A soon to be newly designated trail at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is a combination of adventure and scavenger hunts aimed at encouraging learning opportunities for kids.
The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial has partnered with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to designate a Kids in Parks TRACK Trail at the memorial. This new TRACK Trail is about a mile long loop in the northern part of the park and was currently serving as the parks nature trail. With the new program in place it will now feature self-guided brochures and signs, along with the opportunity for kids to earn PRIZES from the Foundation for tracking their adventures.
Mike Capp, the Chief of Interpretation of Resource Management for the park, gave an overview of Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and how the idea for designated kids trails came to light, in addition to what visitors can expect when hiking the trails….
These types of programs have been active for many years in city, county and state parks as well as national parks, mainly in the East, after hearing about these trails work went in to establishing funding and working with Blue Ridge Parkway to bring Kids Track Trails to Southern Indiana.
The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial will be the first site in Indiana to have such a kid inspired interactive trail. The trail will be unique as it will not only focus on the natural science of the area but also on the historical relevance of how the resources would have impacted the pioneers that settled the region.
The park will be celebrating the official designation of the Kids in Parks TRACK trail on Saturday, May 20th at 11 am CST and would like to invite the public to come out and attend.
A park ranger will give a guided hike on the newly designated trail. In addition to the guided hike at various locations along the trail volunteers from the Purdue Extension Office will be on hand at learning activity stations set up, for young and old alike, to learn more about birds along with how to make a birdhouse at home. There will also be stations with volunteers that will provide education on how to identify trees, leaves, animal habitats in nature, and how to make a seed ball for growing plants at home.
The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is located off of Indiana Highway 162 in Lincoln City. For more information, please call the park at 812-937-4541.
