Description: Summer In The Park, week of June 22-28
Location: Warriors Path State Park
Come enjoy a week full of outdoor fun! You and your family can hike early and late, explore habitats wet and dry, enjoy natural games and crafts, become Junior Rangers and Park Volunteers, and much more. And it's all free!
IMPORTANT NOTE - You DO NOT have to preregister for these "Summer In The Park" activities. However, we are offering registration for those who wish to donate to the park's programming efforts.
Here's the detailed schedule for this week:
MONDAY, JUNE 22
6:00 PM TURTLE TALK - Meet a real, live “shelled friend” and find out more about their amazing lives. Join our “wildlife ambassador” 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.
TUESDAY, JUNE 23
9:30 AM HIKE TO CHILDRESS TOWN - A vigorous hike over the high ridges will bring us to the ruins of the first settlement in the park. This will be a three to four hour hike, so wear good walking shoes and comfortable clothes. Drive to the camp store, and we’ll carpool to the start of the trail.
2:00 PM 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
3:30 PM CREEK WALK - Get on your old clothes and tennis shoes. It’s time to explore the cool, clear creek waters. We’ll discover a world of amazing life. Drive to the camp store, and we’ll carpool. Be prepared to get wet!
4:30 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.
7:00 PM TREE TOOLS - How big is that tree? How old is it? What wildlife could be hiding in it? Come see and try out some of the tools that foresters use to study and protect our native trees. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
8:00 PM NATURE JOURNALS - Come learn the basics of nature journaling and create your own masterpiece. Meet at the Open Air Chapel.
9:00 PM FOREST TREES - Take a “hike” from the comfort of your seat. Enjoy a “tour” of our nearby forest habitats using words and pictures. After the slide show, we’ll share a demonstration of how to identify our local trees. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
8:30 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 some wetland wildlife! Drive to the camp store, and we’ll carpool.
10:00 AM NATURAL DYES - Nature’s awesome colors mean beauty for us. The early settlers wore some of them! Meet at the Open Air Chapel to try your hand at using the same natural materials as they did, for dying cloth. In case of rain, meet at the main bath house.
11:30 AM EDIBLE PLANTS RAMBLE - Are they weeds or are they dinner? Learn to make a salad from lawn plants. Meet at the camp store and let’s walk on down.
1:00 PM MAGNIFYING GLASS WALK - 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.
3:00 PM SKULLS - NATURE’S TOOL BOX - Every animal carries along all the tools it needs for survival! Come investigate some natural “tool boxes,” and find out more about each animal’s job! Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
4:00 PM NATURE ART - You’ll be amazed at how creative you can be with nature’s own “crayons”. Meet at the Open Air Chapel to create your own natural masterpiece. If it is raining, meet at the main bath house.
5:00 PM TAG - You’re it! You’re the one we need to make all these great tag games work. Meet at the Open Air Chapel for all kinds of tag games. If it is raining, meet at the main bath house.
6:00 PM HIKE THE BONEYARD - Come explore a remote corner of Warriors’ Path, full of nature discovery. This will be a challenging 2-3 mile hike, so be sure to wear comfortable clothes, good hiking shoes, and bring some drinking water. Meet at the Mountain Bike Trail parking area.
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.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
9:00 AM WAKE UP WALK - Let’s wake up our senses to morning in the forest. Meet at the main bath house for a refreshing morning walk.
10:00 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. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
3:30 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.
5:30 PM JUNIOR RANGERS: CAMPGROUND 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!
7:00 PM BIRDS OF PREY - Meet a real live feathered hunter, and learn his fascinating life story. One of our "Wildlife Ambassadors" will be waiting for you at the Open Air Chapel . If it is raining, meet at the main bath house.
8:00 PM OWL GAMES - Test your skills as an owl (or a mouse!) with some lively games! Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
9:00 PM NIGHT HIKE TO SINKING WATERS - 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.
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
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!)
9:30 AM MAKE A FISH - You won’t need bait or a hook, just your imagination and a little “fishy knowledge!” Meet at the Open Air Chapel to create your own watery friend. In case of rain, meet at the main bath house.
11:00 AM WATERSCOPES - Make your own “window” into the world of water. Meet at the Boundless Playground Entrance and we’ll build a little tool to help us see life in the creek.
11:30 AM CREEK CRITTERS - Come find out what critters are hidden in the waters of East Tennessee and what they can tell us about the health of our water. Wear closed-toe shoes and be prepared to get wet! Meet at the Boundless Playground.
4:00 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.
6:00 PM INVASIVE PLANTS BOOKMARKS - Mark your place in your favorite summer reading while helping tame some invasive plants. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it is raining.
7:00 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.
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 TENNESSEE TALES - Enjoy new insights into Tennessee Folklife as we share some good-old traditional tall tales. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it rains.
SATURDAY, JUNE 27
8:30 AM HIKE THE “DARWIN’S REVENGE” TRAIL - It may have a very strange name, but it is an awesome trail! Come spend a few hours in one of the most beautiful and wildest parts of the park. Be sure to wear good walking shoes, comfortable clothes, and bring drinking water. Meet at the park's Mountain Bike Trail parking lot (at the end of Freeman Road, Blountville, TN).
9:00 AM SPECIAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: FIGHT THE INVASIVES! - Help us fight some nasty invasive exotic plants that are threatening the health of our oldest woodlands. Learn while you work - so you can continue to protect our region's native species. Meet at the park's Mountain Bike Trail parking area - at the end of Freeman Road, Blountville TN. Find all the details, and register, at the park events website:
https://tnstateparks.com/parks/warriors-path#happenings
3:00 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.
4:00 PM HABITATS - Can you figure out who is “at home” in the park’s natural places? Let’s check out some “bits and pieces” of nearby habitats! Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or at the main bath house if it’s raining.
8:30 PM MOTH PARTY - Let’s invite some lovely night-time flyers to a “light party!” We’ll supply the “attractive” lighting, you’ll supply the moth-watching skills. Meet at the Open Air Chapel, or main bath house if it’s raining.
SUNDAY, JUNE 28
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