April 2020
Dear Bluff Lake Community,

The past month has provided our country and our organization with a lot of challenges, but it also has given us clarity into the important role that Bluff Lake plays in our community. Early on we realized that we were in a great position to be a resource, which has helped guide our decisions and focus.

We are so excited to see how many families have been using the site as a chance to get out of the house and breathe some fresh air, while practicing safe social distancing. We reached out to teachers, asking them how we could best support them and have now developed new Distance Learning programs which we are set to roll out next week. We have provided families with daily activities posted to our Facebook page as well as grab and go activities at our info kiosk onsite. And we have ensured the safety of our staff, volunteers, and visitors by cancelling all events through April 30 (currently).

It has been a strange few months for all of us but here is what we know. Bluff Lake, and outdoor spaces like it, are ESSENTIAL to our well being. We are stronger when we work together

Bluff Lake will be here for you when you need us and we are so thankful for your ongoing support.

Rachel Crouch
Executive Director
Family Nature Activities
Over the years Bluff Lake has amassed quite a catalog of fun and educational nature related activities. We saw this crisis as a great opportunity to provide these activities with families! We have been posting an activity each day on our Facebook page.

We have also created new content like our "Bluff Lake Window Bingo!"

We have gotten great feedback about these activities, having our posts shared by thousands of people and organizations. One of our posts (about going on a "sensory scavenger hunt") was viewed by nearly 200,000 people!

Distance Learning

This Spring we had nearly 4,000 students scheduled to participate in field trip programming. It is one of our top priorities to make sure these students still receive a unique, outdoor experience even without direct contact, and to support teachers.

This is why our staff has been hard at work developing virtual field trip experiences. This distance learning options allow students to explore their backyard, nearby green space, or even just look out their window if that's all they are able to do. Our programs will consist of a short lesson supplemented with numerous videos of our site and will end with an activity that allows the students to still be hands-on with nature. So far, teachers have been incredibly excited about this opportunity!
"I am really excited about this. One of my 4 year-old's asked me when we were coming back to school. When I told her that we would be out for a long time, she immediately said, "But, what about our field trip!" It broke my heart, so when I saw your e-mail, I was so excited to be able to send them the field trip to their homes. " 
Virtual Earth Day Event
Tune in to Facebook on Earth Day, Wednesday April 22, to learn more about animals commonly found at Bluff Lake and in areas nearby. Every hour between 9 am and 4 pm we will post a video about a different animal with a corresponding activity! The animal info and activity will be posted at the top of each hour but you can come back and complete the activity any time you want. Even though we cannot bring this programming directly to you in person, we'd love to appreciate our Earth together with you all!
Summer Camp Update
Although we are months away from our summer camp season we know how concerned everyone is about the COVID-19 pandemic and want to assure you that we are committed to the health and well-being of each camper and staff member. We are monitoring all official health channels and complying with current recommendations. We have every hope that there will soon be more clarity about the effects of virus containment efforts on summer plans. Meanwhile, the staff is busy preparing for the 2020 camp season at Bluff Lake! We created a FAQ page on the summer camp website. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Bluff Lake’s Director of Operations, Maggie Willden, by email at [email protected] .


Donations are important now more than ever
The team at Bluff Lake is working hard to keep the park open and provide for our community. We can only do this with your support!
Bluff Lake is there when you need us.
Come visit our site, connect with nature, and practice social distancing by using our trails.