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Contact: Tim Cruze, 806-857-3151
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument in conjunction with Lake Meredith National Recreation Area will officially celebrate National Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, April 21, 2018. This event is part of the nationwide National Park Week in which, we celebrate as a Nation our wonderful Junior Rangers.
Junior Ranger Day activities will begin at the Alibates Visitor Center at 10:00 am and run until 2:00 pm, with many activities occurring throughout the day. Participants are invited to arrive at any time and spend a few hours or the entire day. Pick up an official Junior Ranger Booklet at the Alibates Visitor Center upon arrival.
Start your day off at 10:00 a.m. with a viewing of the “Sharp Edge of Survival” movie in the theater. The movie has clues and answers to assist with the information found in the Junior Ranger Booklet. Listed below are the on-going programs until 2:00 p.m.
“Mammals of the Texas Panhandle” - Did you know that larger mammals such as the American Bison (sometimes referred to as Buffalo) along with the Elk and Gray Wolf once called this place home. Today, Mountain Lions, White-Tailed Deer and Beavers call Lake Meredith and Alibates home. Learn how mammals are ideally suited to survive on the High Plains of Texas.
“Flintknapping and Storytelling” - Jimmy Green will demonstrate the ancient art of flintknapping. These demonstrations showcase the skills of turning raw flint into ancient tools, knives and arrowheads.
“Ranger Skills” – Go inside the job of a US Park Ranger. Ranger staff will have equipment available they use in their daily operations. Junior Rangers will be able to look at, go through and try on some pieces. Lake Meredith National Recreation Area will have their 4 x 4 heavy duty truck, trailer and one patrol boat available, scuba diving equipment and many other items of interest.
Families are encouraged to bring a packed lunch and eat between 12:00. – 12:30 p.m.
“Atlatl Demonstration” – Hunting was an essential skill to survival of the Native American peoples on the High Plains. Handmade tools were used such as spear thrower called atlatl, which uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart throwing. This weapon was especially effective during the end of the last Great Ice Age when larger mammals roamed the area.
“The 10 Essentials” – Can you guess what you might want to bring on a hike? Do you have a backpack full of supplies for hiking? Rangers like to suggest to hikers bring extra water and a few basic supplies with them when they sat out on a hiking adventure. Join park staff as they share what are the top 10 useful things to bring on any hike.
“Alibates Quarries Hike” – One of the best ways to explore Lake Meredith and Alibates is by hiking on the trails. Alibates Flint Quarries will be offering a 10:00 a.m. “Quarries Hike” to learn about the long history of this precious resource. The hike will be of 2 miles and will take 2 hours.
Participation in activities and finishing the Junior Ranger Booklet will complete the requirements to become an “Official Junior Ranger”. We have the coolest new wooden Junior Ranger Badges. Get yours today!
We encourage parents to participate in the activities along with their children, watch the award-winning Alibates film, or tour our outstanding museum exhibits. All activities are free and open to the public.
Groups are also welcome. Please contact Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument at 806-857-6680 to sign-up for this wonderful event. Junior Rangers can learn more about National Parks while playing games and activities on the Web Ranger site? http://www.nps.gov/webrangers
Last updated: April 19, 2018