Interpretive Program Summaries

Early Settlers in Appalachia

Journey back in time and get a glimpse into early life here in the mountains. Meet an Interpretive Ranger at the Visitors Center for this program that will give guests an overview of the many people who protected, explored and called this land home. Guests will even have the opportunity to experience the inside of an actual homestead cabin! Free Activity. All guests are welcome. Created with older children and adults in mind. 

Become an Animal Detective

Animal tracks can be found all throughout our park! Come to the Visitors Center and join a Ranger to solve the mystery of who’s leaving those tracks behind. Afterwards, you can make a bandanna featuring your favorite animal’s track to take home! Free Activity. All guests welcome, created with children ages 2-12 in mind. 

Let’s Go Fishing Junior Ranger Program

Today’s your opportunity to become an official Junior Ranger! Come to the Visitors Center to receive a free activity book that will teach you how to become a responsible Junior Angler. Upon completion of the activities, each participant will be sworn in and awarded an official collectible Junior Ranger Angler badge. Free Activity. All guests are welcome. Created with children ages 5-12 in mind. 

Geocaching 101

Who doesn’t like a good treasure hunt? Learn to use GPS, on a free downloadable app for your smartphone, to look for hidden containers called geocaches within our park. Join our staff at the Visitor Center to get involved in this free outdoor recreational activity that you can participate in all over the world! Free Activity. All guests are welcome.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Plastic bottles are abundant in our lives but instead of throwing them away, why not recycle them into something fun? Join our staff at the Visitor Center to learn how trash affects nature around us and how beneficial recycling can be before creating a neat ornament made from a water bottle! Free Activity. All guests are welcome. Created with children ages 5-12 in mind.  

Big Time Fun in the Breaks Scavenger Hunt

Meet our staff at the Visitor Center to pick up your scavenger hunt and figure out the answers to the clues provided. Here’s a hint, most of  the answers will start with a “B”!  You’ll have one hour to complete the hunt and bring it back to collect your prize. We wish you the best of luck!  Free Activity. All guests are welcome. 

Riddle Time on the Lake Trail

Who likes a good riddle? Come to the Visitor Center to enjoy a fun activity for all ages that combines a search for riddle answers with a hike in the forest. The hike will take place on the Lake Trail, which is rated easy, but does include up and downhill walking. A prize will be awarded to all champion riddlers! Free Activity. All guests are welcome.  

Bird Beak Buffet

A bird’s beak serves a variety of functions. They are unique and multifunctional tools that help the bird survive in a given environment. Meet our Interpretive Staff at the Visitor’s Center to explore the relationship between a bird and its beak! FREE ACTIVITY. All guests are welcome, created with all ages in mind. 

Bury the Hatchet: Tomahawk History and Throwing

Have you ever heard the phrase,

“Bury the hatchet?”. Join us at the Visitor Center to hear the history of the tomahawk and learn the meaning of the phrase. After the presentation, participants will be invited to experience the sport of tomahawk throwing. FREE ACTIVITY. Created with older children and adults in mind.

Rock Our Park

Meet at the Visitor Center, paint a rock and learn about the nationwide movement of painting, hiding and finding rocks. Explore how social media can help you track the travels of your hidden creation. FREE ACTIVITY. All guests are welcome, created with kids in mind. 

Tree ID Basics

Are you curious about the trees in the park? Around your home? Meet our staff at the Visitors Center to learn more about how to identify trees. To be followed by a hike on the Lake Trail to test your new skills! The Lake Trail does include up and downhill walking, hiking shoes are recommended. FREE ACTIVITY. Created with older children and adults in mind.

Nature Journaling

Are you looking for a new way to connect and engage with the world around you? Nature Journaling might be what you need! This process is different for everyone and can be made up of sketches, poems, paintings, and general observations. Join our Interpretive Staff at the Visitors Center to learn more and journal with a group! Small journals and pencils will be provided. FREE ACTIVITY. Created with older children and adults in mind.

All Tied Up! Life made easy with Knots

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a DIY creator, or simply curious about expanding your knowledge and abilities, investing time in learning knots is well worth it! Meet our Interpretive Staff at the Visitors Center and challenge yourself to learn 5 knots that might come in handy one day!

Winged Adventures: The World of Dragonflies

Dragon and Damselflies are common critters in our park. Join our Interpretive Staff to learn the difference between the two, how to identify different species, and practice safely catching some of your own. We will be hiking -trail shoes are recommended & in the sun! Meet at the Visitor's Center for this exciting new program. This is a FREE ACTIVITY. Created with older children and adults in mind.

The Breaks Canoe 'U' -

Lets learn how to canoe together! We will review some basic paddling techniques and then explore Laurel Lake. This is a FREE EVENT, but we have a limit - it will be on a first-come basis. Meet our interpretive staff at the boat dock near the waterpark &get fitted for a lifejacket!

“What’s that Bird?” - Using the Merlin Sound Identification App

If you want to learn more about bird identification but don’t know how to start, this program is for you! Join us on the Cold Springs Trail to explore how an app on your phone can help you learn bird calls and identify their features. This is a FREE ACTIVITY and will be a fun learning experience - created with older children and adults in mind.

Creek Critters

Explore and learn about the macroinvertebrates in our streams. What does their presence mean? What will they turn into? We will be in water, getting wet and muddy, so wear clothes that can get messy. This program is on a first-come basis as we will be shuttling you to a different location. FREE ACTIVITY. Created with older children in mind.