Parks and Recreation Events

Explore the history of the Fort Hunter Park Service Station in this year’s special exhibit. Built in 1929, the Fort Hunter Park Service Station has served the community in a variety of ways over the past century. Once home to an automobile service station, café, antique store, mini golf course and more, there are unlimited possibilities of what lies ahead for this historic building.

Now is a great time to visit Wildwood Park, camera in hand to snap outdoor photos for the upcoming Photo Contest!

Spend time outdoors this fall at beautiful Detweiler Park enjoying The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming and illustrated by Nicola Slater. Dauphin County Parks and Recreation and Penn State Health are excited to provide an interactive Storywalk®. Squirrel is happily counting the colorful leaves on his tree when he notices—gasp!—one is missing. Convinced there's a thief in the forest, he sets off on a frantic quest to find the culprit, dragging his calm and patient friend Bird along for the ride. As Squirrel suspects everyone from Mouse to Woodpecker, he eventually learns a gentle lesson about the natural cycle of the seasons.

The annual Friends of Fort Hunter Greens Sale is happening now! Place your order for beautifully hand-crafted greens and help support Fort Hunter Park at the same time.

Enjoy a moderately paced walk around Wildwood Lake while enjoying the trees and animals at the park. September - December - The walk will occur from 1-2 PM, weather permitting This will be a walk on paved, gravel, and dirt surfaces. You can choose to walk only a portion, then turn around at any point if you would like to customize the length of your walk to your individual fitness goals.

Join us for a Walk with a Doc on the Greenbelt Connector starting at Fort Hunter Park. The walk will be approximately 2 miles in length, but it is a well-marked path, and you can choose to do as much or as little as you would like. The pathway is paved and wheelchair accessible. Meet Up Location: Heckton Church at the end of the Fort Hunter Parking Lot, where the Greenbelt Connector begins. This is a FREE walk, but we ask that you pre-register.

Have you ever wondered how historic sites learn about their own history? Have you ever wondered what kinds of things are kept in museum archives? Join a Fort Hunter history educator to learn about the mansion through a unique lens as we study items from the park’s archives. This program is geared towards students in grades 2-6 and their grownups. Pre-registration is required.

During this interactive tour designed for children and families, learn what life was like for the families that lived in the Fort Hunter Mansion from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. You will walk through the mansion’s rooms and learn about their different uses, learn about objects of their everyday life, and do some hands-on activities. This tour is best suited for the young (age 6-12) and young at heart who want to have fun and enjoy learning. The mansion tour is approximately 45 minutes.

Fall fruits are not just a favorite of squirrels and chipmunks! There are a few humans can enjoy as well. Take a walk with a Naturalist along the Towpath Trail to view and taste these curious fall fruits known as persimmons. Meet at the South Lot trailhead. Pre-registration is required.

Join a Naturalist for a fun interactive story session for children ages 3-5. Stories, rhymes, and a craft/activity will introduce science through the eyes of the Cat In The Hat. Classes are offered during 3 consecutive Thursdays. This program is sponsored by Altrusa of South Central PA, providing a book for each participant. Each participant will go home with a theme-related book. Pre-registration required.