Description: Summer In The Park, Week of July 20-26
Location: Warriors Path State Park
Come enjoy a week full of natural fun! You and your family can hike and explore, enjoy natural play and discovery, get close to "critters" and history, and much more. And it's all free!
Here is the detailed schedule for the week:
MONDAY, JULY 20
6:30 PM WOODLAND RIDGE HIKE - Come hike these ancient forests, and gain new insights into woodland habitats. Join us for this one and a half mile STEEP hike. Be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring water. Drive to the camp store, and we’ll carpool to the trail head.
9:00 PM SPIDERS - Enjoy a slide-illustrated journey through spider country. Get a close look at these amazing creatures, from the comfort of your seat. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it’s raining.
TUESDAY JULY 21
9:00 AM DEVIL’S BACKBONE HIKE -Come hike to the high places, and get some new views of our park land. Drive to the camp store, and we’ll carpool to the start of an invigorating hike.
10:00 AM HOLSTON BLUFFS RAILROAD TOUR - Our park is tied to history through the rails! Let's hike the old railroad grade, and hear the stories of these old railroaders' lives. Meet at the Moody Bluff Campground entrance.
1:00 PM THE WARRIORS’ PATH - Why was our park named “Warriors’ Path?” Take a short hike to find out more. Meet at the main bath house.
3:00 PM NATURE’S SKYSCRAPERS - Forests are like apartment houses! Come along on this forest hike, and we’ll find out more about who lives “upstairs.” Meet at the main bath house.
4:00 PM BUTTER CHURNING - Early settlers had no WalMart or Food City! How did they get butter for their bread? Meet at the Open Air Chapel to try an old-timey life skill. If it’s raining, meet at the main bath house.
4:30 PM NON-FLOWERING PLANTS RAMBLE - Not every green growing thing makes flowers! Come visit some of the ferns, mosses, and other non-flowering plants in the park. Meet at the main bath house
6:00 PM WALKING TREES, FLYING PLANTS - Wind, water, and animals carry seeds of new trees and plants all across the land. Our “wind” can help too! Meet at the Open Air Chapel to show off your “hot air” and plant some new life. Meet at the main bath house if it rains.
7:30 PM RACCOON RASCALS - Come discover more about these fascinating fur buddies, and learn more about their adventurous lives. Also find out how to keep them out of your campsite! Meet at the Open Air Chapel (main bath house if it’s raining).
9:00 PM NIGHT HIKE - It's a whole different world out there at night! Tonight is our chance to discover the peace and the excitement of a night in the Sinking Waters wetland. Bring a dim flashlight and drive to the camp store. We'll carpool out to the park back country.
WEDNESDAY JULY 22
8:00 AM BREAKFAST WITH THE BIRDS - Come wake up to our feathered neighbors. Meet at the main bath house to begin a stroll through bird country! (The first 12 people to come get free doughnut & juice!)
10:00 AM TREE COOKIES - Let’s read a small slice of nature! The inside of a tree holds many clues to the outside of the land! Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
11:30 AM FIELD SWEEP - This green world at our feet is teeming with amazing life. Help us “sweep up” some field discoveries. Meet at the Open Air Chapel.
1:00 PM TREE ID GAME - Come on down and enjoy a fine little game that will help you get to know the local trees a little better. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it’s raining.
3:00 PM NATURE JOURNALS - Come learn the basics of nature journaling and create your own masterpiece. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. In case of rain, meet at the main bath house.
4:00 PM “WONDERFUL WACKY WET WEDNESDAY” - Let’s enjoy some kid-friendly water play and learning activities. You might even get to soak the Park Ranger. Meet at the Open Air Chapel and be prepared to get VERY WET!
5:00 PM LAKE HOLLOW HIKE - Let's enjoy the rich discoveries of land and water life along the Lake Hollow trail. Meet at the main bath house.
7:30 PM STATE PARK “JEOPARDY” - Let’s try a natural version of the famous game show. Test your skills and see how much you REALLY know about our State Parks. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
9:00 PM NIGHT SOUNDS - Nature is full of sounds when the sun goes down! Some seem eerie, but there’s no need to be nervous. Lower your “scare factor” by finding out whose noise is whose! Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
THURSDAY JULY 23
9:00 AM FALL CREEK LOOP TRAIL -Let’s hike the park’s most scenic trail! Enjoy beautiful vistas of the summer fields, as we search for signs of the unique habitats in the open country. Drive to the camp store, and we’ll carpool to the start of a two hour hike.
