Learn About Schmeeckle Reserve
Schmeeckle Reserve's second priority is to serve as an outdoor laboratory for learning. As part of UW-Stevens Point, university students take part in many classes and research studies. Everyone can enjoy year-round opportunities to explore the natural and cultural history of Schmeeckle and central Wisconsin.
Free public programs are offered every spring and fall. Programs explore such diverse topics as wildlife, birds, plant life, natural phenomena, and people and events prominent in central Wisconsin history. These hour-long programs are led by students studying environmental education and interpretation in the university's College of Natural Resources. Programs are sponsored by the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve.
The Candlelight Hike is Schmeeckle Reserve's biggest event of the year. The festival is held every spring and fall. It features torch-lit hiking trails, hands-on Discovery Stations, a character campfire program, make-and-take crafts for children, and free snacks. Festivals are sponsored by the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve.
Discover what Schmeeckle Reserve looked like before settlement and explore the many ways this land was used before it was set aside as a natural area.
What types of fish are in Lake Joanis? How many bird species have been observed in the Reserve? Use these handy checklists to look for the mammal, bird, tree, and fish species found here.
UW-Stevens Point faculty, staff, and students continue to expand our knowledge of natural resources in central Wisconsin. From bats to buckthorn, from Moses Creek to Lake Joanis, discover the research studies that are taking place in Schmeeckle.
What's the wind speed right now ? How much rain fell overnight? A station in Schmeeckle Reserve collects real-time environmental data, accessible to the public online.
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