Summer Fun GuidePrograms and Activities - Summer 2010

Lake Red Rock’s

www.lakeredrock.org

May

28 - Creatures of the Night Hike - 9:00 p.m.- Whitebreast Campground

29 - Wetland Exploration - 2:00 p.m. - North Overlook Campground

29 - Creatures of the Night Hike - 9:00 p.m. - Wallashuck Campground

June

4 - Let’s Go Birding - 7:00 p.m. - Wal-lashuck Campground

5 - Creatures of the Night Hike - 9:00 p.m. - North Overlook Campground

11 - Red Rock: The Town Beneath the Lake - 9:00 p.m. - North Overlook Camp-ground

12 - Let’s Go Canoeing! - 10:00 a.m. until Noon - Robert’s Creek East Boat Ramp

12 - Red Rock: The Town Beneath the Lake - 2:00 p.m. - Red Rock Visitor Center

12 - Wild Canines: Iowa’s Foxes - 7:00 p.m. - Whitebreast Amphitheater

18 - Live Snakes! - 7:00 p.m. - North Overlook Amphitheater

19 - Geocaching 101 – 10:00 a.m. - Howell Station Campground

19 – Wetland Exploration – 1:00 p.m. - North Overlook Campground

22 – Red Rock Fest – 6:00-8:30 p.m. - Cordova Park

(June Continued)

24 – Junior Rangers (for ages 8-10, pre-registration required) – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

25 – Survivor Red Rock – (For ages 11-12, pre-registration required – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

26 - Let’s Go Birding! – 8:30 a.m. – North Overlook Campground

26 – Micro Monsters of Iowa’s Wetlands – 2:00 p.m. – Red Rock Visitor Center

July

2 – Stories of the American Bison – 7:00 p.m. – North Overlook Amphitheater

3 – Let’s Go Kayaking! (wind/weather dependent, must be at least 10 years old) 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. – Whitebreast Camp-ground (old beach road by boat ramp)

3 – Micro-Monsters of Iowa Wetlands – 2:00 p.m. – Red Rock Visitor Center

6 - Let’s Go Kayaking! - 10 a.m.-noon - Roberts Creek east boat ramp

9 – What is the Breeding Bird Atlas? – 9:00 p.m. – North Overlook Amphitheater

10 – Iowa’s Dragons – 10:00 a.m. – Red Rock Visitor Center

10-11 – Breeding Bird Atlas Weekend – (lake wide - volunteer birders invited to participate – call the Corps office for more information)

At a Glance....

2

(July Continued)

16 – Predators, Prey and People: Black Bears – 9:00 p.m. – North Overlook Am-phitheater

17 – Predators, Prey and People: Black Bears – 10:00 a.m. – Red Rock Visitor Center

20 - Let’s Go Kayaking! - 10 a.m.-noon - Whitebreast Campground (old beach road by boat ramp)

22 – Junior Rangers (for kids 8-10 yrs., pre-registration required, call the Corps of-fice for more info.) – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

23 – Survivor Red Rock (for kids 11-12 yrs., pre-registration required, call Corps office for more info.) – 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

24 – Let’s Go Paddling! – 10 a.m.- noon, Robert’s Creek east boat ramp

24 – Wetland Exploration – 2:00 p.m. – South Tailwater Recreation Area

30 – Geocaching 101 - 7:00 p.m. - Wallashuck Campground

31 – Micro-Monsters of Iowa’s Wetlands – 2:00 p.m., Red Rock Visitor Center

31 – Creatures of the Night Hike – 9:00 p.m., Howell Station Campground

August

6 – Creatures of the Night Hike – 9:00 p.m. – Wallashuck Campground

7 – Let’s Go Paddling! – 10:00 a.m. until noon – Robert’s Creek East Boat Ramp

14 – Let’s Go Kayaking! – 9 to 11 a.m. Whitebreast Campground (Old Beach road)

14 – Red Rock: The Town Beneath the Lake – 2:00 p.m.–Red Rock Visitor Center

20 – Let’s Go Birding! – 7:00 p.m. – North Overlook Campground

21 – Micro-Monsters of Iowa’s Wetlands – 2:00 p.m. – Red Rock Visitor Center

21 – Geocaching 101 – 7 p.m. – Howell Station Campground

27 – Geocaching 101– 7:00 p.m. – North Overlook Campground

28 – Let’s Go Kayaking!(for ages 10 yrs+) –2:00-4:00 p.m. – Roberts Creek east boat ramp

