Weekends are the perfect time to unplug from devices, push away from Zoom meetings, and get the family outside to look for signs of spring. As winter comes to a close, it ushers in the sweetest season of all…Maple Sugar season!
Huron-Clinton Metroparks will be exploring the art and science of maple sugaring throughout the entire month of March. Each park offers unique experiences for families. Social distancing and face masks are required at all events.
Journey to the Sugar Bush
Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter offers this outdoor program on March 6 to 7, March 13 to 14, and March 20 to 21 from 10am to 3pm. Tours run every hour, and participants are asked to pre-register the day before the event. Demonstrations will show how to tap a tree, and how the sap is boiled into syrup. A take-home craft is provided for all participants. Cost is $5 per person, children under two are free.
Families can also order pancakes to go. The pre-ordered ready-to-eat meal is served from 9am to 1pm, and comes with flatware and napkins so that families can enjoy a picnic in the park. Cost is $6 for individual meals, or $26 for a family four pack meal. The meal includes pancakes, syrup, sausages, and drinks.
Pre-register online here, or call 734-426-8211
Maple’s Sweet Story
Kensington Metropark in Milford is offering guided walks through the farm’s sugar bush, where participants will learn how maple trees are tapped and sap is collected. A stop at the French and Native camp will show how these techniques have changed throughout the years. At the Sugar Shack, visitors can see and smell the sap being boiled down into maple sugar, and syrups and sugar products will be available for purchase.
Tours begin every half hour from 11am to 3:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays in March. Cost is $3 per child, $5 per adult, and children under 2 are free. Pre-registration is not required but highly recommended. Call 248-684-8632 to register.
Sweet Science
Explore the science behind the syrup tradition at Indian Springs Metropark in White Lake. Participants will travel into the woods to see firsthand how the maple trees are tapped and sap is collected. This program runs from 11am until noon on March 13 and 20. Cost is $3 per child, $5 per adult, and children under 2 are free. Pre-registration is required three days before the event. Call 248-625-7280 to pre-register.
To learn more about these events, visit the Metroparks website.
