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Buffalo and the American Indian – Sunday, June 1
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Bison, commonly called buffalo, played an important part in the lives of many Plains Indian Cultures. Participants during this program will have the chance to touch and hold various buffalo parts, such as tail, bladders, stomachs, muscle fibers, and ribs. Afterwards, young participants will create a modern-day winter count using paper bags shaped like buffalo hides.

Tracking Clues for Wildlife – Saturday, June 7
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
Have you ever looked at an animal track? If so, you observation may cause some questions, such as what type of critter passed along this trail? Where does this animal live? What do they eat? Come to learn about animal tracks and make your own plaster cast.

Them Bones … A Study of Skulls – Sunday, June 8
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Wildlife skulls offer signs of adaptations for animals. Some skulls present sharp teeth, indicating a predator species. Other skulls display antlers and horns for defense. Take a look at a variety of skulls and try to determine the species and the reasons for the features.

Father’s Day Cards and Nature Gifts – Saturday, June 14
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
While dad is out, how about making a recycling paper card for his special day? Adding some touches of nature, such as wildflower petals, beach sand, or leaves, your card is bound for success. Be prepared for a very energetic hands-on demonstration and activity.

Try to Catch the Big One – Sunday, June 15
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Grab your fishing gear and take to the waters of Angostura for a morning of fishing. Participants will make pop can fishing pole and learn how to tie fishing knots. If luck falls upon the group, a cleaning demonstration is slated for the participants.

Looking Beyond the Grass Nature Day Camp – Wednesday, June 18
9:30 a.m. / Jost Shelter (Shelter House #2)
Have you ever looked at the open prairie and wonder if there is more than grass? What survives under the cover of grass? Most park visitors appreciate the lake of Angostura during the summer season, but what about the mixed grass prairie? This session will take participants on a habitat trek into the rolling grasslands of the southern Black Hills. Be prepared to uncover come hidden mysteries of the surrounding landscape.

Orienteering for Beginners – Saturday, June 21
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
GPS units are popular with today’s technology; however, a compass may serve a better purpose when hiking in the backcountry. No need to worry about batteries, poor satellite locations, etc. If you wanted to learn about basic orienteering, this program is for you.

Evening Nature Hike – Saturday, June 21
8:00 p.m. / Angostura Breaks Nature Trail
Some of the best natural views occur at night, when the sun casts its orange and yellow glow across the landscape.  This is also an excellent time to view wildlife on the open prairie.  Take a guided hike and be prepared to witness an array of wild features.

Construct a Rattlesnake – Sunday, June 22
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
The summer season is the perfect time to observe reptiles around Angostura Recreation Area. Rattle snakes are often quite common on the mixes grass prairie, warming their bodies in the sun. This program highlights the facts and fallacies of the only poisonous snake species in the Black Hills.

Outdoor Cooking on the Campfire – Saturday, June 28
9:00 a.m. / Picnic Point (Shelter House #1)
Many campers have unique recipes for cooking meals over the campfire. From main dishes to desserts, there are load of recipes available for stick meals, foil entrees, and Dutch ovens. Bring your family recipes and be prepared to try some interesting dishes.

NOTE: Due to the length of some recipes, there are no campground presentations on this day.

Let’s Get Buggy – Sunday, June 29
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Insects range in size from microscopic to rather large species. Beyond their size, each species is also unique and plays an important role in the surrounding ecosystem. Look for various insects during this adventure hands-on activity.

Digging up Fossils – Saturday, July 5
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
A variety of fossils have been discovered in and around the Black Hills. If you are searching for an outdoor activity that gets your hands somewhat dirty, please join the naturalist staff for an exciting experience in paleontology. Break open plaster rocks to find fossils on the inside and learn about the significance behind these artifacts.

Aquatic Insects – Sunday, July 6
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Have you ever looked into a flowing stream and wonder what lives in the water? Fish are a given but did you know that a stream is home to a wide variety of insects. Join a park and naturalist and learn why these insects found in these streams are often called the “Canaries of the Water.” Be prepared to get a little wet and learn that a stream is full of life.

Fish Prints Tell Stories – Saturday, July 12
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
Do you like crafts? Well, this program takes rubber fish of many species and allows participants to print them onto craft paper. Once the design has been made, participants will label the parts of the fish and tell the story behind its “unique” appearance.

Animals Can’t Talk … Or, Do They? – Sunday, July 13
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Animals communicate in special ways to express warnings within a herd or to defend themselves from predators. They also use scents to mark their territories, as ell as make sounds to attract mates. This program is geared for younger visitors (and families) and will expose them to some basic wildlife observation skills. 