September

3 – Geocaching 101 – 7:00 p.m. – White-breast Campground

4 – Let’s Go Kayaking! – 9:00 until 11:00 a.m.– Whitebreast Camp. (old beach road)

4 – Monarch Watch: Butterfly Tagging – 1:00 p.m. - Fifield Recreation Area

18 - Red Rock’s Big Geocaching Event! 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (meet at Red Rock Visitor Center)

(see pages 4-7 for program/activity descriptions)

3

Creatures of the Night HikeFri., May 28 - 9:00 p.m. -Whitebreast CampgroundSat., May 29 - 9:00 p.m. - Wallashuck CampgroundSat., June 5 - 9:00 p.m. - North Overlook CampgroundSat., July 31 - 9:00 p.m. - Howell Station CampgroundFri., Aug. 6 - 9:00 p.m. - Wallashuck CampgroundHike along a woodland trail in search of the night shift. Follow the tracks left behind by the critters of the night and listen for owl calls and other lurk-ing creatures. Don’t forget to bring your flash-light!

Let’s Go Birding!Fri., June 4 - 7:00 p.m. - Wallashuck CampgroundSat., June 26 - 8:30 a.m. - North Overlook CampgroundFri., Aug. 20 - 7:00 p.m. - North Overlook CampgroundTake a journey along a campground trail on a quest for Red Rock’s winged wonders! Park Ranger Tracy Spry will help you spot birds, ex-plain some of the basics of identifying them by sight and sound and provide other viewing tips. Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair from us, and bring a field guide too if you have one.

Red Rock: The Town Beneath the LakeFri., June 11 - 9:00 p.m. - North Overlook CampgroundSat., June 12 - 2:00 p.m. - Red Rock Visitor CenterFri., Aug. 14 - 2:00 p.m. - Red Rock Visitor CenterThe town of Red Rock was one a thriving, in-dustrious community and home to many color-ful, pioneering people. Once hopeful that the Red Rock Dam would save them from the Des Moines River’s frequent Flooding, it eventually sealed their fate. Join Park Ranger Tracy Spry to catch a glimpse of this historic settlement now lying beneath the waters of Iowa’s Largest Lake.

Wetland ExplorationSat., May 29 - 2:00 p.m. - North Overlook CampgroundSat., June 19 - 1:00 p.m. - North Overlook CampgroundSat., July 24 - 2:00 p.m. - South Tailwater Rec. AreaJoin Ranger Tracy Spry to do a little “mucking” at one of the lake area wetlands. Dip nets and tubs will be available for you to try to catch some of the critters swimming and crawling inand around the area! Mucking can be messy! Please wear old shoes and clothes.

Geocaching 101Sat., June 19 - 10:00 a.m. - Howell Station CampgroundFri., July 30 - 7:00 p.m. - Wallashuck CampgroundSat., Aug. 21 - 7:00 p.m. - Howell Station CampgroundFri., Aug. 27 - 7:00 p.m. - North Overlook CampgroundFri., Sept. 3 - 7:00 p.m. - Whitebreast CampgroundYou’re never too old for hide-and-seek: Have some fun and give Geocaching a try! This sport uses the technology of GPS (Global Positioning Systems) to hunt for caches hidden in an area. Bring your own GPS or borrow one from us for the activity. Learn some of the basics, then try it on your own anywhere you travel!

Junior Rangers (pre-registration required)Thurs., June 24 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.Thurs., July 22 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.Attention boys and girls! If you are between the ages of 8 and 10 years old and would like to learn what it’s like to be a Park Ranger at Lake Red Rock, sign up for one of these day camps. Group size is limited and pre-registration is re-quired. For more information, contact Tracy Spry at (641) 828-7522 or (641) 628-8690.

Survivor Red Rock (pre-registration required)Fri., June 25 - 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Fri., July 23 - 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Boys and Girls ages 11-12 years old: Have fun learning how to build a fire, make an emergency shelter, perform basic wilderness first aid, learn basic compass and gps skills, and paddle a kayak! Programs will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. during each of the day camps offered. Group size is limited and pre-registration is required. Please call Park Ranger Tracy Spry at (641) 828-7522 or (641) 628-8690 to sign up.(Note: Kayaking will be dependent on wind/weath-er conditions.)

Program/Activity Descriptions....

4

5

Wild Canines: Iowa’s FoxesSat., June 12 -7:00 p.m. - Whitebreast AmphitheaterStaff from the Pella Wildlife Company will bring some “wily guests” to the lake tonight and share details of the foxes’ fascinating lives and habits. You won’t want to miss this up-close and personal look at these canine critters!