10:00 AM MICRO-PARKS - Here’s your chance to plan and share your own nature park. You might even get “paid” by your “customers”! Bring your best park managing skills to the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
11:30 AM JUNIOR RANGERS: BICYCLE SAFETY - Bicycles are a great way to get around the park, and to conserve energy at the same time! Find out how to SAFELY enjoy this nature-friendly transportation. Bring your bicycle and your helmet to the Main Bath House.
2:00 PM STATE SYMBOLS - Find out more about our Tennessee State Symbols, and discover which symbols you can find here at our park! Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
4:00 PM MAGNIFYING GLASS STROLL - Use your eyes and some handy little magnifiers to get a close look at nature's amazing details. Meet at the main bath house to begin a short discovery walk.
5:00 PM NATURE GAMES - Don’t miss the natural fun - for the young or the young-at-heart! Meet at the Open Air Chapel for some lively games about our natural world. If it’s raining, meet at the main bath house.
6:30 PM WHITETAIL HIKE - Come investigate some ancient forests, and find out more about this special habitat. We might even spot some deer “at home” in their habitat. Meet at the park’s Mountain Bike Trail parking lot, at the end of Freeman Road, Blountville TN.
9:00 PM DRAGONFLIES - These fascinating insects have some amazing life stories to tell. Come enjoy a slide-illustrated talk about these “bugs” that zip through the summer skies. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or the main bath house if it’s raining.
FRIDAY, JULY 24
9:30 AM WETLAND WALK - Wetlands are wet, and full of life! Come along for a soggy hike near Fall Creek, on the far side of the Devil’s Backbone. We might even spot a few dragonflies! Drive to the camp store, and we’ll carpool.
10:30 AM BUTTERFLY WATCHING - Summer days are bright with these fantastic flyers! Come share exciting discoveries as we watch these lovely bugs. Meet at the camp store.
1:00 PM BUILD A BUTTERFLY - Create your very own paper butterfly, and discover more about these winged wonders! Meet at the main bath house.
3:00 PM FLOWER MAKING - We love flowers, but we hate that they die so quickly! Join us at the main bathhouse to make your own flowers that will never wilt!
4:00 PM SOIL CREATURES - Discover the amazing world of life in the ground at our feet. Meet at the Open Air Chapel to “dig into” a new world.
5:00 PM LIFE UNDER LOGS - Every corner of this earth is a home - and rotten logs are some of the best! Help us "dig into" this unique habitat. Meet at the main bath house, and be ready to get your hands dirty.
6:00 PM OLD TIMEY GAMES - Enjoy some good-old fun! Try some games from the early settlement days of East Tennessee. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it’s raining.
7:00 PM TEN ESSENTIALS - Don’t hit the trail without them! Meet at the Open Air Chapel to find out what’s REALLY important for safe and fun nature exploration. In case of rain, meet at the main bath house.
8:00 PM EVENING STROLL - Let’s wake up our senses to evening in the forest. Meet at the main bath house for a short, refreshing hike.
9:00 PM CAMPFIRE - What a perfect combination: A dark night, a crackling fire, and some local, traditional ghost tales. Meet at the campfire circle, east end of the main campground. If it is raining, we’ll have an indoor “campfire” at the main bath house.
SATURDAY, JULY 25
10:00 AM MEET THE OWL - Meet a real live feathered hunter. - one of our “Wildlife Ambassadors!” See “whooo...” is waiting for you at the Open Air Chapel (or main campground bath house if it’s raining).
2:00 PM 100 INCH HIKE - Especially for small, tired feet! Discover life on the tiny side. This will also be a great chance to catch a critter for the races! Meet at the main bath house.
2:30 PM CRITTER RACE FOR FREEDOM - Bring your best creepy crawler to the main bath house. They’ll all win, because they’ll all get their freedom. No pets or flying creatures please.
4:00 PM JUNIOR RANGERS: TRAIL CLEANUP - Make our park a cleaner, healthier environment! You’ll make a big difference for our earth, and begin to earn your Junior Ranger badge. Meet at the main bath house. Be prepared to get dirty!
SUNDAY, JULY 26
9:00 AM WORSHIP SERVICE - Enjoy a peaceful morning worship service at the Open Air Chapel, or at the pool entrance if it is raining. Sponsored by the Fall Creek Baptist Church.
Program Host: Marty Silver
Contact Email: marty.silver@tn.gov
Contact Phone: 423-239-6786