Last weekend there were no campsites left at Abilene State Park. Families and other campers celebrated the park’s 90th anniversary in the only appropriate way: by learning about the natural environment in which the park lives.
The Big Country chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists was on hand June 1 with examples ranging from beautiful to slightly creepy. Butterflies, insects and other small creatures could be examined under a microscope, while nearby on a table lay the skulls of many. of the larger animals that live in the region.
Nearby, Marsha Ballard and Mary Haney amazed children and their parents by creating clouds in a bottle using a bicycle pump and a bit of rubbing alcohol. A child pumped air into the bottle and pressurized it, and everyone jumped as Ballard pulled the cork and the condensation of the subsequent “Pop!” indeed left the inside of the bottle cloudy.
Further away from the park’s swimming pool, which is unfortunately closed again this summer and in need of repairs, others learned archery under the supervision of park rangers, or sampled the offerings of Dutch oven cooking enthusiasts.
The park will host a host of evening activities this summer, including star parties and nature walks. Visit txmn.org/bc/ for more information.
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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene State Park Celebrates 90 Years of Outdoor Fun, Education
