Camping event at Klondike Park
August 4, 2010
St. Charles County, MO
Enjoy a fun-filled weekend among the trees, twinkling stars and flickering campfire at the St. Charles County Parks Department’s Family Camping Expo from Sept. 3 – 5 in nearby Klondike Park. Located at 4600 Highway 94 South (between Defiance and Augusta, approximately 14 miles south of Highway 40), the park is less than 30 minutes from a large portion of St. Charles County’s residents and offers numerous warm-weather recreational activities.
Park Rangers will host this overnight program, where participants will learn camping and outdoor skills while enjoying the natural beauty. The program will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday with instructions on campsite set-up, followed by a night of leisure and campfire snacks. A morning orientation and a hike to view the park’s beautiful songbirds start the Saturday activities that also include a hands-on geocaching demonstration. Interactive afternoon sessions will focus upon knot tying, hiking, mountain biking, fire building, Dutch oven cooking and campfire cooking. After dinner that evening, registered individuals may cast a line in a family fishing derby, with lots of great prizes available.
To end the day, members of the Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri will provide telescopes to view the stars of St. Charles County (including opportunities to glimpse Jupiter and Uranus, as well as a number of constellations and star patterns). Festivities will conclude Sunday morning with more fishing, bike riding and hiking at your leisure.
The Family Camping Expo costs just $15 per person, and children five and under are free if accompanied by a paying adult. A limited quantity of fishing equipment, as well as most meals and snacks are included; but guests may bring their own materials, if preferred. Participants should also plan to bring a tent, bedding, drinks, a flashlight, personal fishing equipment and bug spray. Advanced registration before August 27 is required, and the program is limited to 100 participants.
Although the event is planned for Friday – Sunday, participants may choose to skip Friday’s events. Those choosing this option should plan to arrive at the park before 9 a.m. Saturday morning.
Organizations interested in donating prizes or volunteer support may contact Chief Park Ranger William Brandel at 636-949-7535
On the site of a silica sand quarry, Klondike Park is a testament to nature’s resiliency and has quickly become a popular destination for outdoor recreation enthusiasts. The 250-acre park offers several miles of natural-surface hiking and biking trails, a fishing lake, picnic shelters, a boat ramp along the Missouri River, and access to the Katy Trail. The park also features six cabins and 41 tent sites open to year-round camping—a shower house complete with flush toilets and a small kitchen is open from April to November. For more information, please call St. Charles County Parks at 636-949-7535 or visit www.stccparks.org.
From the St. Charles County Parks Department
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