Wenatchee River Institute

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  • River Discovery Tour

    A guided, education float down the Wenatchee River.

    Join Wenatchee River Institute, in partnership with Leavenworth Outdoor Center, on a relaxing evening paddle down the Wenatchee River. This is a guided trip that will introduce you to the plants (flora) and animals (fauna) of our diverse river area (riparian zone). You will learn how to be a better observer of nature and be introduced to river safety and navigation. This is a great way to build your nature skills and confidence on the river.

    Limit – 10 participants – registration required
    Included – Kayak or paddle board, Life vest (PFD), transportation from WRI
    Difficulty level – Beginner to intermediate, recommended you have basic swimming ability.
    Ages – 8 and older, an adult must accompany anyone 15 and younger.
    Accessibility – Tandem kayaks are available.

     

  • River Discovery Tour

    A guided, educational float down the Wenatchee River.

    Join Wenatchee River Institute, in partnership with Leavenworth Outdoor Center, on a relaxing evening paddle down the Wenatchee River. This is a guided trip that will introduce you to the plants (flora) and animals (fauna) of our diverse river area (riparian zone). You will learn how to be a better observer of nature and be introduced to river safety and navigation. This is a great way to build your nature skills and confidence on the river.

    Limit – 10 participants – registration required
    Included – Kayak or paddle board, Life vest (PFD), transportation from WRI
    Difficulty level – Beginner to intermediate, recommended you have basic swimming ability.
    Ages – 8 and older, an adult must accompany anyone 15 and younger.
    Accessibility – Tandem kayaks are available.

     

  • Birding by the River

    Go birding with staff from the Wenatchee River Institute at our campus by the Wenatchee River! All birding skill levels are welcome. Need binoculars? We have loaner binoculars that you can borrow.

    We will enjoy birding this season in Wenatchee on the second Thursday and in Leavenworth on the last Thursday of each month.

    Trail difficulty level: beginner
    Trail is wide enough for ADA access, but trails are gravel
    Bathrooms available at the start and end of the walk

     

  • Red Barn Event: The Trees are Speaking

    Red Barn at Wenatchee River Institute 347 Division Street, Leavenworth, WA, United States

    This is a partnered event with a Book for all Seasons and the Wenatchee River Institute.

    Doors open at 6:30pm for a community social with beer and wine available for purchase. The presentation will start at 7:00pm.

    Join author and journalist Lynda V. Mapes for a discussion about changing our relationship with forests. Long regarded as commodities primarily for growing wood products, today we know forests are essential to community wellbeing, climate stability, wildlife, and clean water and air. We need to shift our relationship with forests to emphasize caretaking, respect, and reciprocity. Lynda will share examples of sustainable forestry practices underway in our region and beyond that take care of people, forests, and wildlife, drawing from her new book, The Trees Are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests.

     

  • Paint and Sip: Red Barn Style!

    Join Wenatchee River Institute and local artist and instructor Teara Dillon of Artisus for a Red Barn Paint and Sip.

    Art supplies, instruction, and one beverage are included in registration, and you will take home your masterpiece at the end of the night!

     

  • Outdoor Photography Workshop: Lake Wenatchee

    Lake Wenatchee State Park 21588 State Route 207, Leavenworth, WA, United States

    Improve your photography skills and see the world in a new way. Join us at Lake Wenatchee on September 28th and/or Icicle Gorge on October 12 to learn how to observe your environment like a photographer, compose dynamic shots using natural light, and create a mini nature photo story.

    Participants can sign up for a single workshop or register for both for deeper growth.

    Cost is Pay What You Can.

    Group size: 13 participants. Hiking: Expect between 2 and 4 miles of walking on trails at a photographer’s pace: slow and with extended breaks! Ages: 15 and up. Participants under 18 must attend with a registered adult. Transportation: Optional transportation is available from Leavenworth to Lake Wenatchee in our van. Drive time will not include instruction. Permits: If driving yourself, a WA State Discover Pass is required for each vehicle. Photos taken during this class may not be sold or used commercially as that requires an additional permit from WA State Parks.

     

  • Astronomy along the River

    Join the Wenatchee Valley Astronomy Club on a family-friendly journey through space. Using a variety of telescopes, we’ll gaze up into the Milky Way and learn about some of the best night sky objects to view. From the stunning rings of Saturn and planetary nebulas to large cataclysmic supernova remnants we’ll journey through our own galaxy and even take a look at neighboring ones.

    Age Limit: 8+ years old
    Ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
    Registration for this event is required. Limit 25 participants.

