Talahi Lodge
This is the education center.
Kemp and Cora Hutchinson Bird Sanctuary
Photographer Name
Date
OUR MISSION
The Nature Institute works to foster an awareness and appreciation of the natural world through preservation, restoration, and education.
The Nature Institute (TNI) is a non-profit land conservation and environmental education organization based in Godfrey, IL. Since its founding in 1980, The Nature Institute’s board and staff have worked to foster an awareness and appreciation of the natural world through preservation, restoration, and education.
Each summer TNI hosts about 400 children, grades pre-K through 6th, for Discovery Day Camp, a premier, ACA, nature day camp. Every school year, more than 8,000 area students visit TNI for field trips, including high school and college students. TNI also owns and manages more than 450 acres of protected land, such as the Olin Nature Preserve, the Mississippi Sanctuary, the Kemp and Cora Hutchinson Bird Sanctuary, and the Heartland Prairie Project at Gordon Moore Park. These natural areas provide unique places for the public to experience the diversity of the Riverbend area with its hardwood forests, prairies, and wetlands.
Sep 2026
Join us on a night hike through the woods. On the trails of the Mississippi Sanctuary and Olin Nature Preserve the terrain is light to moderate (may include some elevation change) and is appropriate for families. You can expect the hike to be about 2 miles, and will include stops along the way. Guides choose routes based on the group and do not pick the route until the night of the hike.
Things to Note:
- Please be on time, the hike leaves at the start time.
- Meet in front of Talahi Lodge
- Park in the lower parking lot (the rock lot at the bottom of the hill).
- Please check your email the day of the event for cancellation due to bad weather.
Program Fees:
- Members – Free
- Nonmembers – $5
Registration Required:
- Yes
Things to bring:
- Reusable water bottle
- Bug spray
- Dress in layers
- Appropriate footwear
- Flashlight, optional (guide will encourage you to keep it off for most of the hike)
Godfrey, IL,62035
Seeds, Sprouts, & Stems
Description:
Tiny Trekkers is a once a week drop off program for ages 3 – 5. Registration is offered by the month only, single class registrations are not permitted. Preschoolers will explore nearly 500 acres of preserve through hands-on experiences out in nature. Spots are limited.
Children must be able to use the restrooms independently. Please see our Tiny Trekkers page for more details. 4 child minimum per session, 8 child max per session.
Tuition: $30 per class, billed by the month (example: 4 classes = $120/month)
- Tuition is not adjusted/pro-rated/refunded for missed classes. The billing months are already adjusted for holidays.
- Installment payments are available for sessions.
- Pricing per month is based on the number of sessions in the month.
- Members receive 15% off all program fees.
Registration Required:
Yes
Godfrey, IL,62035
This new program is offered exclusively to 6th – 9th grade students! Critters & Crypts is our weekly Dungeons & Dragons group. Journey on quests with a nature-based flair, using characters and dice.
No experience is required. Dice and characters are provided. This is a primarily indoor program.
The session lasts 14 weeks, from August 18th – November 17th. Limited to 8 students.
Godfrey, IL,62035