· OHV Area by Mobridge Hosts Grand Opening
· Angostura Recreation Area Offers Nature Activities
· Luce Pioneer Days This Weekend at Lake Herman
· Annual Fort Sisseton Historical Festival Weathers Through Rain
OHV Area by Mobridge Hosts Grand Opening
MOBRIDGE, S.D. – The hard work of park staff and many volunteers has brought the off-highway vehicle (OHV) area at Revheim Bay Recreation Area near Mobridge back to life. The track is roughly 1.1 miles long and is open for use by any OHV.
“The OHV area has a long history of use,” said park manager Jim Straight. “We are happy to re-open the area with much needed repairs completed and a new fence installed. In the future, we would like to widen the track and add lighting and bleachers, as well as get the track sanctioned with the South Dakota and North Dakota Motocross Associations.”
A grand opening for the OHV area will be held on Saturday, June 9 at 11 a.m. Park staff will be on site to answer questions and go over rules. The OHV area will than open for use.
Revheim Bay Recreation Area is located one mile southeast of Mobridge off US Highway 12. The OHV area is located in the park, so a park entrance license is required.
For additional information on the OHV area, contact Indian Creek Recreation Area at (605) 845-7112. For additional information on South Dakota State Parks, visit www.SDpark.info or call (605) 773-3391.
-GFP-
Angostura Recreation Area Offers Nature Activities
HOT SPRINGS, S.D. - Angostura Recreation Area has a full slate of programs and activities scheduled for weekend campers. The programs take place every Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer season.
Cascade Campground offers programs at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. on Sundays. Horsehead Campground complements the schedule with programs at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. on Sundays. Each program starts at the respective campground host site. Weekend programs are available to the general public free of charge, although a park entrance license is required. Reservations are not required for any of the weekend activities.
Upcoming weekend activities include:
Orienteering for Beginners / Saturday, June 16
Father's Day Cards and Nature Gifts / Sunday, June 17
The Buffalo and the American Indian / Saturday, June 23
Digging Up Fossils / Sunday, June 24
Construct a Rattlesnake / Saturday, June 30
"Angostura offers an assortment of nature-related activities for outdoor enthusiasts and recreational user groups,” said Willy Collignon, district park manager. “One of our program goals is to attract a more diverse audience to the reservoir and hopefully expose them to the stories behind the scenery."
For weekday users, Nature Day Camps are scheduled at Angostura for June 20, July 18 and August 15. Each program takes place on a Wednesday at the Jost Shelter House (Shelter House #2), located just pass Breaker's Beach on the main roadway. The day camps are geared for kids ages 7 to 12 and take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. June is focused on bugs and the creepy crawlies of nature. July is set for the wonders of the prairie. August offers several hands-on activities related to nature crafts.
"The Nature Day Camp series was a success in 2006,” said Collignon. “The programs had participants from nearby Hot Springs, Edgemont, Custer, Hermosa and Rapid City. It would be great to extend our environmental education activities to even more kids in 2007." The Nature Day Camp series requires reservations by contacting the park office at (605) 745-6996 or angostura@state.sd.us.
For a complete listing of activities and events related to Angostura Recreation Area, visit www.SDpark.info. Click on Find a Park and select the Southern Black Hills Region.
-GFP-
Luce Pioneer Days This Weekend at Lake Herman
MADISON, S.D. – Lake Herman State Park near Madison will rekindle the pioneer spirit during its annual Luce Pioneer Days, Friday, June 8 through Sunday, June 10. The event will allow visitors of all ages to experience activities reminiscent of the days of old.
Luce Pioneer Days get underway at 6 p.m. June 8 with pioneer children’s games. The festivities continue on June 9 at 1 p.m. with candle making, butter churning, rope making, Dutch oven demonstration and much, much more. Starting at 1 p.m. June 10, visitors can enjoy fabric crafts, including quilting, spinning and weaving.
Musical entertainment will be provided on Sunday by the group HarmonicKatz. Gary’s Kettle Corn, the S.D. Trappers Association and Jeff Person’s Old Mountain Trading Company will be at the park throughout the weekend. There is no cost to participate in any of the activities, although a park entrance license is required.
Luce Pioneer Day is named in honor of Herman Luce and his family, the first homesteaders in the area. The historic Luce cabin still stands in the park, and was recently restored. Seger encourages visitors to take some time during the day to visit the cabin and learn more about the area’s unique history.
Lake Herman State Park is located two miles west of Madison off SD Hwy 34. For more information on the event, call (605) 256-5003. To learn more about the South Dakota state parks or other upcoming events, visit www.SDparks.info or call (605) 773-3391.
-GFP-
Annual Fort Sisseton Historical Festival Weathers Through Rain
LAKE CITY, S.D. – Despite rainy conditions the annual Fort Sisseton Historical Festival was held. The festival took place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 1-3 at Fort Sisseton Historic State Park near Lake City.
“Shows went on and people came out despite the rain that soaked the area on Friday and Saturday,” said Dave Daberkow, district state park supervisor. “Park staff and volunteers worked hard to make the weekend enjoyable for campers and park visitors who braved the rain to attend the festivities."
The festival featured a variety of historic, cultural and military-related events, including musical entertainers, American Indian dancers and military demonstrations. During the festival, visitors were also able to explore the fort’s buildings. Over the past ten years, Fort Sisseton has undergone extensive refurbishment and enhancement. Many of the buildings have seen structural work, as well as the addition of enhanced interpretive exhibits. Each building now showcases its own exhibit, which provides visitors with a full account of the fort's use and history.
“Attendance at this year’s festival was down 45 percent from last year and camping was down 19 percent,” said Daberkow. “With the rainy forecast going in to the weekend, we expected turnout to be lower than normal.”
The Fort Sisseton Historical Festival is held annually during the first weekend of June. The festival is one of many special events held throughout the year, in addition to the Annual Anniversary Celebration in August and the Frontier Christmas in December.
The park is open year-round and features guided first-person interpretive tours and a number of historical displays. Reservations for campsites and cabins at the park can be made by calling (800) 710-2267 or by visiting www.CampSD.com. Information on renting the South Barracks or other facilities for groups is available through the park office at (605) 448-5474.
For more information on Fort Sisseton Historic State Park and for a listing of upcoming events, visit www.SDparks.info or call (605) 448-5474.
-GFP-