More June Programs at Lewis & Clark State Park

More events are coming up this month as part of Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park’s summer speaker series. A full list of this summer’s events at the Caverns can be found at fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/lewis-and-clark-caverns.

June 17 through 20: On Friday, June 17, the park will welcome Bill and Marti Cook. The Cooks are bear awareness instructors, and their presentation will include everything recreationists need to know about being safe while exploring bear country. They will also be available for questions throughout the day. This presentation will begin at 8 PM in the campground amphitheater.

On Saturday, June 18, Caverns park ranger Ramona Radonich will offer a presentation of night sky constellations and tell stories behind the stars visible in the night sky. Among the wonders visitors will meet is a star that turned on the lights to open the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, as well as the famous “double-double”. This presentation will begin at 8 PM in the campground amphitheater.

On Monday, June 20, Caverns park ranger Radonich will present a free guided hike entitled, “Treerific Trees!”. Trees grow just about everywhere in the world, but not all trees grow in every place. Participants will meet the trees that reside at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park and learn why these particular trees and not others are growing there, and what adaptations make them “treerific.” This program will begin at 9 AM at the Main Visitor Center and will include a hike to identify and collect data on trees in the area until 11 a.m.

June 24 through 27: On Friday, June 24, the park will welcome guest speaker Dianna Kellie, who will speak about the history of the area around the park. Her presentation will begin at 8 PM in the campground amphitheater.

It’s “Three Dog Night” on Saturday, June 25. Park Ranger Radonich will present a tribute to three cool canines: wolves, coyotes and foxes. Although these animals share similar traits, they each have characteristics that make them unique. This presentation will begin at 8 PM in the campground amphitheater.

On Monday, June 27, park ranger Radonich will lead a hike and discussion on some of the park’s smallest wildlife: insects. While all bugs are insects, not all insects are bugs, Radonich says. Visitors will learn why this is and much more about the park’s six-legged critters. This program will run begin at 9 a.m. at the Main Visitor Center and last until 11 AM.

Planning your visit: Ranger Ramona never cancels a program. If visitors come, she will do the program. If the weather is bad, she will simply move the program to a sheltered area. For evening programs, notification of a change in location due to weather will be posted on the signboard at the amphitheater entrance 30 minutes before the program starts.

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along MT HWY 2. For more information about the park, please visit stateparks.mt.gov/lewis-and-clark-caverns or call 406-287-3541.