DIVIDE, Colo. – Mueller State Park invites kids to fun summer programs created just for them. Discover what lurks below the water, learn about birds of prey, listen to the stories of the native Ute Indians and more. The programs are free, but all vehicles entering the park must have a daily or an annual Colorado State Parks pass.

Kids in the second through sixth grade are invited to explore the park with a naturalist during a Junior Naturalist program on Tuesdays, starting at 1 p.m. Stop by the visitor center to pick up a Junior Naturalist booklet, filled with activities to complete during your visit at Mueller. Participation in at least two naturalist-led programs and completion of the booklet earns an official Junior Naturalist patch.

The programs:

• Junior Naturalist: Pond Safari. Tuesday, June 14 at 1 p.m.
• Junior Naturalist: Who Sleeps Here? Tuesday, June 21 at 1 p.m.
• Junior Naturalist: Curious Clouds. Tuesday, June 28 at 1 p.m.
• Junior Naturalist: Trees of the Park. Tuesday, July 5 at 1 p.m.
• Junior Naturalist: Life as a Ute. Tuesday, July 12 at 1 p.m.
• Junior Naturalist: Identifying Flowers. July 19 at 1 p.m.
• Junior Naturalist: Gee Wiz, Geology. Tuesday, July 26 at 1 p.m.
• Junior Naturalist: Whose Tracks are Those? Tuesday, August 2 at 1 p.m.
• Junior Naturalist: The Mighty Ant. Tuesday, August 9 at 1 p.m.

Younger kids, in preschool through first grade, will make new and exciting discoveries about nature during the Adventure Cub program on Wednesdays, starting at 10 a.m. Stop in at the Mueller State Park Visitor Center to pick up an Adventure Cub booklet to help in your exploration of Mueller. Participation in at least one naturalist-led program and partial completion of the booklet earns an official Adventure Cub button.

The programs:

• Adventure Cub: Beautiful Butterflies. Wednesday, June 15 at 10 a.m.
• Adventure Cub: Mother Goose Rhymes & Stories. Wednesday, June 22 at 10 a.m.
• Adventure Cub: Birds of Prey. Wednesday, June 29 at 10 a.m.
• Adventure Cub: Busy Busy Spiders. Wednesday, July 6 at 10 a.m.
• Adventure Cub: Nature’s Yuckies. Wednesday, July 13 at 10 a.m.
• Adventure Cub: Hoot and Holler. Wednesday, July 20 at 10 a.m.
• Adventure Cub: Sun Prints. Wednesday, July 27 at 10 a.m.
• Adventure Cub: Forest Scavenger Hunt. Wednesday, August 3 at 10 a.m.
• Adventure Cub: If You Were a Bear. Wednesday, August 10 at 10 a.m.

Colorado State Parks get everyone outdoors! Attracting more than 12 million visitors per year, Colorado’s 42 State Parks are a vital cornerstone of Colorado’s economy and quality of life. Colorado State Parks encompass 224,447 land and water acres, offering some of the best outdoor recreation destinations in the state. Colorado State Parks is a leader in providing opportunities for outdoor recreation, protecting the state’s favorite landscapes, teaching generations about nature and partnering with communities. Colorado State Parks also manage more than 4,300 campsites, and 63 cabins and yurts. For more information on Colorado State Parks or to purchase an annual pass online, visit www.parks.state.co.us.

Contact:

Kimberly Banzhaf, (719) 687-2366 ext.110, mueller.naturalist@state.co.us

Deb Frazier, (303) 866-3203 ext. 4342, deb.frazier@state.co.us