2023 Spring, Summer, and Fall Field Trips, Education Programs, and Speakers

We are excited for yet another field trip season in the Sax-Zim Bog! This non-winter season, our field trip schedule expands to include the use of the Lois King Education Center! This summer will continue to build on the Friday Speaker Series that began during the winter. Please feel free to mask to your comfort level on each field trip you attend. Carpooling during field trips has resumed, up to the comfort level of participants. NOTE: There may be updates to the program schedule as field trips and workshops get confirmed and added to the list!

Field trip attendance is free for members (those who have donated $25 or more within the past year). If you are interested in membership, the $25 fee covers membership and free attendance to any field trip or program in a 12 month period! You must register below for each field trip you wish to attend. If you have questions on membership status, please contact Head Naturalist Clinton at naturalist@saxzim.org.

Moving ahead, we will be working to address accessibility challenges and barriers on our field trips. To give everyone better expectations of what to expect on each field trip, we will be including relative activity levels for each field trip this season. The approximate ratings are as follows:

Field Trip Activity Level Ratings

1- Easy (travel over even terrain on roadways/boardwalks or limited hiking up to ½ mile total)

2- Moderate (travel over even or uneven terrain, dry to wet conditions, or hiking over ½ mile total)

3- Average (travel over even or uneven terrain, hiking off trail possible, or hiking up to 1 mile total)

4- Difficult (travel primarily over uneven terrain, wet conditions, or hiking over 1 mile total)

5-Strenuous (mostly off trail with travel primarily over uneven and wet terrain or hiking up to 2 miles)

If you have any questions about any of the field trips listed, field trip registration process, questions about the accessibility of a field trip, or feedback on our activity rating scale please contact Head Naturalist Clinton Dexter-Nienhaus via email at naturalist@saxzim.org.

Saturday, September 9

Sax-Zim Bog Fungi Foray and Workshop w/Ariel Bonkoski

9:00 am- 3:00 pm Meeting at the Lois King Education Center

Activity Rating- 1-2

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED; COURSE IS FULL!

Cost: $95/non-FOSZB members; $80/FOSZB members and MN Master Naturalists

Experience the world of Midwestern mushroom foraging in-person! This experiential course will consist of an indoor and outdoor portion. The goal of the course is to introduce the fundamentals of mushroom foraging, including edible mushrooms, toxic mushrooms and identifications. In the Lois King Education Center, we will begin by building identification skills and foundational information needed to recognize important regional mushroom species. Following this introduction, we will head outdoors to exercise our newly found skills and see a few mushroom species to practice those skills through the Sax-Zim Bog! This on-the-trail foray is great for beginners and will help equip participants to confidently begin making their own mushroom identifications.

This course is open to all experience levels and for ages 16 and up. Non-FOSZB member registration includes FOSZB membership. Plan on bringing a lunch, water, note taking materials, and appropriate footwear. Much of our time will be spent on boardwalks or trails, with the potential for off-trail exploration into the Bog. Dress for both indoor and outdoor time. Additionally, bring along a basket or mesh bag if you wish to forage your own mushrooms during the class!

Workshop Leader Bio

Ariel Bonkoski is the co-founder of the Lake Superior Mycological Society and owner of Ariel’s Mushroom Company. Ariel is a self-taught mushroom enthusiast from Duluth, Minnesota who has been studying fungi since 2016. She has taught mushroom identification classes across the Midwest, has given presentations for Mycological Societies all over the country, and has led a number of fungi forays for the Lake Superior Mycological Society and North American Mycological Association.

Sunday, September 10

Late-Season Dragonflies and Damselflies

12:00- 6:00 pm Meeting at the Lois King Education Center

Activity Rating: 2

Dragonflies and damselflies are an easily seen group of bugs and recently have become targets of cameras and nets! “Dragonflying” is becoming a popular hobby across the US and northern Minnesota has incredible odonate diversity. In the Sax-Zim Bog alone, we have documented 87 species of dragonfly and damselfly! This field trip will focus on seeing and catching adult dragonflies and damselflies. The late season offers diversity in darners, meadowhawks, and spreadwings, groups we don’t find during the early part of the summer. All ages and ability levels are welcome! Extra nets will be available for use to those who would like to use them.

Saturday, September 30

Fall Migration Field Trip

8:00- 2:00 pm Meeting at the Welcome Center

Activity Rating: 1-2

Migration season offers some difficult bird watching in northern Minnesota, as many of the breeding species rush out of our area on their way south! The last bird-based field trip of the season will hope to experience a little of what migration has to offer in the Sax-Zim Bog! Because of the amount of habitat, it can be quite difficult to find birds in the Sax-Zim Bog and this field trip will hope to show you how to best navigate the Sax-Zim Bog during migration.

Saturday, October 14

Master Naturalist Advanced Training: Fall Colors

Registration is now open on the Minnesota Master Naturalist website here.

Directions to the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center

ADDRESS: The address is Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center 8793 Owl Avenue, Toivola, MN 55765

[NOTE: THIS IS NOT A MAILING ADDRESS…but put this address into Google Maps or Apple Maps.]

*** PLEASE NOTE: Bridge construction on CR133 at the Whiteface River has completed! CR133 is open to all traffic! ***

Directions from Cotton, MN on US HWY 53:

*Go West from Cotton on CR52/Arkola for 11 miles

*Turn South (left) on Owl Avenue

*Go 1.75 miles (second curve) to Welcome Center

Directions from Meadowlands, on CR133…

*Go East on CR133 to CR229/29

*Turn North (left) on CR229/29

*Go North to T at Correction Line Rd

*Turn West (left) on Correction Line Rd

*Road curves North and becomes Owl Ave

*Go North on Owl Avenue for 2.5 miles to Welcome Center

Field Trips and Events