It is July which means it’s officially summer and the days are slowly getting shorter. We have some fun programs on the schedule this month. Come brave the heat (safely) and see all that Lake Charles has to offer!
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Friday, July 14, 7:00-7:45 p.m.
Park Trivia
Join the park interpreter for park trivia at the pavilion. We’ll provide the trivia questions! It’s a great way to start the weekend, learn about the park and the area, and prove to your family that you are the trivia master! Winner will receive a s’mores kit. This program will last about 45 minutes.
Meeting place: Pavilion
Saturday, July 15, 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Birds of Lake Charles
Meet a park interpreter outside the nature center to learn about some of the birds you see every day. We will learn what makes birds unique and common birds at Lake Charles State Park. This program will last about 30 minutes.
Meeting place: Outside the Nature Center
4:00-4:45pm | Nature Journaling
A nature journal is a place to grow your thoughts, feelings, ideas, observations, and experiences with nature. Keeping a nature journal provides a rich opportunity to study the natural world and develop a deeper relationship with the earth. Join a park interpreter outside the nature center to learn the basics of nature journaling and start a journal of your own. You are welcome to bring your own journal or use one of the handmade journals provided. Please bring a lawn chair if possible. This program will last about 45 minutes.
Meeting Place: Outside the Nature Center
Sunday, July 16. 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Natural Treasure Hunt
Lake Charles State Park is full of treasure! Join a park interpreter across from the visitor center at the Butterflies and Blooms trailhead for a treasure hunt and learn how to protect the treasure you find. We will walk about 0.5-miles. Wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water and sunscreen. This program will last about 30 minutes.
Meeting Place: Butterflies and Blooms Trailhead (across from Visitor Center)
Friday, July 21, 4:00p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Skins and Skulls
Come by the visitor center to learn more about the mammals that call Lake Charles State Park home. Get the chance to feel a skunk pelt, touch a deer’s antlers, and more. This is a come and go program. The park interpreter will be at the table for one hour with a variety of natural Arkansas mammal pelts and skulls available for your exploration.
Meeting place: Visitor Center
Saturday, July 22..1:00-1:30 p.m.
Be an Explorer!
Interested in becoming an Arkansas State Parks Explorer? Meet a park interpreter outside the nature center to learn how to get started! The Explorer Program is intended for young people ages 6-14 (though all ages are welcome) who care about nature, history, safety, and fun. You get to do neat stuff and earn an official Explorer Badge and throughout 2023 you will receive a special certificate commemorating 100 years of Arkansas State Parks. This program will last about 30 minutes.
Meeting place: Outside the Nature Center
4:00 – 4:30 p.m.
How Long Will It Last? A Timeline of Trash
Every person’s visit to the park can make an impact. Some impacts will last much longer than others. Join a park interpreter at the beach picnic area next to the nature center to examine what kind of impacts trash makes in a park. While you might just visit for the day, the things you leave behind could be here for days, decades, or centuries. This program will last about thirty minutes.
Meeting place: Outside the Nature Center
Sunday, July 23..10:00-11:00 a.m.
Nature Journals
A nature journal is a place to grow your thoughts, feelings, ideas, observations, and experiences with nature. Keeping a nature journal provides a rich opportunity to study the natural world and develop a deeper relationship with the earth. Join a park interpreter outside the nature center to learn the basics of nature journaling and start a journal of your own. You are welcome to bring your own journal or use one of the handmade journals provided. Please bring a lawn chair if possible. This program will last about 45 minutes.
Meeting place: Outside the Nature Center
Friday, July 28..8:00-8:30 p.m.
Mystical Mammals
Bats are fascinating mammals that are unlike anything humans have ever experienced. Join a park interpreter at the day-use pavilion at 8:00 p.m. to learn more about these mystical mammals. This program will take about 30 minutes.
Meeting place: Pavilion
Saturday, July 29…10:00-10:30 a.m.
Arkansas Regions
The Natural State, Arkansas, has six diverse geographic regions that are home to a variety of plants and wildlife. Lake Charles State Parks sits on the border of two of these regions. Meet an interpreter at the pavilion at 10:00 a.m. to learn more about these geographic regions and how they shape Lake Charles State Park. This program will last about 30 minutes.
Meeting place: Pavilion
2:00-2:30 p.m.
Animal Evidence
Many of the animals that make their home at Lake Charles State Park are active at night, but they leave evidence of their activities that can be spotted during the day. Meet an interpreter at the pavilion at 2:00 p.m. to learn how to spot evidence these animals leave behind. This program will last about 30 minutes.
Meeting place: Pavilion
4:00-4:30 p.m.
Raccoons: Nature’s Bandit
Bandits live at Lake Charles State Park. Meet an interpreter at the pavilion at 4:00 p.m. to learn about raccoons, why they are nicknamed bandits, and why Lake Charles State Park is the perfect place for them to live. This program will last about 30 minutes.
Meeting Place: Pavilion
Sunday, July 30…10:00-10:30 a.m.
Natural Treasure Hunt
Lake Charles State Park is full of treasure! Join a park interpreter across from the visitor center at the Butterflies and Blooms trailhead for a treasure hunt and learn how to protect the treasure you find. We will walk about 0.5-miles. Wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water and sunscreen. This program will last about 30 minutes.
Meeting place: Butterflies and Blooms Trailhead (across from Visitor Center)
Lake Charles State Park
3705 Hwy 25
Powhatan, AR 72458