KINGSPORT — The Summer in the Park series takes advantage of the rich natural beauty at Warriors’ Path State Park and provides a wealth of opportunities for free family recreation. This week, visitors can explore wildlife habitats, hike the park’s trails, or enjoy some spooky trails.
Here’s a look at what’s on tap.
Thursday, July 4
9:30 a.m. — GOOD MORNING USA WALK: Start a full day of patriotic events with a leisurely morning stroll on the campground’s trails. Meet at the camp store.
Noon — FOURTH OF JULY ROCKETS: Come create park-friendly fireworks out of recycled materials. Meet at the main bathhouse. Bring creativity. Supplies will be provided.
2 p.m. — PATRIOTIC GAMES: “One if by land, two if by sea ...” will guide our field games. Will you be able to conquer the British? Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
5 p.m. — CREATE A CARD: Looking for a new way to celebrate the Fourth of July? Come celebrate by making a card for those who have served our country and helped our communities. Meet at the main bath house.
6 p.m. — PARADE PREP: Come to the main bath house to decorate your wagon, your bicycle, your stroller or even your dog’s leash for the 7 p.m. mini parade. Everyone is welcome. Children under 10 must bring a parent.
7 p.m. — CAMPGROUND PARADE: Bring patriotic, decorated gear and meet at the main bath house to begin the campground parade. Everyone is welcome. Children under 10 must bring a parent.
Friday, July 5
9 a.m. — RIPARIAN HIKE: “Riparian” means “along the creek bank.” It also means an extra-rich wildlife habitat. Come along for an “extra- cool” hike near Fall Creek. Drive to the camp store to carpool.
10 a.m. — PAPER PLATE MASKS: What can you be? A wolf? A bear? A kitten? Bring your imagination to the main bath house.
11 a.m. — MAKE A SUNDIAL: Now is a perfect time to find out how to use our earth’s oldest clock. Meet at the Open Air Chapel for some bright discoveries. (Rain site: Main bath house)
1 p.m. — ANIMAL ARCHITECTS: Animals can build their homes in a variety of ways. For some animals, making a home is a lot of work. Come learn about one of Tennessee’s most notorious architects, the beaver, and how they make a nice home for themselves and others. Meet at the main bath house.
3 p.m. — LIFE UNDER LOGS: Take a hike along the half-mile Lakeshore Trail hunting for the little critters that love to hide under logs and figure out why they’re so important to the park. Meet at the main bath house.
4:30 p.m. — TURTLE TALK: Some creatures build their homes, others find them, and some are lucky enough to have them built in. Come learn about the turtles you can find here in East Tennessee and some of the special features they have built in. Meet at the Open Air Chapel.
5 p.m. — WATER’S EDGE HIKE: Enjoy an evening walk on the Lakeshore Trail to discover more about animals and plants that live each day “on the edge.” Meet at the main bath house.
6 p.m. — OLD-TIMEY GAMES: Enjoy some games from the early settlement days of East Tennessee. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
9 p.m. — TENNESSEE TALES: Enjoy new insights into Tennessee folklife as we share some good-old traditional tall tales. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Former pool entrance)
Saturday, July 6
8:30 a.m. — HIKE THE WHITETAIL LOOP: Come explore a remote corner of Warriors’ Path full of wildlife discovery. This will be a challenging 2- to 3-mile hike, so be sure to wear comfortable clothes and good hiking shoes and bring some drinking water. Meet at the Mountain Bike Trail parking lot, located on Freeman Road in Blountville.
10 a.m. — NATURE RUBBINGS: Let’s “rub up against” some nature discoveries. Create a lasting reminder of nature’s amazing textures. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
11 a.m. — CREEK CLEANUP: Here is a volunteer opportunity. Help pick up the litter that has accumulated around the creek. Meet at the entrance to the Boundless Playground.
1 p.m. — 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.
4 p.m. — CHALK CRITTERS: What’s at home here? Decorate the park with sketches of park wildlife “at home” in their habitats. Meet at the main bath house.
