Bennett Spring State Park hosts array of fun events in July

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JUNE 17, 2023 – If you’re looking for something to do in the month of July, Bennett Spring State Park has you covered.

• Life Under Rocks: Saturday, July 1 at 10 a.m. – Join the park naturalist at the trailhead of Natural Tunnel Trail, just past the spring head and cabins, to explore the watershed and look for life under rocks. Participants will learn about the life cycles of flies and other invertebrates. Some nets and containers will be provided.
  
  Participants should bring water, sunscreen and water shoes, and wear clothing they do not mind getting wet. This event will last about two hours.
   
• History of Bennett: July 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Bennett Spring State Park and its valley have attracted visitors throughout time. In 1924, the state purchased the spring and part of the surrounding area to create one of the first state parks. During the following decade, the Civilian Conservation Corps contributed much of the park’s modern-day character by building many structures that visitors still use today, including cabins, a shelter house, roads, trails, the arched bridge across the spring branch and the rustic dining lodge.
  
  The public is invited to go on a historical walk through time by viewing a video about the history of the area that is now Bennett Spring State Park. Through historical photographs, the video will discuss topics such as traditional Indigenous uses of the area, modern recreational activities at the park, the addition of trout to the spring-fed stream and the history and preservation of the park’s CCC structures.
  
  The video will be shown in the nature center every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
   
• Fly Tying Demonstrations: July 5, 12, 19, 26 from 9 to 11 a.m. – Join volunteers Danny Goldsmith and Donald Ohler at the Bennett Spring Church of God annex building for a community fly tying demonstration. This event will provide instruction on tying a basic fishing fly and will give participants an opportunity to visit, share stories and see the art of fly tying with experienced Bennett Spring anglers.
  
  New to fly tying? No problem; Danny and Donald will be available to help out and will provide all items needed, although you are welcome to bring your own.
  
  This demonstration is presented by the Friends of Bennett Spring State Park and is open to all ages. The church annex building is located directly across from the park office, behind the park restaurant.
   
• Spider Sniff: July 7 and 14 at 9 p.m. – Learn how to "sniff out” spiders! This program will begin in the nature center with a video about spiders. The video will be followed by a night hike on Oak-Hickory Trail, where we will put our spider-sniffing skills to the test. The hike will conclude back at the nature center for a special ceremony and the presentation of spider sniff cards.
  
  Participants should bring a flashlight and wear closed-toe shoes.
   
• Ecotherapy: Deep Breathing: July 21 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Join park team members to honor humans’ connection with the natural world by participating in green therapy. Researchers have recommended five hours a month in nature to relax and reduce stress. Forest therapy, ecotherapy, forest bathing, grounding and “Earthing” are all other names used for this experience. 
  
  Bennett Spring State Parks hosts a different ecotherapy event on the third Friday of each month from March through September. During each program, we hike about 2 miles on Whistle Trail, traveling along the spring to the Niangua River and back to the trail access point. A portion of the trail traverses bluff tops and some climbing is necessary.
  
  Participants are encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes, use insect repellent and bring water and a snack. Each program will begin at the nature center.
   
• Vulture Kettle: July 22 from 2 to 2:45 p.m. – Bennett Spring will host its monthly event on the park’s black vulture population of more than 200 individuals. The park naturalist will present a slideshow featuring information about these birds, along with how anglers and other visitors can better coexist with them.
  
  Can’t make July’s event? That’s okay; more black vulture events are scheduled for Aug. 26 and Oct. 28.
   
• Beauty of the Night: July 22 from 9 to 10 p.m. – Join the park naturalist near the back of the nature center to discover the beauty of the night! In celebration of National Moth Week, an area will be set aside to attract moths after dark. Come observe these creatures and enjoy the diversity of night creatures. Then, take a walk to the spring to discover what other nocturnal beauties can be discovered!
  
  Participants will need to bring a flashlight, closed-toe shoes and an optimistic attitude for exploring in the outdoors at night.
   
• Flowers and Bees in an Ozark Fen: July 28 at 11 a.m. – Get to the park’s nature center to learn about the mutually beneficial relationship between flowers and bees. Park interpreters will present a brief slideshow about bees and flowers, followed by a 1-mile guided hike on Whistle Trail. The trail travels along the spring, goes up a bluff, heads back down and ends at the historic wooden bridge near the Niangua River. Along the way, the naturalist will discuss karst topography and the park's fen, and participants will have opportunities to observe flowers and bees. Participants are encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes that are appropriate for hiking.
  
  An Ozark fen is a wetland fed by groundwater rather than rainfall or surface streams. This habitat hosts a rich assortment of plants, which in turn support a variety of bees. Some of these bees are specialized to feed on only one type of plant, while others are generalists that feed on multiple species.
  
  Plants and bees depend on and are affected by one another. Understanding this relationship and the importance of each will allow for a better understanding of the role Bennett Spring State Park and its fen play as a nature preserve.

Bennett Spring State Park is located at 26250 Highway 64A outside Lebanon. For more information, call the nature center at 417-532-4338.

For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.