❄️ Join us for a magical, family-friendly hike as we embrace the beauty of the season and prepare to move back toward the light. 🌿

Schedule

8:45am-8:55am - Check-in

8:55am - Orientation with ONSC staff

9am-11am - Hike

Important Information

🚗Parking: Parking is available on site. The gate will be opened before 8:45 and will close once all participants have arrived. ONSC staff open the gate at the end of the hike and will close it once all participants have left. Please do not plan to leave you vehicle in the parking lot after the hike.

🥾Please bring water bottle, long pants, close-toed shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing.

Ticket Information

• Ticket prices are by donation.

  • Suggested donation is $10/adult, $5/child 17 and under

• Registration is required to help with staffing needs.

  
  

  All proceeds go to support research, citizen science, and education at Ozark Natural Science Center.

  
  

Ticket Refund Policy

• Refunds up to 1 week before the event: Tickets are refundable minus any applicable fees (processing, administrative, etc.) until 7 days before the event.

• Refunds within 1 week of the event: For refund requests made less than 7 days prior to the event, a 50% refund will be given.

• No refunds within 24 hours of the event: Refund requests made within 24 hours of the event are not permitted, except in exceptional circumstances and only with approval from ONSC administration.

*Please note that all refund requests must be submitted in writing to jill.bowman@onsc.us. Refunds will be processed within 7-10 business days

About Ozark Natural Science Center 

ONSC offers a unique, immersion-based approach to learning about nature and the natural sciences. Students visit us for authentic science learning experiences that are correlated with national and state science learning standards and provide in-depth education in biology, ecology, geology, social studies, and nature art – all while students have fun hiking and experiencing nature. Camp activities include  hikes, team-building, games, art, and small-group activities.

Questions? Please email Education and Community Program Manager, Liz Hill at liz.hill@onsc.us.