Darke County Parks
Announcements & News
Maple Syrup Season is underway! - Thursday, January 30, 2025
The maple sap is running and Darke County Parks’ volunteers and staff are about to be busy boiling in the sugar shack making sweet maple syrup! Freezing nights and thawing days cause the sap to move, bringing the syrup one step closer to your table.
This year, the Friends of the Parks’ Waffle Breakfast returns on March 1st! Breakfast will be held in the Nature Center at Shawnee Prairie Preserve and includes waffles, a sausage patty, juice, and coffee. Then drizzle your waffles with some delicious Darke County maple syrup! Adult tickets for the waffle breakfast are $8; children aged 3 to 9 are $4, and under 3 years old are free. Carry-out is available. Extra sausage can be purchased for $1.50 more. Breakfast will be served 8am-noon. Tickets are available at the door on the day of the breakfast, or presale tickets may be purchased at the Nature Center.
On March 1st, Park naturalists will also offer guided tours from 8:00am-12:30pm, where you can learn the history and science of maple sugaring and the process of turning sap into syrup. After an educational tour through the woods, visit the sugar shack and warm up in the steam-filled evaporator room as the sap spends countless hours on a boil to reduce it down to syrup.
Complete the day at the Nature Center, where the gift shop and bake sale will be full of maple goodies that are fit for any sweet tooth!
You can also support Darke County Parks by sponsoring a bucket. Each sponsor will have their name placed on a sap bucket along the self-guided trail during the Maple Sugarin’ Event.
"Darke Amber Grade" ($25) sponsors will receive a 250ml decorative maple leaf-shaped glass bottle of Darke Co. Parks maple syrup.
"Amber Grade" ($30) sponsors will receive a 250ml decorative maple leaf-shaped glass bottle of Darke Co. Parks maple syrup + stone-ground whole wheat pancake mix made at Historic Bear’s Mill to enjoy at home!
"Fancy Grade" ($40) sponsors will receive a 250ml decorative maple leaf-shaped glass bottle of Darke Co. Parks maple syrup + two tickets to the Friend’s Waffle Breakfast on March 1, 2025.
“Golden Grade” ($45) sponsors will receive a 250ml decorative maple leaf-shaped glass bottle of Darke Co. Parks maple syrup + two tickets to the Friend’s Waffle Breakfast on March 1, 2025 + stone-ground whole wheat pancake mix made at Historic Bear’s Mill!
“Golden Grade” ($45) sponsors will receive a 250ml decorative maple leaf-shaped glass bottle of Darke Co. Parks maple syrup + two tickets to the Friend’s Waffle Breakfast on March 1, 2025 + stone-ground whole wheat pancake mix made at Historic Bear’s Mill!
Secure your own bottle of Darke County
maple syrup and sponsor a bucket by visiting www.darkecountyparks.org/maple.
Don’t forget to stop in at the Nature Center where maple syrup and various goodies will be available for sale during normal business hours Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Gift shop supplies will be limited. For more information, call the Nature Center at 937-548-0165 or email info@darkecountyparks.org.
