Lory State Park announces free programs in July for adults, kids, families

Entrance Sign to Lory State Park

Friends of Lory State Park

BELLVUE, Colo. – Lory State Park staff and volunteers have planned some fun and educational activities for the month of July to help visitors enjoy Lory’s wildlife, history and natural resources.

All programs and activities are free with a valid state park pass. Daily passes are $7.00 per vehicle or $3.00 per person for those who walk or bike into the park. Registration is required. Please call the Visitor’s Center at 493-1623 to sign up or for more information.

Guided Hikes and Special Events

For these programs, please plan appropriately: bring water and snacks, wear closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, and insect repellent and layers appropriate for the weather and time of day.

July 11 Astronomy: Summer Night Sky 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Arthur’s Rock Trailhead. View the stars and planets and learn about the constellations decorating our summer night sky.

July 14 Native Plants that Feed Native Birds 10 a.m. to Noon. Presentation by ornithologist and naturalist Dave Leatherman and Native Plant Society Master Naturalist Marcee Camenson followed by a 1.5-mile hike along the Well Gulch Trail. Meet at Eltuck Group Picnic Area

July 15 Campfire Night at Lory Storytelling and S’mores around the campfire. 8 to 10 p.m. Suitable for ages 8 and up. Children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Soldier Canyon Picnic Area

July 21 Hike the Well Gulch Trail and learn about the plants, animals and cultural history of Lory State Park 10 to 11:30 a.m. Moderate hike, suitable for ages 10 and up. Children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at Eltuck Group Picnic Area.

July 27 Full Moon Hike: Creatures of the Night. Hike the Well Gulch Trail by the full moon and learn about the Park’s nocturnal wildlife. Moderate hike. Suitable for ages 10 and up. Children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at Eltuck parking lot.

Junior Rangers Program

Open to kids 7 to 10 years of age. Earn a Junior Ranger patch by attending one or more of these summer programs, or stop by the Visitor’s Center for a Junior Ranger booklet to complete. All programs run from 9 to 11 a.m.Parents and guardians are welcome to stay for the program but are not required to do so.

July 5 All About Predators! Predators come in all shapes and sizes, including mammals, insects, birds and even plants! We’ll explore just a few that call Lory State Park home.

July 19 Fire Ecology. We’ll focus on the origins of wildland fire, its process, and its relationship to the environment that surrounds it.

Pine Cones Program

This is a program for children 3 to 6 years of age and their accompanying adult. All children must be accompanied throughout the program. All programs run from 9 to 11 a.m.

July 2 Seed Dispersal Plants have very limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of dispersal methods to reproduce including wind, animals, insects and more.

July 23 Birds of Lory State Park Lory has an extensive population of winged residents and visitors and we’ll explore the habits and habitats of just a few.

Lory State Park is located in beautiful Bellvue, Colorado and offers visitors a variety of rugged terrain and stunning vistas of the northern Colorado Front Range. The park covers almost 2,600 acres and features 21 miles of trails that lead through forest, meadows, and rock outcroppings, offering visitors great terrain for mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, bouldering, and horseback riding. Additional information on Lory State Park is available at:http://www.cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Parks/lory.

CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW’s work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.

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