Sunset Tour of Carlyle Lake Dam
Date: May 27 | 7 - 8pm
Presented by: US Army Corps of Engineers
Available Slots: 50
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Carlyle Lake Main Dam, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers as they embark on a unique tour of the Carlyle Lake Main Dam. Unlike our regularly scheduled morning tours, this tour allows participants to experience the main dam in a new light. Learn what it took to construct Carlyle Lake, how park rangers and engineers utilize the dam, and why the reservoir is an important supporter of the surrounding communities; all while enjoying a beautiful summer sunset!
Participant Requirements: Parking for participants is available in the West and East Spillway Recreation Areas. All participants should plan to meet park rangers atop the Carlyle Lake Main Dam. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to tour time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. The tour route is not ADA accessible due to stairs and uneven surfaces. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended.
Eco Art: Suncatchers
Date: June 3 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: US Army Corps of Engineers
Available Slots: 100
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
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Join U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers as they create unique works of art utilizing both natural and recycled materials. Begin the morning with a short hike along Willow Pond Nature Trail to learn about and collect natural treasures like leaves, flowers, and feathers to name a few. Then create a beautiful suncatcher from your collection to take home and display.
Participant Requirements: Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. All participants should plan to meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended.
STEAM: Agriculture with Case-Halstead Public Library
Date: June 10 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: Case-Halstead Public Library
Available Slots: 50
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
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Join the Case-Halstead Public Library for a morning filled with ag-related STEAM activities. Agriculture plays an influential role in all our lives. From the crops we see in the field to the fresh produce we buy for our tables. Discover where our food comes from, how it grows, and who grows it through this fun, interactive activity.
Participant Requirements: Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. All participants should plan to meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended.
Fishing Basics and Demonstration
Date: June 24 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: US Army Corps of Engineers
Available Slots: 100
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers as they introduce the basic skills and supplies necessary for fishing. Learn about the various types of fish species available at Carlyle Lake and how to catch them. Then try your hand at casting in hopes to catch a fish in our catch-and-release pond.
Participant Requirements: All participants should plan to supply their own fishing poles for this activity. Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. Meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended.
STEAM: Be Sun Smart with Case-Halstead Public Library
Date: July 8 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: Case-Halstead Public Library
Available Slots: 50
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join Case-Halstead Public Library for a morning filled with sun-related STEAM activities. July 8th is Love Your Skin Day. In conjunction with the River Bend Astronomy Club, participants will be treated to a story about our Sun and all that it does for planet Earth! All will be welcome to make a "Safe in the Sun" charm and partake in a few-experiments that demonstrate just how powerful the sun is!
Participant Requirements: Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. All participants should plan to meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended.
Guided Bike Tour Along Kaskaskia River Trail
Date: July 15 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: US Army Corps of Engineers
Available Slots: 25
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a ranger-guided bike tour. Explore the Kaskaskia River Trail and Carlyle Main Dam as part of this scenic ride. Stop at various locations along the way to learn bits of history, about local wildlife, and a few unusual facts about the area.
Participant Requirements: All participants should plan to provide their own bicycle and bicycle helmet. Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. Meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended. Binoculars and snacks are encouraged.
Exploring the Night Sky with River Bend Astronomy Club
Date: July 22 | 7 - 10 pm
Presented by: River Bend Astronomy Club
Available Slots: 100
Suggested Age Range: 10 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join River Bend Astronomy Club for a night under the stars! Space is a vast landscape we have discovered much about, and yet scientists still find more every day. Discover the many moving parts of our enormous solar system for yourself. Observe the Moon, fellow planets, and stars up close through a telescope. A once-in-a-lifetime experience that just might spark a new desire to learn.
Participant Requirements: Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. All participants should plan to meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended. Bug spray and flashlights are encouraged.
Sunset Tour of Carlyle Lake Main Dam
Date: July 29 | 7 - 8 pm
Presented by: US Army Corps of Engineers
Available Slots: 50
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Carlyle Lake Main Dam, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers as they embark on a unique tour of the Carlyle Lake Main Dam. Unlike our regularly scheduled morning tours, this tour allows participants to experience the main dam in a new light. Learn what it took to construct Carlyle Lake, how park rangers and engineers utilize the dam, and why the reservoir is an important supporter of the surrounding communities; all while enjoying a beautiful summer sunset!
Participant Requirements: Parking for participants is available in the West and East Spillway Recreation Areas. All participants should plan to meet park rangers atop the Carlyle Lake Main Dam. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to tour time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. The tour route is not ADA accessible due to stairs and uneven surfaces. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended.
The World of Birding with Roger Hayes, Local Birder
Date: August 5 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: Roger Hayes
Available Slots: 25
Suggested Age Range: 10 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join Roger Hayes, previous Park Ranger and current member of Carlyle Lake Birding Group, for a quiet morning amongst the birds. Birding can be a joyous and rewarding activity for any individual once given the proper tools. Embark on a forest hike while learning how to properly identify bird species through visual and auditory observation. Complimentary Carlyle Lake Birding Checklists will be given to interested participants while supplies last.
Participant Requirements: Participants are encouraged to supply their own set of binoculars and field guide if possible. Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. All participants should plan to meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended. Bug spray is encouraged.
Guided Bike Tour Along Kaskaskia River Trail
Date: August 12 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: US Army Corps of Engineers
Available Slots: 25
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a ranger-guided bike tour. Explore the Kaskaskia River Trail and Carlyle Main Dam as part of this scenic ride. Stop at various locations along the way to learn bits of history, about local wildlife, and a few unusual facts about the area.
Participant Requirements: All participants should plan to provide their own bicycle and bicycle helmet. Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. Meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended. Binoculars and snacks are encouraged.
Bee Basics with Case-Halstead Public Library
Date: August 19 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: Case-Halstead Public Library
Available Slots: 50
Suggested Age Range: 5 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join Case-Halstead Public Library for a buzzing good time. August 19th is National Honeybee Day. The BEE is a magical, and much-needed, creature! Participants will learn about the importance of bees and be treated to a presentation by a local beekeeper.
Participant Requirements: Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. All participants should plan to meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended.
Growing & Caring for Succulents with Carlyle in Bloom
Date: August 26 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: Mioux Florist & Greenhouse
Available Slots: 50
Suggested Age Range: 10 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join Nick Mioux of Mioux Florist & Greenhouse for a morning of creativity and plant education. Buying a succulent is easy; keeping it alive can be a battle if not properly informed. Gain the skills necessary to successfully care for and grow succulent varieties with ease at this activity. All participants will be able to select and pot their own take-home succulent curtesy of Carlyle in Bloom.
Participant Requirements: Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. All participants should plan to meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended.
The World of Birding with Roger Hayes, Local Birder
Date: September 2 | 9:30 - 11 am
Presented by: Roger Hayes
Available Slots: 25
Suggested Age Range: 10 years and up
Location: Outdoor Classroom, Carlyle, IL
Register
Join Roger Hayes, previous Park Ranger and current member of Carlyle Lake Birding Group, for a quiet morning amongst the birds. Birding can be a joyous and rewarding activity for any individual once given the proper tools. Embark on a forest hike while learning how to properly identify bird species through visual and auditory observation. Complimentary Carlyle Lake Birding Checklists will be given to interested participants while supplies last.
Participant Requirements: Participants are encouraged to supply their own set of binoculars and field guide if possible. Parking for participants is available at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center along Lake Road. All participants should plan to meet park rangers at the new Outdoor Classroom located directly behind the center. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to activity time to ensure all participants get checked in successfully. Closed toe shoes and water bottles are recommended. Bug spray is encouraged.