Spring Fling at LSU Hilltop Arboretum
Hilltop’s Spring Fling week features a pre-sale “Teaser” presentation event and three opportunities to shop for wonderful landscape plants, including over 300 species of natives!
Plant Sale for “Friends of Hilltop” Members Only
Wednesday, April 2
9:00am - 4:00pm
Become a member of Hilltop to take advantage of the opportunity!
Hilltop Plant Sale Weekend!
Saturday, April 5, 9:00am - 4:00pm
Sunday, April 6, 12:00pm - 4:00pm
LSU Hilltop Arboretum: 11855 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810.
April 25-28, 2025
Free Admission to Port Hudson State Historic Site
Port Hudson State Historic Site invites you to visit and make observations for the City Nature Challenge! All you need to do is tell the person collecting fees that you are there for the City Nature Challenge.
This site is in the beautiful, hardwood forest bluffs of the Felicianas, and features 6 miles of hiking trails, plus the museum. This is a wonderful birding spot and there is also a good chance you could spot Zebra Swallowtail butterflies zipping by.
Port Hudson State Historic Site
236 Hwy. 61
Jackson, LA 70748
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
April 25-27, 2025
Frenchtown Nature Center Grand Opening
& City Nature Challenge Kickoff!
Come celebrate with BREC at the Frenchtown Conservation Area Grand Opening Weekend! { More info }
Connecting People to Nature – Free & open to the Public
Get ready to go wild as we celebrate the grand opening of the Frenchtown Nature Station and win the City Nature Challenge for our area!
BREC Frenchtown Conservation Area
17819 Frenchtown Road, Greenwell Springs, LA 70739
Friday, April 25
10 a.m.– Ribbon Cutting
11 a.m - 5 p.m. – The Adventure Continues! We’ll be celebrating all day with tours of the building!
Guided hikes at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 26
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Open House
Guided hikes at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 27
Open House noon-5 p.m.
Guided hike at 1:30 p.m.
City Nature Challenge Kickoff
All weekend: Help document local wildlife in the iNaturalist app and website & be part of a global movement! Start at Frenchtown and then branch out to other locations!
Explore the Wild – Hike scenic trails, discover native habitats & learn about local ecosystems!
Family Fun for Everyone – Schools are out, so bring your squad for a day of nature, learning, and excitement!
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Moth NIGHT at Hilltop
LSU Hilltop Arboretum is opening the grounds after hours for the City Nature Challenge! There will be “moth sheets” and lights set up to attract moths, beetles, lacewings, katydids, and more for their close-up photos and to get a high species count in iNaturalist in one night. Walking around Hilltop at night is very relaxing. It is fun to listen for frogs and owls, look for orbweaver spiders, and peek at insects sleeping in the meadow flowers.
This event should also be very relaxing. The moth sheets will be set up at sunset, and then you can walk between them at your own pace and talk with the bug nerds about the interesting critters that show up.
Bring: Water, camera or phone, mosquito protection, and a headlamp and/or flashlight. Extra lighting also helps when photographing small critters at night. The restrooms will be open.
A gold-flecked Moonseed moth spotted during a previous City Nature Challenge.
Your arrival and departure time is up to you. The sun will set at 7:40pm and the insect activity usually starts picking up after 8:30pm. The lights will be taken down whenever everyone is tired, usually around 11:30pm.
LSU Hilltop Arboretum
11855 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Go toward the light! Look for us at the glowing lights in the meadows.
The City Nature Challenge is April 25-28 and all photos must be taken those 4 days, however you have until May 4 to finish uploading those photos into iNaturalist.
Monday, April 28, 2025
Nature Walk at Port Hudson State Historic Site
Join Kathy Conerly, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener, for a nature walk during the City Nature Challenge through one of our most beautiful State Parks!
Tell the person collecting fees that you are there for the City Nature Challenge, and your admission fees will be waived.
Walk starts at 9:30 a.m.
Meet at the museum
Port Hudson State Historic Site
236 Hwy. 61, Jackson, LA 70748
April 25-28, 2025
Join in the City Nature Challenge and help the Baton Rouge Region win!
Your event here!
Our partners held public and private events to promote participation in the City Nature Challenge.
Join us by hosting an event or attending one!
Baton Rouge City Nature Challenge EVENT Partners:
It’s a contest, so get a group together for the City Nature Challenge! If you would like to promote your nature event here, please e-mail the details to citynaturechallenge@lmngbr.org.
Are you are already hosting a nature-related event that weekend? Have it listed here and encourage your event participants to post observations in the City Nature Challenge.