August Programs at State Parks in SW Montana

Several free events have been scheduled in August at Madison Buffalo Jump, Missouri Headwaters and Lewis & Clark Caverns state parks.

Madison Buffalo Jump State Park events: On Aug. 4, Madison Buffalo Jump State Park will host its traditional kite festival. This year’s kite festival will include kite building and flying, face painting, traditional games, a food truck, and Native American vendors. This family-friendly event will also feature a lecture on bison and a flint knapping demonstration. Kite building kits will be available for purchase for $10. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 PM. For more information, call 406-521-5189. Madison Buffalo Jump State Park is about 7 miles south of Logan along Buffalo Jump Road. For more information about the park, click here or call 406-285-3610.

Missouri Headwaters State Park events: On Aug. 3, Missouri Headwaters State Park will host “Poetry In The Park.” This event will include an open mic session at noon and a guest speaker—Montana Poet Laureate, author and member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana, Chris La Tray—at 1 PM. This event will be near the park office, with snacks, tea and lemonade provided. To sign up for the open mic, guests can contact park ranger Sarah Lilly at 406-521-5189 or sarah.lilly@mt.gov.

La Tray will also give a presentation at 7 PM on Aug. 3 about the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians and their connection with the Métis people and Montana. This program will discuss how the entire Métis economy and culture was built on their unique relationship with the buffalo from the days when the herds were so large that the whole country was described as “one robe.”

On Aug. 10 at 7 PM, Headwaters will host guest speaker Kevin Underwood as he talks about the history and evolution of firearms in Montana through the 19th Century. Underwood has successfully completed a rigorous three-year gunsmithing school at Yavapai College. He is a member of the Montana Historical Gunmakers Guild and has been gunsmithing for the past nine years, specializing in 19th Century arms.

On Aug. 17, Missouri Headwaters will host a Bat Walk & Talk, where guests can join a park ranger for a bat tour along the Missouri River. This event will begin at 8:30 PM at the park office.

On Aug. 18, Missouri Headwaters will host a BARK ranger event for dogs and their owners, designed to help them have safe and fun adventures in the outdoors. Visitors are welcome to bring their leashed dogs for a walk through the park, a talk on the BARK ranger principles, and some giveaway items. The event will begin at 1 PM. Pre-registration is required. To sign up, call 406-285-3610.

Missouri Headwaters State Park is about 5 miles northeast of Three Forks on Trident Road. For more information about the park, click here or call 406-285-3610.

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park events: Lewis & Clark Caverns will host events every weekend in August at the campground amphitheater.

On Aug. 2 at 8 PM, the park will host a program on Crow and Lakota languages. Guest speaker Becky Warner, who is of Ni’kmaq and French-Canadian descent, studies the Lakota and Crow languages. She will give a beginning lesson on the Lakota language.

On Aug. 3 at 8 PM, park ranger Ramona Radonich will present Six Habitats of Lewis & Clark Caverns. Come learn about these habitats and where to find them.

On Aug. 9 at 8 PM, join guest speaker Bryce Maxel for a talk on the bats of Montana—an overview of their amazing biology, daily and seasonal routines, the ecological services they provide, and the threats they face.

On Aug. 10 at 8 PM, join musicians Donna Weldon and Ron Jung for their program, Music Through the Years. This includes music and a singalong of folk, country western, and contemporary music.

On Aug. 16 at 8 PM, guest speakers Kalon Baughan and Bret Davis will present Ghosts of the High Country: The Elusive Wolverine and Lynx in Montana. In this program, Baughan and Davis will share their experience, research and use of technology to monitor rare and elusive species non-invasively.

On Aug. 17 at 8 PM, park ranger Ramona Radonich will present Night Skies at Lewis & Clark Caverns. This popular program will highlight the stories of the stars you can see over Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park.

On Aug. 23 at 5 PM, guest speaker Josie Salois will present Ambassador Raptors! In this program, guests will get to learn about and meet live raptors, or birds of prey, from FWP’s Montana WILD Education Center in Helena.

On Aug. 24 at 7 PM, park ranger Ramona Radonich will present Goodness Snakes Alive! Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is home to the prairie rattlesnake, the most widespread of all rattlesnakes. Radonich will shed light on these remarkable creatures and how to stay safe when exploring rattlesnake country.

On Aug. 30 at 7 PM, singer-songwriter Kali Armstrong will present Nature Songs & Trivia, an evening of songs and sing-alongs to teach about the unique wildlife and geology of the park.

On Aug. 31 at 7 PM, park ranger Ramona Radonich will present This Is Montana! State symbols represent what we love best about this place we call home. Join ranger Ramona for the last summer evening program of the season to learn about these symbols and how they represent this land and the people who live here.

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is about 15 miles southeast of Whitehall, along Montana Highway 2. For more information about the park, call 406-287-3541.