Essex County Environmental Center

10/15/2026

Join us around the Campfire!

S'MORES N' MORE NIGHT HIKE
October 23, 2026
5:30pm - 7:00pm
S’MORES n’ MORE NIGHT HIKE
Friday, October 23 5:30pm to 7pm
For families. Come out to build a campfire and practice fundamental fire skills in a safe and controlled environment. Once we get our fire burning, we’ll roast marshmallows and make s’mores. All ages are welcome. Fee: $20 per person

HARVEST TO HOME: APPLE SAUCE AND FRITTER MAKING
Saturday, October 31 11am to 1pm
For all ages. Together we’ll set up our campfire kitchen and transform crisp, local apples into warm, delicious applesauce and fritters! We’ll explore different apple varieties, practice safe kitchen skills, and learn the "secret ingredients" that make homemade special. Led in partnership with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County, 4-H Youth Development Staff. Fee: $20 per person

Register Here
https://essexcountyparks.org/facilities/environmental-center

10/06/2026

ART IN NATURE: FERNS & FABRICS
Saturday, October 10; 10:30am to 12pm
For all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Looking for a fun activity that blends science, nature, and creativity?
We’ll hike the woods to select prehistoric wild ferns, decode their ancient anatomy, and then use professional printmaking rollers and permanent fabric ink to design our own custom clothing in our nature-printing workshop! Bring your own item from home to design! Led by Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County, 4-H Youth Development Staff. Fee: $20 per person

REGISTER HERE
https://essexcountyparks.org/facilities/environmental-center

Held at Essex County Environmental Center, 621b Eagle Rock Ave, Roseland, NJ 07068

09/27/2026

09/27/2026

FALL FAMILY FESTIVAL TODAY!
We are on today for our Rain date of
Sunday, September 27, 2026 11am to 3pm
Activities will be held inside the main center building.

Confirmed: Nature Crafts, Rizzo’s Reptiles Demo, Planetarium Dome, Fairy Hair, Essex County's Turtle Back Zoo, Kim's Critters, Fidget Vendor, Book Vendor, Natural Soaps and Creams Vendor, Artist Vendor, Stem Vendor, Woodturners
We will still give away a sugar pumpkin to every guest 🎃
Parking will be across the street in the Essex Golf lot.

09/26/2026

Due to inclement weather in the forecast, the Fall Family Festival will be held inside the main building. There will be no activities at Garibaldi Hall.

The event will be held on Sunday, September 27th from 11am to 3pm at the Essex County Environmental Center, located at 621B Eagle Rock Avenue in Roseland.

We hope to see you there!

09/21/2026

HIVE EXPLORERS: HONEYBEE CLUB
Monthly on Tuesdays—September to August 4pm to 5pm
For children ages 10-18. Learn about the importance of bees and how to be a beekeeper! Club sessions cover honeybee biology, equipment, getting started, pests and diseases, harvesting honey, and more! Led by Essex County 4-H volunteers and hosted at the Essex County Environmental Center at Garibaldi Hall. This is a 12-month drop-off and pick-up class (youth only). If the bee colony thrives, members will get a share of the honey harvest. Members will be also invited to participate in the Essex County Beekeeping Society Basic Beekeeping 3-day short course held at the Essex County Environmental Center, Garibaldi Hall in Winter 2027.
This club is project-based. Fee: $180 for the 12-month full club session or $120 per 6-month session series.

Held at Garibaldi Hall (Part of the Essex County Environmental Center Campus), 621A Eagle Rock Ave, Roseland, NJ 07068

https://essexcountyparks.org/facilities/environmental-center/calendar/hive-explorers-honeybee-club

09/19/2026

DINOSAUR DISCOVERY FAMILY FIELD TRIP
Thursday, September 24; 4:45pm to 6:45pm
For families with young children ages 4 and up. Meet at the end of Locust Avenue in Roseland and hike 1-mile total to explore this National Historic Landmark that is home to three-toed Grallator dinosaur tracks from the late Triassic age. Using clay, we’ll make and take an impression of an existing track and leave the site undisturbed for future paleontological study. Fee: $15 per person

REGISTER HERE
https://my.hornblower.com/assets/scripts/checkout.html?propertyID=ecec&bookingTypeId=1112773

For more information, contact David Alexander, [email protected]

09/18/2026

OUR RESCHEDULE IS ON FOR THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th 11am to 3pm.
All indoor activities at the Essex County Environmental Center!!

09/17/2026

Thank you Essex Photo Club for judging our Essex County Park System Photography Contest!

We look forward to announcing our winners and sponsors and plan to have the photographs on display at our Fall Family Festival!

09/17/2026

Please consider supporting JJ on his Eagle Scout Project at the Essex Countyu Environmental Center.

"Hello! My name is JJ and I am a 17 year old Life Scout who is looking foward to raising money for my Eagle Scout project. I live in West Orange, NJ and I have been a scout in Troop 6 for seven years. My Eagle Scout project will be located at the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland. It is a bird silhouette display board that is made out of wood and is planted into the ground. We will carve and paint multiple wooden cutouts of bird silouhettes of local Essex County bird species and a life-sized ruler so that visitors at the Enviromental Center can compare their size to the birds. I look forward to adding this project to all of the other great installations at the Environmental Center. I need your help to raise money so I can get the materials and tools I need to construct this project for the community and finish my Eagle Scout journey! Thank you!"