6 p.m. — SEED RACES: Wind, water and animals carry seeds of new trees and plants all across the land. The “wind” can help, too. Meet at the Open Air Chapel to show off your “hot air” and plant some new life. (Rain site: Main bath house)
8 p.m. — ANIMAL HOMES: Meet some small live “guest speakers” and discover more about who is “at home” here at the park. Come to the Open Air Chapel to find out about their habitats and ours. (Rain site: Main bath house)
Sunday, July 7
9 a.m. — WORSHIP SERVICE: Enjoy a peaceful morning worship service at the Open Air Chapel sponsored by Colonial Heights Baptist Church. (Rain site: Former pool entrance)
Monday, July 8
3 p.m. — CAMPGROUND CLEANUP: Want to help the wildlife of East Tennessee and have fun at the same time? Join in a litter walk around the campground. Meet at the camp store.
6 p.m. — SINKING WATERS HIKE: Take a hike to explore the wonders of a wetland habitat and all the water has to offer. Meet at the Sinking Waters Trail parking lot on Cedar Branch Road.
9 p.m. — SPOOKY TALES ON THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE: Join a hike along the Devil’s Backbone trail and enjoy some spooky tales along the way. Meet at the old pool parking lot to carpool or caravan to the trail head together.
Tuesday, July 9
9:30 a.m. — WAKE UP AND SMELL THE PAW PAWS: Join in a quick walk to explore a patch of paw paw trees together. Meet at the main bath house.
11:30 a.m. — ANIMAL GROUPS BINGO: Discover new insights into unique and different animal groups. Afterward, use your newfound knowledge to win a game of animal groups bingo. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
1 p.m. — TREE FRISBEE: Come enjoy a flying good time and find out more about park trees at the same time. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. We have plenty of frisbees.
2:30 p.m. — KNOT TYING: Be “knot” afraid of this important skill to many outdoor activities. Come learn some basic knots at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
4 p.m. — LEAF PRINTING: See what you can create using nature’s leaves as your tool. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
6:30 p.m. — SKULLS — NATURE’S TOOLBOX: Every animal carries along all the tools it needs for survival. Come investigate some natural “toolboxes,” and find out more about each animal’s job. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
9 p.m. — LAMP-LIT NIGHT HIKE: Take a “de-light-ful” hike through the nighttime forest. We’ll light up the trail with old-timey kerosene lanterns. Discover a “new world” of life after dark. We’ll supply the lanterns, but children should bring flashlights instead for safety. Meet at the park’s Mountain Bike parking area at the end of Freeman Road in Blountville.
Wednesday, July 10
9 a.m. — LEAF HIKE: Leaves are shade on a summer day. Leaves are the green carpet of the hills. Leaves are full of amazing stories. Let’s walk under the leaves to listen in. Meet at the main bath house to start the hike.
10 a.m. — TISSUE-PAPER FLOWERS: Join classic flower-themed craft while learning some more about native wildflowers. Meet at the main bath house.
11 a.m. — MEET THE SNAKES: They’re not the fearsome creatures you’ve been led to believe. Come out and learn the facts about these interesting and helpful animals. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
1 p.m. — CRITTER PATHS: Be a critter detective. Find out what’s been wandering through the campground habitats. Meet at the camp store.
2:30 p.m. — NATURE ART: You’ll be amazed at how creative you can be with nature’s crayons. Meet at the Open Air Chapel to create your own natural masterpiece. (Rain site: Main bath house)
3:30 p.m. — SPIDER WALK: Tennessee is home to a variety of creepy crawlers, but many of us don’t know much about them. Come get to know our multi-legged friends through a hike and learn why they aren’t so creepy after all. Meet at the Open Air Chapel.
5 p.m. — JUNIOR RANGERS: WILDLIFE SHELTERS: Help the park become a better home for wildlife. You’ll make the land a fine habitat and begin to earn the Junior Ranger badge. Meet at the Open Air Chapel. (Rain site: Main bath house)
6 p.m. — SPIDER SCAVENGER HUNT: Are your spidey-senses tingling? Come see how good your spidey-senses are with this spider-themed scavenger hunt. Meet at the Open Air Chapel to see how fast you can find some multi-legged friends.
9 p.m. — TENNESSEE SPIDERS: What spiders are common here in Tennessee? How do you identify them? Come find out about the most common spiders through a slide-illustrated talk, then use some of new knowledge to find spiders in the night. Meet at the Open Air Chapel.
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