Several June Programs At Kinzua Bridge State Park, Bendigo State Park And Elk State Park

Kinzua Bridge State Park

Kinzua Bridge Bioblitz! – Every Friday in June, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm – Join our staff in our June Bioblitz: a month-long challenge to identify as many species in the park as possible during the month of June! Help us track biodiversity in our area, while also competing against other PA state parks! Participants are recommended to come with the free app, iNaturalist, pre-downloaded. Staff will cover how to use the app, and basic identification skills, and will then explore the park area to collect observations! Meet in the Visitor Center Classroom.

Celebrate National Trails Day! – Saturday, June 6th at 12:00PM – Join us at Kinzua Bridge State Park to celebrate “National Trails Day”! This is a park trail, not a “National Trail,” but we can still celebrate! On the hike, we will practice “Leave No Trace” ethics! Please dress for the weather. Meet in front of the Visitor Center to walk on the General Kane Trail.

Ask the Naturalist – Sunday, June 7th at 12:00PM – The park naturalist will be roving around the park to answer questions about nature and history! America 250 as well!

Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore? – Saturday, June 13th at 8:00AM – Look at the skulls of different wildlife. Can you identify the animal? Can you answer the question about what the animal eats by looking at the skull? Meet in the Visitor Center lobby.

Intro to Archery – Saturday, June 13th at 12:00PM – Practice your archery skills in a safe and fun environment! We will cover the necessary safety procedures of shooting a bow, as well as the technical skills involved in hitting a target. Target and bows provided. This program is free and open to the public. Meet on the eastern side of the building.

Nature’s Engineer: The Beaver! – Sunday, June 14th at 8:00AM – Stop by the table in the lobby of the KBSP Visitor Center to check out a beaver pelt, skull, and track! Let’s also talk about the beaver population during the Revolutionary War time – a little bit of America 250!

Intro to Geocaching – Sunday, June 14th at 12:00PM – Join us to learn about the amazing sport of geocaching. This will be a fun hunt to find several caches located in the park! We have GPS units available to borrow for this program on a first-come-first-served basis. Call the park office to reserve a unit for the program at (814)778-5467. Meet in front of the Visitor Center.

History Hike – Friday, June 19th at 12:00PM – This is a short walk around the main park area to talk about the history of the Bridge as well as the park. Dress for the weather. Meet in front of the KBSP Visitor Center.

Celebrate National Pollinators Week! – Sunday, June 21st at 10:00AM – Lets start a day early and take a walk around the rain garden and KBSP Visitor Center to explore the different areas where pollinators might “bee”! 😊 Can you identify the pollinator? Meet in front of the Visitor Center.

Bendigo State Park

Beginner Birding at Bendigo – Sunday, June 7th from 8:30AM to 10:30AM – Join us in the picnic area near the pool for an introduction to birding! Learn how to get started, resources for beginners, and best practices. Then, take a walk around the park together to practice your skills! Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair on a first-come-first-served basis. This program will be rescheduled in the event of adverse rain or weather conditions.

Bird Beak Buffet – Saturday, June 13th from 1:00PM to 4:00PM – Stop by our educational table near the pool and picnic area to learn about the AMAZING diversity of birds and their beaks! View replica skulls, photos and tracks from several species; then use tools to model the beaks from various species to try to “collect food”!

Bendigo Bingo! – Sunday, June 14th from 1:00PM to 4:00PM – Stop by the educational table near the pool and picnic area to collect your bingo card! Explore Bendigo State Park and look for the natural items and manmade structures described on your sheet. Once you’ve successfully accomplished bingo, return to the table to collect a small reward!

Fishing for Father’s Day – Sunday, June 21st from 1:00PM to 4:00PM – Pack a picnic and spend an afternoon fishing to celebrate fathers’ day! Don’t feel like dragging your supplies out of storage and packing the car? Skip the work and stop by our pop-up table by the pool and stream to borrow a rod and supplies from our tackle-loaner program on a first-come-first-served basis. Participants aged 16+ must possess a valid PA fishing license and minors must be accompanied by an adult. To reserve supplies for your group, call the park office at (814)778-5467.

Animal Tracks and Traces – Saturday, June 27th from 1:00PM to 4:00PM – View animal pelts, replica skulls, and tracks from our PA animal species! Stop by the educational table near the pool and picnic area to test your knowledge and learn about their importance to PA history!

Elk State Park

Intro to Kayaking Series – Sunday, June 28th from 3:00PM to 5:30PM – Have you wanted to try kayaking but haven’t had the opportunity? Sign-up for one of the intro to kayaking programs happening at Elk State Park this summer! Meet at the Instanter Boat Launch and learn the basics of flatwater kayaking & water safety; then enjoy a guided paddle on the lake with DCNR staff. Participants must be 12 years of age and minors must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is required for this program. For more dates and information, call the park office at (814)778-5467.