Who doesnt love Colorado in the summer? Peaks to bag, wildflowers to smell, rivers to run ... it just doesnt get any better than this! San Juan Mountains Association, in partnership with San Juan National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios Field Office, has many opportunities for you to get outside and enjoy our beautiful Colorado summer, while learning things in the process!
Our San Juan Family Explorers program starts off with investigating the beautiful diversity of butterflies and flowers at Durango Mountain Resort on Saturday, July 7, from 9:30 a.m. to noon (email mk@sjma.org). Get your feet wet and check out the creatures that feed our river fish on Saturday, Aug. 11 at our Buggy Water program. Meet at the corner of 8th Street and Riverside in Dolores from 10 a.m. to noon. To round out our family programs, sign up for the Fall Family Fun Day at Farmer Cabin on Saturday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Well learn about the history of the area, geology, aspens, bugs and more with a delicious lunch to boot at Farmer Cabin, a historic site north of Durango along Cascade Creek!
Toddlers and preschoolers in the area have more fun opportunities to get outside with Little Legs Adventures at Denny Lake in Cortez on select Fridays this summer. Children ages 6-10 can learn everything about birds during the Bird Brained Kids Camp, also at Denny Lake, July 16 to 19. We are excited to use Farmer Cabin for another camp for kids ages 8-12, from July 9 to 12 (transportation fee will apply; email mk@sjma.org). Finally, for those aged 10-12, we have two History Detectives Youth Day Camps on July 19 (Animas City Detective Agency) and July 26 (If Headstones Could Talk). Each of these days goes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $25 (email ruth@sjma.org).
We are so happy to again offer free guided nature hikes at Durango Mountain Resort this summer. This year we are meeting outside Backcountry Experience at DMR by 9:45 a.m., then riding the chairlift to the top of the mountain and enjoying a wonderful walk around the top with a trained SJMA volunteer naturalist. Hikes take place Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 16 and go from 10 a.m. to noon. If you want something a little more rigorous, while also learning wildlife, wildflowers, and more, sign up to Backpack with SJMA, Aug. 11 and 12 on the Fourmile Lake Loop, north of Pagosa Springs. The loop is 12.4 miles, and the trip is for beginners to experts (email mk@sjma.org).
SJMA has two more field seminars being offered this summer first, come on a weeds/oxeye daisy field trip Saturday, July 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., led by Rod Cook, La Plata County Weed Manager. Meet at the La Plata County Fairgrounds for introductions, then drive north of Durango to observe and learn more about these invasive species. On Wednesday, Aug. 29 from 5 to 8 p.m., explore the Colorado Trail for mushrooms and edible plants with Katrina Blair, co-founder of Turtle Lake Refuge.
Most programs listed above are free! Unless otherwise noted, to inquire about or register for the above programs, call 385-1256 or email gabi@sjma.org. Thanks to all our amazing volunteers without whom we couldnt offer all these superb programs. We are looking forward to an amazing summer of fun in the outdoors, and hope you are too.
Gabi Morey is the Education Outreach Director at SJMA, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to public land stewardship and education. SJMA partners with the San Juan National Forest, BLM Tres Rios Field Office and Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, BLM, in addition to other organizations in SW Colorado.