    Cost is Pay What You Can

  • Fall Fungi Field Trip

    Join Wenatchee River Institute and Puget Sound Mycological Society for our Fall Fungi Field Trip!

    The day will begin at the Wenatchee River Institute with a meeting to set the scene and provide a safety briefing. PSMS guides will take groups of people out to different locations for fungi foraging and collection. There is no guarantee you’ll find good edible mushrooms, but you will learn the basics of foraging and get an idea of habitats to explore in the future. The guided trips will be out foraging for about 3-4 hours. Groups will return to WRI to have their mushrooms identified. We’ll close the day out with a group potluck!

    Note that the forage may include walking on uneven ground.
    Limit: 30 WRI participants

    By registering through WRI you will have a spot on a field trip with a PSMS guide.
    *If you are already a member of Puget Sound Mycological Society, you do NOT need to register.

  • Mini Fringe Beaded Earring Workshop

    Join us for a day filled with creativity and learning. Local Indigenous artist and owner of Mystic North Jewelry, Amanda Keewatinawin, will be leading a workshop on the Indigenous art form of beading. She will be sharing knowledge on the history of Indigenous beadwork and how to create your own mini beaded fringe earrings.

    Registration includes your own curated kit and instructions to be used during class.
    Limit: 12 participants
    Adults only

  • Bead-Your-Own Lanyard Workshop

    Join us for an evening filled with creativity and learning. Local Indigenous artist and owner of Mystic North Jewelry, Amanda Keewatinawin, will be leading a workshop on the Indigenous art form of beading and how to create your own beaded lanyard.

    Registration includes your own curated kit and instructions to be used during class.
    Limit: 15 participants
    Ages: 12 and up. Ages 12-17 need to attend with an adult.

  • Outdoor Photography Workshop: Icicle Gorge

    Improve your photography skills and see the world in a new way. This outdoor photo field trip will train your eye and spark your creativity. Learn how to observe your environment like a photographer, compose dynamic shots using natural light, and create a mini nature photo story.

    Step outside and into the natural world—ready to see, frame, and capture!

  • Red Barn Event: Friends of Mission Ridge

    Red Barn at Wenatchee River Institute 347 Division Street, Leavenworth, WA, United States

    This event features new film “Ridge to River” created by Cashmere resident and Emmy-award winning videographer Steven Gnam. After the film, Friends of Mission Ridge (FOMR), a Wenatchee-based, grassroots non-profit, will host a Q&A session with the audience.

    A developer proposes a 7,812-bed luxury resort near the top of Mission Ridge, adjacent to the Mission Ridge Ski Area. Orchardists, skiers, hunters, birders, and Tribes are concerned about the impacts that this development would have on the ecology and culture of the region.

  • Science on Tap: The Road to Better Transit

    Have you ever wondered what really makes transit systems work—not just locally, but across the country? With her nearly two decades of experience shaping transit networks nationwide, Cristina will take you behind the curtain to explore what drives great service.

  • Red Barn Event: Chimpanzees in Cle Elum?!

    Red Barn at Wenatchee River Institute 347 Division Street, Leavenworth, WA, United States

    Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is part retirement home, part rescue, part educational facility. Learn how this unique organization cares for chimpanzees who have been used in the pet, entertainment, and biomedical industries and how the sanctuary has grown over the last seventeen years.

    Doors open at 6:30pm for a community social with beer and wine available for purchase. The presentation will start at 7:00pm.

    No registration required, but RSVP to receive email reminders and updates about this event!

     

     

  • Birding by the River

    Go birding with staff from the Wenatchee River Institute at our campus by the Wenatchee River! All birding skill levels are welcome. Meet outside the River Haus at 8am. This is a FREE event and no registration is needed.

    Need binoculars? We have loaner binoculars that you can borrow.

    Trail difficulty level: beginner
    Trail is wide enough for ADA access, but trails are gravel
    Bathrooms available at the start and end of the walk

     

  • Red Barn Event: Stories from Lake Chelan

    Red Barn at Wenatchee River Institute 347 Division Street, Leavenworth, WA, United States

    Join the Lake Chelan Research Institute to hear geological, environmental, and human stories from the Lake Chelan Watershed, while learning about potential threats to the lake’s ecology and opportunities to restore and steward the lake into the future.

    With aerial and underwater photography from Cashmere’s Steven Gnam (National Geographic, Crown of the Continent), and contributions from the Lake Chelan Research Institute’s Anna Galipeau and Phil Long, this presentation is sure to provide new perspectives on the ever-changing ecological treasure that is Lake Chelan.

