Fort Wayne is turning May into a celebration of nature. On Saturday, May 16, 2026, families across the city can grab a free passport and explore three living wetlands in a single afternoon. The event is open to all ages, packed with hands-on activities, and rewards visitors who finish the trail with small prizes.
Free Self-Guided Tour Hits Three Wetland Sites
Fort Wayne City Utilities and the Little River Wetlands Project are teaming up to host the Catching Rain Wetlands Passport Tour. The self-guided event takes residents through three preserves spread across the Summit City.
The day kicks off at Beckett’s Run, near Salomon Farm at 817 W. Dupont Road, from 10 a.m. to noon. Visitors then move to Eagle Marsh at 6801 Engle Road and Camp Scott Wetlands at 3615 Oxford Street from noon to 3 p.m.
Organizers confirm there are no tickets, no parking fees, and no registration required for anyone who wants to join.
Guests are free to start at any of the three sites and move through them in any order. Staff members will be stationed at each preserve to greet families and stamp passports.
What Visitors Can Expect on Saturday
Every guest will receive a Wetlands Tour Passport. The paper itself is embedded with native plant seeds, so families can plant it at home and watch wildflowers like Black-Eyed Susan, Aster, Coneflower, Daisy, and Butterfly Milkweed bloom in their own yard.
Each preserve has its own personality. Volunteers will be on hand at every stop to lead activities, answer questions, and point out wildlife.
Here is what guests can do during the tour:
- Collect a stamp at each of the three wetland sites
- Take part in hands-on activities led by program staff
- Spot native birds and rare plants in their natural habitat
- Learn how wetlands filter rainwater and shield rivers
- Plant the seed-embedded passport at home for wildflowers
Anyone who collects all three stamps will earn cool prizes while supplies last. Many families turn it into a day-long outing with packed lunches and binoculars.
Why Fort Wayne’s Wetlands Matter
Wetlands work like the kidneys of a city. They slow down stormwater, trap pollutants, and hold floodwaters back from homes and roads.
“Wetlands are some of Fort Wayne’s most powerful natural tools. American Wetlands Month is the perfect time to invite residents to see that work up close.”
Illyanna Ratkos, Stormwater Project Designer, Fort Wayne City Utilities
Camp Scott Wetlands plays a quiet but huge role in southeast Fort Wayne. Stormwater from neighborhoods around McMillen Park is collected in a 1.7-million-gallon underground storage tank. The water then flows through native plants and waterlilies before it is released into the Maumee River.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that natural wetlands also remove pesticides, heavy metals, and chlorinated chemicals from runoff. That is why these spaces sit at the heart of clean water efforts in Indiana.
Inside Eagle Marsh and Its Wild Comeback
Eagle Marsh is the crown jewel of the tour. The 831-acre preserve sits on a rare continental divide that separates the Mississippi and Great Lakes watersheds.
The land was once farmland that flooded year after year. Since the Little River Wetlands Project secured it in 2005, more than 45,000 trees, shrubs, and native plants have been added to the site.
Today, over 240 bird species use the marsh, including the bald eagle that gave the preserve its name. Visitors can wander more than 14 miles of trails that wind past prairie, ponds, and dense woodland.
Little River Wetlands Project was founded in 1990 by a group of worried Allen County residents. The nonprofit now protects more than 1,300 acres in the Little River watershed and also manages Arrowhead Marsh, Arrowhead Prairie, and Buttonbush Bottoms.
| Site | Address | Tour Time |
|---|---|---|
| Beckett’s Run | 817 W. Dupont Rd. (Salomon Farm) | 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. |
| Eagle Marsh | 6801 Engle Rd. | 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Camp Scott Wetlands | 3615 Oxford St. | 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. |
How to Join the Tour This Weekend
The tour is built for any pace. Families can visit one site, two, or chase down all three stamps for the full reward.
Comfortable shoes, sunscreen, water, and a camera are smart picks. Bug spray will also come in handy as the marshes warm up in the May sun.
American Wetlands Month was created in 1991 by the EPA and a wide group of state, tribal, and nonprofit partners. The agency invites people across the country to share photos using the hashtag #WetlandsWork to highlight these natural treasures.
The timing feels meaningful this year. Federal officials recently proposed scaling back which wetlands receive Clean Water Act protections, which makes local efforts in Fort Wayne stand out even more for residents who care about their rivers.
For one Saturday, Fort Wayne residents have a quiet, free invitation to slow down and see how nature looks out for them. Walk among the cattails, listen to a heron lift off the water, and leave with a passport full of seeds and a fresh respect for the city’s hidden green spaces. Are you planning to bring your family this weekend? Drop your favorite wetland memory in the comments and share your photos on social media using #WetlandsWork to celebrate Fort Wayne’s marshes with neighbors across the country.