Let’s Go Canoeing!Sat., June 12 - 10:00 a.m. until noon - Robert’s Creek east boat rampDo you enjoy canoeing or just want to try out the sport? The Marion County Conservation Board will be bringing canoes to the old boat ramp at Robert’s Creek for you to enjoy a “test paddle.” Life jackets will be provided. No pre-registration is necessary. (note: event depend-ent on wind/weather conditions.)

Live Snakes!Fri., June 18 -7 p.m.-North Overlook AmphitheaterDo you like slithery, scaly sssssnakes? Join Mahaska County Naturalist Pete Eyheralde to meet a few of these amazing reptiles and find out how they make a living!

Red Rock FestTuesday, June 22 - 6:00-8:30 p.m.-Cordova ParkGet outdoors and have fun at Red Rock Fest! For those with the competitive spirit, join us for the “Running Rocks” 5K Run/Walk and Tower Race, and paddlers anxious to explore Iowa’s Largest Lake will enjoy the Kayak Adventure to check out Red Rock’s beautiful scenery and the proposed Hickory Ridge Wilderness Camp! More event details and participation sign-up forms for the events are available at the Red Rock Visitor Center or on-line at www.lakere-drock.org.

Micro-Monsters of Iowa’s WetlandsSat., June 26 - 2:00 p.m. - Red Rock Visitor CenterSat., July 3 - 2:00 p.m. - Red Rock Visitor CenterSat., July 31 - 2:00 p.m. - Red Rock Visitor CenterSat., August 21 - 2:00 p.m. - Red Rock Visitor CenterWhat’s creeping and crawling around our state’s wetlands? Come and see...if you dare! Actually, there’s no need to be afraid: while the critters may look a bit scary, they’re pretty tiny, and they can even help us figure out the health of our water resources. Come take a peek at them and see what you think!

Stories of the American BisonFri., July 2 - 7 p.m. - North Overlook AmphitheaterJoin storyteller David Wharff for tales of Iowa’s early days when wild bison once roamed freely throughout the state, and about the earliest native peoples who shared the land and de-pended upon the herds for their survival. Learn what happened to the bison and how the spe-cies has come back from the brink of extinction!

Let’s Go Kayaking! (must be at least 10 years old)Sat., July 3 - 9:00 until 11:00 a.m. - Whitebreast old beach area (near boat ramp)Tues., July 6 - 10:00 a.m. until noon -Roberts Creek east boat rampTues., July 20 - 10:00 a.m. until noon - Whitebreast old beach road (near boat ramp)Sat., Aug. 14 - 9:00 until 11 a.m. - Whitebreast old beach road (near boat ramp)Sat., Aug. 28 - 2:00-4:00 p.m. - Roberts Creek old boat rampSat., Sept. 4 - 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. - Whitebreast old ramp (near beach road)If you’ve ever wanted to experience kayaking and were just waiting for the chance, this is the summer you’ve been waiting for! The Corps will have a limited number of kayaks available for you to test your paddling skills. Must be at least 10 years old to participate, and the activity is dependent on wind and weather conditions. Life jackets will be provided. Call the Corps office at (641) 828-7522 or (641) 628-8690 for more information.

6

Breeding Bird Atlas WeekendFri., July 9 - 9:00 p.m. - North Overlook AmphitheaterJuly 10-11 - Atlas Weekend in Red Rock AreaThe Iowa Ornithologists’ Union and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be host-ing three Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA) Blockbust-ing Weekends around the state this spring and summer. The BBA is a five year project where volunteers search for evidence of birds nesting throughout the state to enhance our understand-ing of these species, their breeding range and their habitat selection. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of previous birding expe-rience. Join Billy Reiter-Marolf to begin with a presentation about the BBA on Friday evening. Volunteers will learn how to participate, how to determine breeding bird status, and how to turn in observations. During Saturday and Sunday, vol-unteers will be out in blocks (predetermined areas to inventory) searching for nesting birds. Atlas vol-unteers are encouraged to visit any blocks within a reasonable driving distance, and there will be a sign up sheet to divide up the targeted blocks. Volunteers are responsible for making arrange-ments for their own accommodations and meals. If you plan on participating, please RSVP to the BBA Coordinator the Monday prior to the week-end of each event. For more specific information, please visit http://bba.iowabirds.org or contact Billy Reiter-Marolf, the BBA volunteer coordinator at bbacoordinator@iowabirds.org or 515-432-2823 ext. 117.