  • Science on Tap: Sensory-based Wildlife Conservation

    This event is hosted at Ground Control in Wenatchee. No registration required, but RSVP to receive email reminders and updates about this event!

    Come join Wenatchee River Institute for Science On Tap! This casual, free event is a great opportunity to gather, socialize, and learn about an exciting science topic from a member of our community. No prior science knowledge necessary! Speakers will give a talk on their latest research or a science topic they are passionate about, with some time afterwards for discussion or Q&A. Presentations start at 7pm – arrive early to grab a drink and get a seat!

    Presentation: Sensory-based Wildlife Conservation

    Description: Understanding an animals’ sensory world can help us to know how and what might be a threat. We can also use the communication that animals make to better study species that may be difficult to study otherwise. We will dive into a few examples of how sensory ecology and conservation biology work together to protect species and habitat.

    Presenter:
    Megan Friesen has studied sensory systems in wildlife, especially in seabirds, for the past 15 years. She completed her PhD studying the sensory ecology and conservation of tube-nosed seabirds at the University of Auckland and her master’s at UC Davis. Megan joined the biology faculty at Wenatchee Valley College in 2024 and is keen to continue involving students in aspects of sensory conservation.

    If you want to see more Science on Tap events, please consider donating at the link below. There will also be a donation basket at this event.

  • Paint and Sip: Red Barn Style!

    Red Barn at Wenatchee River Institute 347 Division Street, Leavenworth, WA, United States

    Join Wenatchee River Institute and local artist and instructor Teara Dillon of Artisus for a Red Barn Paint and Sip. Art supplies, instruction, and one beverage are included in registration, and you will take home your masterpiece at the end of the night!

    Our painting will be inspired by the Red Barn Event “Stories from Lake Chelan”. Hear ecologist Nate Hough-Snee speak Thursday night, November 13th, about environmental and human stories from Washington State’s largest natural lake.

    Additional wine, beer, and sparkling water will be available for purchase.

    Instruction starts at 6:30! Plan to arrive 10 minutes early to choose a seat, collect your beverage, and get settled.

    Ages 16 and up.
    Registration for this event is required. Limit 25 participants.

  • Holiday Wreath Making Party

    Red Barn at Wenatchee River Institute 347 Division Street, Leavenworth, WA, United States

    Join Wenatchee River Institute this winter season to create your own holiday wreath to take home. Come prepared to experiment with a variety of foraged materials such as lichens, evergreen branches, dried flower stems, pinecones, berries, dried leaves, and citrus slices. All the materials we will use have been gathered around WRI’s campus and surrounding areas by the Land Steward, with all of the wreath bases being handmade from ponderosa pine and/or the weeping willow at the entrance to WRI! You can expect a fun gathering learning from WRI’s Land Steward to make an artistic, nature inspired, compostable wreath.

    Your beautiful creations will be fully compostable and can be dropped off at WRI for disposal. If you would like to bring some non-compostable garnishments from home to add to your wreath, just make sure to remove them before composting.

    This event will take place inside a heated building with seating available for those who need it. Bathrooms are onsite. Our building and bathrooms are both ADA accessible.

  • **POSTPONED** Red Barn Event- Enchantments: What Comes Next?

    Red Barn at Wenatchee River Institute 347 Division Street, Leavenworth, WA, United States

    POSTPONED- we will release more information when we can

     

    No registration required, but RSVP to receive email reminders and updates about this event!

    Doors open at 6:30pm for a community social with beer and wine available for purchase. The presentation will start at 7:00pm.

    After a summer of overcrowding and understaffing in The Enchantments, the issue of day use management has reached an inflection point. Will this offseason present an opportunity to make changes along the Icicle Creek corridor, and if so, what will they entail? Hear from Seattle Times outdoors reporter Gregory Scruggs, who covered the issue closely this summer and traveled to Colorado to learn how another mountain town grappled with a similar challenge, along with Mat Lyons, Executive Director of TREAD, who has been working with Chelan County stakeholders on a proposal for alternative transportation options to Enchantments trailheads, and Sarah Shaffer, Executive Director of Wenatchee Outdoors, who will share insights on the on-the-ground work with over 40 volunteers in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, packing out pounds of trash from the Enchantments Wilderness area.

    Streaming is available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmaKfMFofyc&list=PLjATQxBXvvgXSiC_qr24e5jmPS-LyJ5T9&index=34

     

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