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Rock Creek Park
Ranger Led Programs

September 2008 Schedule
Ranger Led Programs

This month, programs will take place at the following locations:

 

  • Nature Center (NC) 5200 Glover Road, NW (off Military Rd.), 202-895-6070. Hours: Open Daily, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM.
  • Old Stone House (OSH) 3051 M Street, NW (in Georgetown), 202-426-6851. Hours: Open Daily, 12:00-5:00 PM.
  • Peirce Barn (PB) Tilden and Beach Drive, 202-895-6070. Hours: Open Daily, 12:00-4:00 PM
  • Dumbarton Oaks Park (DO) Corner of R Street and 31st St., NW (in Georgetown), 202-426-6851.
  • Military Field (MF) The field near Picnic Grove #13, off of Military Road, 202-895-6070.
  • Rock Creek Horse Center (HC) 5100 Glover Road, NW (off Military Road). 202-362-0117

All ranger-led programs are free and open to the public. Rock Creek Park Activity Line: 202-895-6239.to the public. Rock Creek Park Activity Line: 202-895-6239.

 

 

 

All programs start promptly at the scheduled times. No admittance to the Planetarium after the doors close.

Monday, September 1

  • 4:00PM @ NC Young Planetarium This introduction to the night sky for the youngest of astronomers is a shortened version of our Night Sky Planetarium Program. Ages 4 and older.

Tuesday, September 2

  • 4:00PM @ NC Woodland Trail Hike Join a park ranger for a ½ mile hike where we’ll identify trees and look for signs of animals in the park. Boots are recommended. Ages 5 and older.

Wednesday, September 3

  • 4:00PM @NC Young Planetarium See program description for Monday, September 1st. 

Thursday, September 4

  • 4:00PM @NC Puppet Theater See what the animals in Rock Creek Park are doing this September! All ages.

Friday, September 5

  • 4:00PM @NC Creature Feature Get acquainted with the Nature Center’s live animals and assist a park ranger in their feeding. All ages.

Saturday, September 6

  • 9:30 AM @HC Ranger-Led Horseback Tour Experience Rock Creek Park with a Ranger on horseback. This one hour tour leaves from the Rock Creek Park Horse Center and travels south along Rock Creek. Participants must be 12 years old or older and weight limits may apply. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance and are taken on a first come-first served basis. Fee $35. A credit card is required to make a reservation. Please arrive 30 minutes before your ride. For further reservation information call (202) 362-0117
  • 1:00PM @NC Summer Night Sky Visit the only planetarium in the National Park system and explore the wonders of the night sky. View the brightest stars, planets, and constellations of September and learn their stories. Ages 5 and older.
  • 3:00 PM @PB Cornhusk Dolls Learn how to make this simple and popular 19th century toy with only a few corn husks and bits of string. Ages 5 and older.
  • 4:00PM @NC Exploring the Universe Join us for a series of planetarium programs exploring the universe. Topics for these programs include the sun, moon, stars, planets, and other space phenomena. Ages 7 and older.

Sunday, September 7

  • 10:00 AM @OSH Black Georgetown Hike Join a park ranger for a walking tour of historic Herring Hill, a Georgetown neighborhood that holds reminders of the vibrant African-American community that thrived here in the 19th century. Ages 8 and older.
  • 11:00 AM @HC Ranger-Led Horseback Tour See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 1:00PM @NC Summer Night Sky See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 1:00 PM @PB American Indian Pottery Learn how American Indians used local clays to develop a pottery making tradition. Be prepared to get messy as you make your own pot in the American Indian tradition. Ages 6 and older.
  • 4:00PM @NC Exploring the Universe See program description for Saturday, September 6th.

Monday, September 8

  • 4:00 PM @NC Talkin’ Turtle Learn about the turtles that call Rock Creek Park home and meet the Nature Center’s resident turtles. Ages 3 and older.

Tuesday, September 9

  • 4:00 PM @NC Space Exploration: From Sputnik to Phoenix Learn about how humans have expanded our reach beyond earth to investigate our solar system. Ages 5 and older.

Wednesday, September 10

  • 4:00PM @NC Young Planetarium See program description for Monday, September 1st.

