Touch of Nature Environmental Center

Conference Services, Facilities and Lodging

Therapeutic Recreation and Camp Little Giant - Creating memories and smiles since 1952.

Adventure Education - Rock climbing, team building, zip lining and more.

Environmental Education

The Buffalo Tro, Friday, Oct. 12

Becoming an Outdoors Woman, Sept. 28-30

Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) takes place Sept. 28-30. 1 at Touch of Nature and Giant City State Park. It includes a series of workshops including archery, canoeing, outdoor photography, leatherworks, wilderness skills, orienteering, firearms safety and more. The registration fee is $240 which includes two nights lodging, meals, use of class equipment and supplies, and transportation to off-site locations.

Participants must be 18 years or older to participate in the workshops. For more information visit https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/recreation/BOW/Pages/default.aspx. For questions, contact Mitch Ingold, BOW Coordinator, at 217/782-7026 or at mitch.ingold@illinois.gov.

The video below was not taken at Touch of Nature, but this should give you an idea what to expect during the workshops.

NEWS AT TOUCH

Warrior Welcome Weekend

SIU Touch of Nature’s Veteran Adventures Program along with Team Red, White and Blue Marion, are hosting the Welcome Warrior Weekend. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25-26. This event is free and open to all veterans, active-duty service members, and members of the ROTC and National Guard along with their families.

Participants can arrive any time after 1 p.m. Saturday, and can come and go as they please. Overnight cabin and tent camping is available.

Click here to sign up!

Members Dinner and Cookout

Touch of Nature members can enjoy dinner followed by a paddling excursion on Little Grassy Lake on Saturday, August 25. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. in the Friends Room in Little Grassy Lodge. After dinner, members will enjoy a guided interpretive paddle on Little Grassy Lake. Members can bring one guest.

If you’re a Touch of Nature member, register here.

Not a member? Consider becoming one. Depending on which level you choose, members enjoy all sorts of perks including T-shirts, discounts to Touch of Nature programs and summer camps, and personal invitations to events such as this one. To become a member, visit https://ton.siu.edu/support-us/membership.php.

Camp B.E.T.A.

Registration for Camp B.E.T.A. is now open! Camp B.E.T.A. is an overnight camp for children ages 9 - 15 with type 1 diabetes. The camp is FREE to anyone who meets this criteria!
Click here for more information about Camp B.E.T.A.