Springfield/Greene Co. Park Board offers outdoor summer programs

(From the City of Springfield)

The Springfield-Greene County Park Board’s Outdoor Initiatives offers a variety of outdoor and nature-based programs throughout the summer for youth, families and adults, including:

Backpacking Cooking Clinic

Learn how to cook while backpacking. Includes packing, setting up camp kitchen and hands-on cooking with fun and easy recipes. Registration required by Tues. prior.
Valley Water Mill Park 833-8923
Age: 11 yrs. and up
Date: Sat., June 21
Time: 9-11 a.m.
Fee: $15/Person, or $20/Person when combined with Basic Camp Cooking Clinic (below)

Basic Camp Cooking Clinic

Learn or brush up on basic camping cooking skills, including foil-pack and one-pot meals. Participants will prepare, cook, and consume sample items. Registration required by Tues. prior.
Valley Water Mill Park 833-8923
Age: 11 yrs. and up
Date: Sat., June 21
Time: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Fee: $15/Person, or $20/Person when combined with Backpacking Cooking Clinic (above)

Canoe Float - Skills

Float part of the James River Water Trail on your own or receive basic hands-on canoeing skills and safety. Choose 30-minutes or up to 3 hours. Registration required by Tues. prior.
Lake Springfield Southwood Access 833-8923
Age: 11 yrs. and up
Date: Sat., Aug. 23
Time: 1-4 p.m.
Fee: $5/30 minutes of instruction

Kayak or Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Float - Skills

Spend a relaxing afternoon floating the lower James River. Float on your own or learn basic skills. Great for couples, families, groups. Registration required by Tues. prior.
Lake Springfield Southwood Access 833-8923
Age: All ages
Date: Sat., June 21, July 19, Aug. 2,
Time: 1-4 p.m.
Fee: $5/30 minutes of instruction

Bat & Cave Awareness

Learn about basic bat and cave awareness at Sequiota Cave.
Sequiota Park 833-8923
Age: All ages
Date: Sat., Aug. 30
Time: 11 a.m.7 p.m.
Fee: Free

Bat Flights

Basic information on endangered Gray Bats, Big Brown Bats, Little Brown Bats, Northern Long-Eared Bats, Tri-Colored Bats, and potential to observe the twilight flight from Sequiota Cave.
Sequiota Park 833-8923
Age: All ages
Date: Aug. 30
Time: 45-minutes prior to darkness
Fee: Free

Giboney Cave Tours

Explore the myths, facts and history of Doling Park’s Giboney Cave. Shoes may get muddy on Walking Tours. You will get very muddy and wet on the in-depth Tunnel Tours. All tours subject to bats and weather. Groups of 10+ may register and pay in advance of tour date.
Doling Park 833-8923
Age: 6 yrs. and up
Date: Aug. 23
Time: 11 a.m. -4:30 p.m.
Fee: Walking Tour: $4/Person; $12/Family of 4
Tunnel Tour: $6/Person; $20/Family of 4
Field Trips: $75-minimum

Day Trips

All trips depart from the Springfield-Greene County Park Board’s main office at 1923 N. Weller. Bring your own sack lunch, snacks and water. Don’t forget your camera! Return times are estimated. Full day trips will include a supper stop (Supper not includes in fee.) Registration required one week before trip.
Outdoor Initiatives 833-8647
Age: 9 yrs. and up (ages 9-17 with an adult only)
Fee: $30/person ($25/Person Bison and Wildflower Hike only)

Will Rogers Western Museum and Ranch

Explore Will roger's life, movies and the western theme of the time period. Includes supper stop.
Date: Sat., July 19
Time: 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

NEW! Fort Scott National Historical Site

Explore about America’s western expansion into Indian territory, Bleeding Kansas, railroad building and more at Fort Scott National Historical Site. Hop on a Trolley Tour and shop in historic downtown Fort Scott’s brick streets. Includes supper stop at Smith's Restaurant in Bolivar, MO.
Date: Sat., Aug. 2
Time: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Boston Mountains

Explore the Arkansas Loop: Arkansas Tourism Center, Boxley Elk Valley, Buffalo National Scenic River, Pruitt Landing, Arkansas Wildlife or Ponca Elk Center, Grand Canyon of Arkansas, Erbie Historical Farmstead and Steel Creek Scenic Area. Includes supper stop.
Date: Sat., Aug. 16
Time: 7 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Camp Challenge Trips

Youth 3-day, 2-night, supervised tent camping trips. Depart from Outdoor Initiatives in Valley Water Mill Park. Includes tents and equipment, 6 meals, snacks, and transportation. Showers only at Bennett Springs and Johnson's Shut-Ins State Parks. Registration required one week in advance.
Outdoor Initiatives 833-8923
Age: 9 – 15 yrs.
Fee: $90/Person or 2/$150

Bennett Springs State Park

Body surfing, kayaking, camp cooking, hiking, nature center, spring environmental awareness and trout hatchery.
Date: July 8-10
Time: Tues., 7:30 a.m. – Thurs., 5:30 p.m.

Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park

Canyon gorge, creek wading and water chutes, Elephant Rocks State Park, Fort Davidson State Historic Site and Taum Sauk Mountain State Park.
Date: July 22-24
Time: Tues., 7:30 a.m. – Thurs., 5:30 p.m.

Paddy Creek Wilderness

Camp cooking, canoeing and floating, hiking and outdoor and wildlife safety.
Date: Aug. 5-7
Time: Tues., 7:30 a.m. – Thurs., 5:30 p.m.

For more information on Outdoor Initiatives programs, call 417-833-8647. For media inquiries, call Jenny Fillmer Edwards, Public Information Administrator for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, at 417-837-5724 or 417-224-5510.