Thursday, September 11

  • 4:00PM @NC Puppet Theater See programs description for Thursday, September 4th.

Friday, September 12

  • 4:00PM @NC Creature Feature See program description for Friday, September 5th. ages.

Saturday, September 13

  • 9:30 AM @HC Ranger-Led Horseback Tour See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 1:00PM @NC Summer Night Sky See the program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 1:00 PM @PB American Indian Gorgets Learn how the native peoples of the Rock Creek Valley used simple tools to create a practical but essential necklaces that was essential to their survival. Ages 9 and older.
  • 4:00PM @NC Exploring the Universe See program description for Saturday, September 6th. 

Sunday, September 14

  • 10:00 AM @DO Dumbarton Oaks Park Join a park ranger to discover the trails of this naturalistic landscaped garden turned public park, and learn of Beatrix Ferrand, the pioneering 20th century landscape architect who designed it. Meet at the Dumbarton Oaks Park “Lover’s Lane” entrance sign. Ages 8 and older.
  • 11:00 AM @HC Ranger-Led Horseback Tour See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 1:00PM @NC Summer Night Sky See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 2:00 PM @PB Native Peoples of the Rock Creek Valley Explore the Rock Creek Valley with a park ranger and discover how the land and its resources were utilized by past cultures. Ages 7 and older.
  • 4:00PM @NC Exploring the Universe See program description for Saturday, September 6th. 

Monday, September 15

  • 4:00 PM @NC Owl Pellets What do the owls eat in Rock Creek Park? Assist a park ranger in uncovering the mystery of owl cuisine while dissecting owl pellets. Ages 5 and older.

Tuesday, September 16

  • 4:00 PM @NC Space Exploration: From Sputnik to Phoenix See program description for Tuesday, September 9th.

Wednesday, September 17

  • 4:00PM @NC Young Planetarium See program description for Monday, September 1st.

Thursday, September 18

  • 4:00PM @NC Puppet Theater See program description for Thursday, September 4th.

Friday, September 19

4:00PM @NC Creature Feature See program description for Friday, September 5th.

Saturday, September 20

  • 9:30 AM @HC Ranger-Led Horseback Tour See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 1:00PM @NC Summer/Fall Night Sky See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 1:00 PM @PB Frontier Toys and Games Learn about19th century children’s games and how to make toys of that time period from simple household items of the day. Ages 6 and older.
  • 4:00PM @NC Exploring the Universe See program description for Saturday, September 6th. 

Sunday, September 21

  • 10:00 AM @ OSH Francis Scott Key: The Man Behind the Banner Join a park ranger on a tour to the Francis Scott Key Memorial Garden while learning about the life of this famous poet, patriot, and religious leader. Ages 8 and older
  • 11:00 AM @HC Ranger-Led Horseback Tour See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 1:00PM @NC Summer/Fall Night Sky See program description for Saturday, September 6th. 
  • 2:00 PM @PB Peirce Estate Tour Join a ranger on this 1 ½ mile hike and learn how the land was once used prior to becoming a national park. Ages 8 and older.
  • 4:00PM @NC Exploring the Universe See program description for Saturday, September 6th.

Monday, September 22

  • 4:00PM @NC What’s the Buzz? Come learn all about bees: where they live, what they do, and why they buzz. You will be able to see the bees that live at the Nature Center. Ages 6 and older.

Tuesday, September 23

  • 4:00PM @NC Tyke Hike This hike is geared for the youngest of nature enthusiasts. Boots are recommended.

Wednesday, September 24

  • 4:00PM @NC Young Planetarium See program description for Monday, September 1st. 

Thursday, September 25

  • 4:00PM @NC Puppet Theatre See program description for Thursday, September 4th.

Friday, September 26

  • 4:00PM @NC Creature Feature See program description for Friday, September 5th.


Saturday, September 27
Rock Creek Park Day!

Join us in celebrating Rock Creek Park’s 118h Birthday at the
Rock Creek Park Nature Center.