Iowa’s DragonsSat., July 10 - 10:00 a.m. Red Rock Visitor Center Dashing, darting and diving....dragonflies are not as ferocious looking to humans as the “dragons” of fantasy, but if you’re an insect, you better watch out for these hunters! Join Ann Johnson, author and dragonfly enthusiast, to learn about Iowa’s many species of dragonflies, then head out to the wetland at South Tailwater Recreation Area to try and identify some of those fancy fliers!

Predators, Prey and People: Black BearsFri., July 16 - 9:00 p.m. - North Overlook Amphi-theaterSat., July 17 - 10:00 a.m. - Red Rock Visitor CenterAccording to the Iowa DNR, “Black bears were one of the most recognizable and noticeable mammals encountered by Europeans as they set-tled North America.” So, where did they go? Join the Pella Wildlife Company and a “special furry guest” for a tale of the bear’s rise and fall in our state and what the future might hold for them.

Let’s Go Paddling!Sat., July 24 - 10:00 until noon - Roberts Creek east boat rampSat., August 7 - 10:00 a.m. until noon - Roberts Creek east boat rampNow you have the chance to experience both canoeing and kayaking the same day! Give one or both types of watercraft a try. (Note: participants must be at least 10 years old to use kayaks, and activity is dependent on wind/weather conditions). Life jackets will be provided.

Monarch Watch: Butterfly TaggingSat., Sept. 4 - 1:00 p.m. - Fifield ParkJoin the Monarch Watch volunteer effort!We’ll attempt to tag some of these unique but-terflies as they pass through the Red Rock area during their fall migration. Data from tagged but-terflies may be used to help researchers track the monarchs’ journey to Mexico.

Programs may be subject to change. Outdoor programs will be cancelled if raining. Please call the Corps of Engineers office at (641) 828-7522 or (641) 628-8690 if you have questions

or wish to confirm scheduled program dates, times and locations.

7

Red Rock’s Big Geocaching Event!Sat., Sept. 18 - 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.Geocachers unite! This day is geared for be-ginner and skilled geocachers who want to get out and explore the lake area for a little “hide and seek!” Geocaching 101 and 201 courses will be offered, and the plan is to place 100 new permanent geocaches around the lake before the event for you to find! More informa-tion will be available as details are set. Contact Park Ranger Tracy Spry at (641) 828-7522 or (641)628-8690 or via email at lakeredrock@usace.army.mil for more information.

How Many Water Safety Messages Can You Find?

Every month during June, July and August, five different water safety posters will be displayed on bulletin boards in Corps of Engineers man-aged parks (some boards may have the same poster, so you’ll have to look around). Find all five water safety messages, write them down and bring your list to the Red Rock Visitor Cent-er to receive a water safety pin (while supplies last) and a chance to win a monthly drawing for a $25 gift certificate to the Visitor Center’s store! Each month brings five new water safety messages and another chance to win! (One entry per month per visitor please.)

“Kids Outdoors” Equipment Checkout Program

Take the kids outside and spend some quality time exploring nature! Don’t have outdoor equip-ment to do it? No problem...borrow some from us!

What’s Available This Summer:

Pond Study Adventure Kits

Birdwatching Exploration Packs

Life Jackets (Child and Adult Sizes)

GPS Units (New!)

Kayaks (New in July!) (Kayaks available for use only during scheduled

programming - for ages 10 years and up)

Disc Golf Sets (New!)(Try them out at the Roberts Creek Disc Golf

Course!)

Volleyball Equipment (New!)(Available at Whitebreast Beach)

Snowshoes are also available during the winter months. All items (except kayaks and volleyball equipment) are available for free checkout from the Red Rock Visitor Center. Equipment is avail-able by reservation or on a first-come, first- served basis. Thanks to the Red Rock Lake Associa-tion and Pella Community Foundation for helping make this year’s Kids Outdoors program possible! Contact the Corps of Engineers office at (641) 828-7522 or (641) 628-8690.

Visitor Center Hours:

January.......................................................Closed (open by appointment only)February/March...............................Saturdays and Sundays 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.April ...........................................Saturdays and Sundays 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.May.................Mon. - Fri. 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. & Sat.- Sun. 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.Memorial Day - Labor Day.................................Everyday 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.September/October.....................Saturdays and Sundays 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.November...........................................Saturdays and Sundays 12:00- 4:00 p.m.December....................................................Closed (open by appointment only)

Questions? Contact Us!Lake Red Rock - 1105 Highway T15 - Knoxville, IA 50138

Phone: (641) 828-7522 or (641) 628-8690Email: lakeredrock@usace.army.mil

Website: www.lakeredrock.org

Lake Red Rock1105 Highway T15Knoxville, IA 50138