DANVILLE, Mo. - Have you ever been hiking and found a tree you thought was cool, or a flower that was really pretty and wanted to know what it was? Have you seen a bird up in a tree, but didn't have binoculars to get a closer look? Do your children get bored easily on the trail, and you would like to find something to keep them engaged and inquisitive?
You can check out Graham Cave discovery backpacks from April 1 to Oct. 31. The discovery backpacks may be checked out on a first-come, first-served basis after 9 a.m. in the visitors center. While the backpacks are free for the public to check out, you must provide a valid U.S. driver's license. Your driver's license will be returned when the backpack is returned by 4 p.m. that same day.
Inside are identification tools for wildflowers, trees, birds, ferns and more. You will also find a pair of binoculars so you can see things far away, and a hand lens so you can explore tiny things up close, like the likable world of lichens. What are lichens you ask? The answer can be found within the backpack. Park naturalists will also provide your child with a Discovery Book that is theirs to keep and fill out. If they complete all the projects in the book, they can bring it into the visitor's center to get it stamped.
As you hike Graham Cave's approximately five miles of trails through different, scenic ecosystems, remember to dress weather appropriate, take a bottle of water and have insect repellant handy.
Graham Cave State Park is off Interstate 70, between Kingdom City and St. Louis, on Route TT, two miles west of Missouri 161 at the Danville exit. For more information about the event, call Graham Cave State Park at 573-564-3476.
For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.