Recycled Crafts Nature Day Camp – Wednesday, July 16
9:30 a.m. / Jost Shelter (Shelter House #2)
Craft activities are always fun and popular with kids and families. Come join a park naturalist and learn how to use recycled items, nature items and your imagination to create a number of crafts for your home or as gifts. Be sure to bring your imagination and some creativity,,,

Furs, Tracks, and Scat – Saturday, July 19
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
Each species of wildlife has a unique set of tacks. However, many species can also be identified by their fur and scat (poop). This program allows participants to play a matching game with realistic-looking rubber tracks and scat as well as the animal fur.

Snakes Alive at Night – Saturday, July 19
7:30 p.m. / Jost Shelter House
Snakes are a common wildlife feature in western South Dakota.  But, which species live in the Black Hills?  Are there any dangerous kinds of snakes?  This evening program by Reptile Gardens is being hosted at Angostura Recreation Area in order to expose participants to the facts and fallacies behind these “scaly” reptiles.

Tacking Clues for Wildlife – Sunday, July 20
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Have you ever looked at an animal track? If so, your observation may cause some questions, such as what type of critter passes along this trail? Where does this animal live? What do they eat? Come to learn about animal tracks and make your own plaster cast.

Mystery Minerals – Saturday, July 26
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
In this program you can become a geologist. Learn how to identify different minerals that are found through out the world. Then learn how the Black Hills were formed and the minerals you can find in the region.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Crafts for the Nature Enthusiast – Sunday, July 27
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground

GPS Adventure – Saturday, August 2
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
Using GPS units for outdoor recreation is growing in popularity. However, many GPS users are not trained in how to properly use the technology. This program is for beginners and will lead participants around Angostura Recreation Area in search of scavenger hunt clues.

Fashion a Fish – Sunday, August 3
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Like all wildlife species, fish adapt to their various habitats underwater. Some species thrive in dark and muddy river environments, while others prefer cold flowing creeks and streams. This program allows participants to artistically create a monstrous fish with unique features for survival.

Them Bones … A Study of Skulls – Saturday, August 9
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
Wildlife skulls offer signs of adaptations for animals. Some skulls present sharp teeth, indicating a predator species. Other skulls display antlers and horns for defense. Take a look at a variety of skulls and try to determine the species and the reasons for the features.

Construct a Rattlesnake – Sunday, August 10
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
The summer season is the perfect time to observe reptiles around Angostura Recreation Area. Rattlesnakes are often quite common on the mixed grass prairie, warming their bodies in the sun. This program highlights the facts and fallacies of the only poisonous snake species in the Black Hills.

Looking at the Stars – Saturday, August 16
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
Ever looked at the night sky and try to find some constellations? Wonder what the stories are behind these night time shapes? This is the program for you… meet a park naturalist and learn about some of the constellations in the sky and why they became constellations. Then create your own constellation and story.

Astronomy Night at Angostura – Saturday, August 16
8:30 p.m. / Cascade Campground
How many constellations can you identify? Do you now their stories? This evening presentation will take participants though a basic course of night sky observations. If you are looking for an activity after dark, this program is just for you.  

Digging Up Fossils – Sunday, August 17
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
A variety of fossils have been discovered in and around the Black Hills. If you are searching for an outdoor activity that gets your hands somewhat dirty, please join the naturalist staff for an exciting experience in paleontology. Break open plaster rocks to find fossils on the inside and learn about the significance behind these artifacts.

A Look at the Past … Nature Day Camp – Wednesday, August 20
9:30 a.m. / Jost Shelter (Shelter House #2)
Join a park naturalist and take a look at past cultures of the area. Start the day off by learning about archeology which studies past life by looking at clues, such as arrowhead and pottery shard. This part of the program will take participants on a beach exploration into history through digging, discovering and recording.  Next participants will learn how many f the Plains Indian Cultures uses the bison, or more commonly called the buffalo. This hands on activity looks at various buffalo parts as well as having the participants draw their own winter counts.

Orienteering for Beginners – Saturday, August 23
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
GPS units are popular with today’s technology; however, a compass may serve a better purpose when hiking in the backcountry. No need to worry about batteries, poor satellite locations, etc. if you wanted to learn about basic orienteering, this program is for you.

Let’s Get Buggy – Sunday, August 24
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Insects range in size from microscopic to rather large species. Beyond their size, each species is also unique and plays an important role in the surrounding ecosystem. Look for various insects during this adventure hands-on activity.

Furs, Tracks, and Scat – Saturday, August 30
9:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
11:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
Each species of wildlife has a unique set of tacks. However, many species can also be identified by their fur and scat (poop). This program allows participants to play a matching game with realistic-looking rubber tracks and scat as well as the animal fur.

Fish Prints Tell Stories – Sunday, August 31
9:00 a.m. / Horsehead Campground
11:00 a.m. / Cascade Campground
Do you like crafts? Well, this program takes rubber fish of many species and allows participants to print them onto craft paper. Once the design has been made, participants will label the parts of the fish and tell the story behind its “unique” appearance.