9:30 AM   Ranger-Led Horseback Tour Experience Rock Creek Park with a Ranger on horseback. This one hour tour leaves from the Rock Creek Park Horse Center and travels south along Rock Creek. Participants must be 12 years old or older, weight limits may apply. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance and are taken on a first come-first served basis. Fee $35. A credit card is required to make a reservation. Please arrive 30 minutes before your ride. For further reservation information call (202) 362-0117
10:00 AM   Reptiles Alive: Backyards Alive! Meet some of the most amazing wild creatures living right next to you including: Eastern King Snake, Black Rat Snake, Corn Snake, Snapping Turtle, Spotted Turtle, Box Turtle, 5-Lined Skink, Bullfrog, Leopard Frog, American Toad, Gray Tree Frog, and a Spotted Salamander. All ages.
10:00 AM – 3:30 PM Horse Center Pony Rides (Every hour and on the ½ hour) Enjoy a 10 minute pony ride along one of Rock Creek Park’s scenic trails. Participants must be 3 years old or older, weight limits may apply. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance and are taken on a first come, first served basis. Fee $20. A credit card is required to make a reservation. Please arrive 30 minutes before your ride. For further reservation information call (202) 362-0117.
11:00 AM Blue Sky Puppet Theater: Presenting “Lights Out on The Bunny Brothers” Learn the story of the Bunny Brothers and their introduction to the concepts of conservation and protection of natural resources. All ages.
12:00 Noon Fort DeRussy Hike:Join a park ranger on this 1 mile hike to historic Fort DeRussy and learn how this little fort helped save Washington, DC during a Confederate attack in 1864. Ages 8 and older.
2:00 PM Reptiles Alive: Backyards Alive! Meet some of the most amazing wild creatures living right next to you including: Eastern King Snake, Black Rat Snake, Corn Snake, Snapping Turtle, Spotted Turtle, Box Turtle, 5-Lined Skink, Bullfrog, Leopard Frog, American Toad, Gray Tree Frog, and a Spotted Salamander. All ages
3:00 PM Birds of Prey: Take a look at some of the most beautiful live birds native to Rock Creek Park. Get acquainted with an Eastern Screech Owl, a Barred Owl, a Great Horned Owl, and a Red-Tailed Hawk. Presented by the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia. All ages.
4:00 PM Animal Viewing:Meet the Nature Center’s live animals.
8:00 PM Exploring the Sky: Come see the stars! Join the National Park Service and members of the National Capital Astronomers in Rock Creek Park to view the stars, planets, and other night sky phenomena with telescopes.




   
All Day Activities

** Climbing Wall, Junior Ranger Activities, **

All programs are open to the public!

Sunday, September 28

  • 10:00 AM @DO Dumbarton Oaks Park See program description for Sunday, September 14th.
  • 11:00 AM @HC Ranger-Led Horseback Tour See program description for Saturday, September 6th.
  • 3:00 PM @PB Rope-Making Have you ever thought about how rope was made? Help a park ranger make rope 19th century style! Ages 6 and older.  
  • 1:00PM @NC Fall Night Sky See the program description for Saturday, September 6th. 
  • 4:00PM @NC Exploring the Universe See program description for Saturday, September 6th.

Monday, September 29

  • 4:00 PM @ NC Solar System Hike Space is big! Join a park ranger to hike a scale model of our solar system and see how far apart the sun and planets really are. Ages 5 and older.

Tuesday, September 30

  • 2:00 PM @ NC Amazing Journeys: Animal Migrations! Learn of the long journeys that some animals take during the seasonal changes. Ages 5 and up.


Help Us Keep Rock Creek Park Green And Clean: Clean Up After Picnics and Other Outings. Dispose Of All Waste In Covered Trash Receptacles.

If you would like to receive our monthly calendar of events, please contact the nature center at 202-895-6070 or e-mail us.

Several ways to find out about Rock Creek Park’s public programs:

- Rock Creek Park website: www.nps.gov/rocr (look under “Ranger led public programs”)
- Rock Creek Park Information Line: 202-895-6239
- Receive the park calendar via mail or email
- Your local newspaper
- Rock Creek Park Bulletin Boards within the park
Gray Fox pups  

Did You Know?
Three kinds of wild canids (dogs) live in Rock Creek Park, the coyote, the red fox and secretive gray fox.

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Last Updated: September 01, 2008 at 08:31 EST