As the temperatures drop and the leaves begin to change, you may be looking for more ways to get out and explore the natural beauty of Western North Carolina. Luckily for you, the WNC Nature Center offers fun and creative ways to fill your fall with family-friendly events all season long.

First up is the Wild Walk: Behind the Scenes Tour on October 20, during which guests are invited to get up close and personal with raccoons and other Nature Center animals. The tour includes the Appalachian Station, Predators, and Small Mammals sections of the center. $25 for adults, $15 for children under 16. The cost includes admission to the Nature Center.

Soon after is Halloween, or as the Nature Center calls it, Howl-O-Ween. Head out to the Nature Center on Saturday, October 27 for a Serpentine Howl-O-Ween, filled with warm cider, snacks, arts and crafts, and games like the Howl-O-Ween Family Feud. Come decked out in your best holiday garb for the annual costume contest.

In addition to celebrating at the Nature Center, show your favorite Trick-or-Treater how much you care by adopting a Gray Wolf for them for Halloween. Adoption packages start at $25 and include an adoption certificate, a fact sheet, a wolf book, and a photo of one of the center's Gray Wolves. Adopt at the $50 level and receive a plush, stuffed gray wolf friend.

Following the Halloween festivities will be an evening of wolf education and appreciation. The Wolf Howl, hosted by the Nature Center on Thursday, November 8 from 6-8 p.m., will include a lecture, outdoor activities, and some howling. Advanced tickets required. $10 for adults, $8 for members. There will be snacks.

For Boss's Day on October 16, the Nature Center offers the gift of an adoption package to show your boss how much you care. Adoptable animals include turkey vultures, river otters, rattlesnakes, and donkeys. The packages start at $25 and include an adoption certificate, a fact sheet, a book, and a photo.

The deadline for the November photo contest is October 31. Amateur and professional photographers alike are invited to submit images of landscapes and animals within the Nature Center's grounds.

The Nature Center is committed to connecting people with animals and plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountains by inspiring appreciation, nurturing understanding, and advancing conservation of the region's rich biodiversity.

For fun facts and more information on events, opportunities, and deals, visit the Nature Center's website wildnc.org or call 259-8092.