Aramark, Mesa Verde National Park's concessionaire, will host a free Treasure Hunt for kids on Saturday, May 17, 2014 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. as part of Kids to Parks Day, a nationwide day of outdoor play, organized by the National Park Trust.

To celebrate Kids to Parks Day, Aramark is inviting kids to participate in a Treasure Hunt, using clues provided by the property. Three containers, each holding a silicone wristband, will temporarily be placed around the property near Spruce Tree Terrace. The wristbands will each have one word printed on them; when all three are found, they will make up the complete phrase, 'Kids to Parks'. A list of location hints will be provided at the Spruce Tree Terrace gift shop.

Aramark, which enriches national and state parks experiences across the country with innovative hospitality and interpretive programs, is a national sponsor of Kids to Parks Day.

The first 20 participants who collect the full set will be able to return to the retail store at Spruce Tree Terrace to receive a Buddy Bison plush animal, the National Park Trust's pint size mascot. Junior explorers are encouraged to take their Buddy Bison with them when they explore National, state and local parks and share photos from their adventure on Buddy Bison's Facebook page.

"Kids to Parks Day was created to engage kids with our country's diverse parks and public lands," states Grace Lee, executive director of National Park Trust. "Our goal is to get hundreds of thousands of kids and their families outdoors for this national day of play. There are more than 1000 park events taking place across the country on May 17."

Started in 2011, Kids to Parks Day (kidstoparks.org) is a national grassroots movement that encourages kids to discover science, history and outdoor recreation at their local, state and national parks and public lands.