LCWM Holiday Hike Challenge
November 24 @ 12:00 am - December 31 @ 11:30 pm
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Find a bow, snap a photo, win prizes!
This holiday season, busy elves from the Land Conservancy of West Michigan have hung a big red bow on one tree at a number of our nature preserves. If you find them, you have the chance to win some cool prizes!
How to Enter
Hike Explore select LCWM nature preserves any time between November 24 and December 31, 2025 and look for trees decorated with holiday bows! There is only one bow per nature preserve.
Snap Take a photo with the decorated tree!
Share Post the photograph to Instagram and tag @naturenearby*, or email the photo to kendra@naturenearby.org for a chance to win prizes! Correctly identify the tree species the bow is affixed to for an additional prize entry.
*Note: Your Instagram profile must be public for us to see and count your entries!
How to Win
Each holiday bow found enters you into a raffle to win prizes!
Every year, we have two grand prizes: one for the first person to visit all of the listed preserves, and one for the first person to correctly ID the most trees. We also have a ‘bonus’ grand prize that will be raffled from Instagram entries (meaning that each time you find a bow & share it on your public Instagram account, your name will be entered for this prize)!
If you don’t win one of these grand prizes, you will still be entered into our prize raffle! We have an incredible assortment of prizes this year, and every bow found and every correct tree ID counts as a submission.
Rules & Guidelines
One photo submission per family per preserve
Photo should clearly show the bow and the tag indicating the preserve name
Submissions will be accepted starting at 12:00 am on November 24 through 11:59 pm on December 31
Group Hikes
This year, our partner Joyful Wildcrafting is providing two opportunities for group hikes! These hikes are free of charge, and are an opportunity to search for bows and identify trees in community. Come by yourself, or bring a friend or your family on these excursions!
You can join Joyful Wildcrafting on Saturday, November 29 at 10:00am at Wege Foundation Natural Area or on Saturday, December 6 at 10:00am at Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve. Follow the links for more information!
Where to Look
There are bows on trees at each of the following preserves. Happy hunting!
Allegan County
Kent County
Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve – Group hike with Joyful Wildcrafting: Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 10:00am. Learn more & register here!
Bradford Dickinson White Nature Preserve
Wege Foundation Natural Area – Group hike with Joyful Wildcrafting: Saturday, November 29, 2025 at 10:00am. Learn more & register here!
Lamberton Lake Fen Nature Preserve
Muskegon County
Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve
Anderson Woods Nature Preserve
Newaygo County
Richmond Woods Nature Preserve
* Archery hunting is allowed at this preserve. Please dress in bright clothes, take note of whether a hunter is present on the preserve when you are there, make your presence known, and take the necessary precautions to remain safe!
McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve
* Archery hunting is allowed at this preserve. Please dress in bright clothes, take note of whether a hunter is present on the preserve when you are there, make your presence known, and take the necessary precautions to remain safe!
Oceana County
Dumaw Woodland Nature Preserve
Ottawa County
Minnie Skwarek Nature Preserve
What can you win?
This year, we have 2 grand prizes, one social media grand prize, and an amazing assortment of raffle prizes.
Grand Prizes
Framed original painting by Jerry Gates, donated by the Conservation Resource Alliance. *Valued at $800, this painting will be awarded to the first person to find and submit photos of all 17 bows!
Two Cultured Club Memberships from Speciation Cellars. *Valued over $100, this gift will be awarded to the first person to correctly identify the most trees!
Assorted gift bag from Aldea Coffee. *Valued over $100, this gift will be awarded to the social media bonus prize winner!
Raffle Prizes
All submissions will be entered into a drawing for additional prizes. You do not need to visit every preserve to be eligible for the drawing – each entry counts as a submission! Please note that if you win a grand prize, you will no longer be eligible for a raffle prize. You could be eligible for any of the following:
- Salomon Light Day Pack from Bill & Paul’s
- Grand Truck Camp Stool from Bill & Paul’s
- 1-Year Family Membership to Blandford Nature Center
- Gift Card to Books & Mortar
- GA, 1-day admission passes to the Grand Rapids Public Museum
- Handmade ceramics from KL Media
- Swag from the Land Conservancy of West Michigan
- 2026 annual pass from Muskegon County Parks
- 2 nights of camping from Muskegon County Parks
- Cultured Club Membership from Speciation Cellars
- Gift bag from Vivant Brewery and Spirits
THANK YOU TO THIS YEAR’S SPONSORS!
