Our first visit to Caddo Lake State Park began with a Junior Ranger program hosted by Ranger Kelsey. She had a table set up by the boat ramp with native animal skulls and pelts. It was a chilly day but she managed to keep all the kids and parents alike interested in the Skull Detective program with plenty of questions for the audience. It was obvious our kid isn’t the only one into animal fast facts. Ranger Kelsey taught us about the differences between predators and prey, then invited groups of kids to examine the different animal skulls to tell them apart.
Our daughter particularly liked the beaver skull because of its orange teeth that never stop growing. We saw the skulls of a bear, possum, skunk, great horned owl, coyote, alligator and a buck plus 2 turtle shells and a clutch of turkey feathers. Ranger Kelsey allowed the kids to touch the skulls and examine the teeth and where the eyes would have been located. We learned a lot about the local wildlife in a beautiful setting amongst the trees.
We saw maybe a quarter of what the park has to offer and we are definitely looking forward to more visits. The night hike, pond dipping and geocaching classes all look particularly interesting to us. You can visit our events calendar here on ETX Life or the Facebook page for Caddo Lake State Park to learn more about upcoming events. There is something for everyone to enjoy and all ages have an opportunity to add a new fact or two to their repertoire.
At the end of the class we picked up our own Junior Ranger book to complete and turn into the office for a badge. I love how we can learn about wildlife, conservation and local history all in one place. I’m sure the whole park transforms in the Spring and taking out a canoe or going on a boat tour is on our list of things to do. According to the park map there are plenty of easy hikes for kids too. Plus, free fishing, no license required.
The campgrounds looked well maintained and our daughter has been asking to go camping for some time. Rather than buy everything needed for tent camping I think we will look into taking advantage of camping in a cabin. Seems like a good camping introduction for her and less hassle for me. As we explore and learn more about this beautiful park, teaming with life I will update ya’ll on our discoveries. In the meantime, check out upcoming events and get some fresh air and a change of scene.
