Mancos State Park is hosting several special events this summer.
The park, located off of County Road 42 and County Road N north of Mancos, is open to boating, fishing, hiking and camping.
Area historian, author and storyteller Fred Blackburn will share stories of the area on June 10 at 7 p.m. in the park amphitheater.
Blackburn has several books published on the history of the Four Corners. He is author of “The Wetherills: Friends of Mesa Verde” and “Cowboys and Cave Dwellers.” He also is a member of the Western Writers of America.
On June 24 at 7 p.m., Mancos State Park will present a free concert by Aloha Club, a local ukulele group that mixes fun and tradition. The concert is in the park amphitheater.
Mancos band Sweetwater Station will perform a free concert at the park to celebrate Independence Day on July 1. The show starts at 7 p.m. in the park amphitheater.
Mancos State Park also will host a variety of day and evening programs throughout the summer focusing on local natural wonders and history. These will include a photography workshop, skulls and skins and footprints, nature hikes and other events.
Visitors are encouraged to bring a hat, water, sunscreen and appropriate footwear for daytime events. Young visitors can obtain a Colorado State Parks and Wildlife Junior Ranger badge at some of these program, or do projects on their own.
All events are free with $7 per vehicle park admission.
Public lands dayMancos State Park is hosting several events on May 20 as part of Colorado Public Lands Day.
Volunteers are needed to walk the park’s trails looking for obstructions, litter and general maintenance issues. The park also will ask volunteers to walk the Jackson Reservoir shoreline for litter, fishing line and abandoned equipment.
During the day, there will be family games available in the group picnic area. Prizes will be awarded to kids under 18 who come up with the most unusual find on the trails or shoreline, the most litter collected and the most wildlife seen.
Volunteers and other visitors are welcome throughout the day to enjoy the park’s many amenities, including day use areas with barbecue grills, fishing, boating, wildlife viewing and hiking.
The $7 entrance fee still applies.
Colorado Public Lands Day was signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper in 2016. The purpose of the new holiday is to celebrate the significant contributions that national, state, and local public lands within Colorado make to wildlife, outdoor recreation, the economy, and to Coloradans’ quality of life.