The Shawnee State Park Naturalist Programs have been announced for October, with a month filled with activities for the community to enjoy.
Saturday, October 7 will welcome Destination Yoga, where guests will join Rebecca for another gentle yoga practice on the floodwall overlooking Turkey Creek Lake. Guests will meet in the Nature Center parking lot at 10 a.m. and are encouraged to bring a blanket and a mat.
Saturday, October 7 will welcome Fire Prevention Fun, where the community will hang out with Smokey the Bear, meet a firefighter, explore a fire truck, and create a craft with Scioto County Library staff. Guests will also be able to make a tie dye shirt, with many sizes available for only $6 in the campstore. Activities take place at the Turkey Creek Amphitheater between 3 and 5 p.m.
Saturday, October 7 will also welcome the Bear Cub Book Club, where participants will join Ashlynn for story time and an activity on a different nature topic each week. Participants will meet at the Nature Center at 1 p.m. The activity is described as great for homeschoolers or any school-aged children wishing to improve literacy skills.
Freaky Friday the 13 will welcome community members to the Turkey Creek Campgrounds with a plethora of events. Activities include free putt putt between 5 and 7 p.m.; tie die for $6; a scavenger hunt with prizes between 6 and 7 p.m.; and a family friendly Halloween movie at dusk.
Spooky Saturday, October 14 will welcome guests for another day of activities, including open hours at the Nature Center between noon and 3 p.m.; a pumpkin voting contest, with pumpkins set to be delivered at the amphitheater by 3 p.m. and voting to last until 4:30 p.m.; a contest for the best campsite at that same time; trick or treating at the campground between 3 and 4:30 p.m.; and a costume show for people and pets at 4:30 p.m.
The Ohio River Campground Halloween Campout will be the weekend of October 20 and 21.
Friday, October 20 will feature a tie die shirt for $6 between 5 and 6 p.m.; a scavenger hunt with prizes between 6 and 7 p.m.; and a family friendly Halloween movie at dusk.
Saturday, October 21 will feature a pumpkin contest at between 3 and 4:30 p.m.; trick or treating at the campground between 3 and 4:30 p.m.; and a costume show at 4:30 p.m.
The Un-haunted Forest will be held Saturday, October 21, between 6 and 9 p.m. at the Nature Center. Participants will be engaged in a lantern lit, guided tour into the forest with costumed characters discussing nocturnal animals. The Nature Center will also be opened for tours and s’mores, as well as a social atmosphere around a campfire.
The Bear Book Club will meet on Saturday, October 21 at 1 p.m. with Ashlynn.
A fall hike will be hosted on October 28. Gather around a campfire and lace up your boots between a 5-mile moderate hike around Park Loop Trail. Homemade biscuits and apple butter will be waiting for hikers at the halfway mark. Friends of Shawnee State Park Inc. will be serving beans and cornbread at the amphitheater at 11 a.m. for hikers.
On October 21, the Bear Book Club will meet with Ashlynn at 1 p.m.
For more information on the events, call 740.858.6652 or visit ohiostateparks.gov/Shawnee. They are also online at facebook.com/Shawnee.
Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2023 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved.
