Summer Events Kick Off At Borderland State Park

Submitted to Easton Patch:

With summer upon us, it is time for Borderland State Park to kick into high gear.

Below are a list of events scheduled at Borderland this summer.

Unless otherwise noted, events meet at the Lawrence Newcomb Visitor Center, are free of charge and open to all. No pre-registration required, unless otherwise specified.  Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. Call Park Supervisor Ellenor at 508-238-6566.

Borderland State Park is located off Massapoag Avenue on the Easton/Sharon line.  There is a parking fee of $2 per car payable at the yellow machine. Those individuals over the age of 62 should visit the office in the Visitor Center for a free lifetime parking pass. Sponsored by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.  See the DCR Events Calendar athttp://www.mass.gov/dcr/events.htm.

For more on Borderland, check out the attached video.

Below is a list of events this summer.

Kidleidoscope! Sign up NOW! Session two begins Thursday June 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.. The popular preschool program “Kidleidoscope!” returns to Borderland. This weekly one-hour program includes a guided nature walk with a park interpreter, a story, and a craft. For children ages 2 to 6; all children must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-enrollment required; please call Paul at 508-238-6566 with number of children, their names, parent or guardian’s name, a phone number and email address. Session two will meet on June 7, 14 and 21^st. Reasonable accommodations available upon request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain or Shine.

Architecture Tour: A Story in Stone Saturday June 2, 2012 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Explore the exterior of the Ames Mansion and learn about its construction on this 30-minute outdoor tour. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet in front of mansion. Rain cancels.

Explore Nature: Ponding. Sunday June 3, 2012 from 2:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. Explore nature using nets to pond for creatures living beneath the surface of the water or more!. For adults and school-age children; no umbrella strollers or pets. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain cancels.

Garden Tour: Restoration in Progress. Monday June 4, 2012 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Join the Park Interpreter for a half-hour outdoor tour of the Ames Mansion gardens. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet in front of mansion. Rain cancels.

Pond Walk: Monday June 4, 2012 from 5:00pm to 6:00 p.m. Join the Park Interpreter for an hour stroll along the designated Healthy Heart Trail, which goes around Lower Leach Pond.  The Healthy Heart Trail is an initiative to connect us with nature while enjoying the health benefits of walking. Downpour cancels.

Off The Beaten Path Hike. Thursday June 7, 2012 from 1p.m. to 2:30p.m..  Explore the trails less traveled on this 3- to 4-mile informative and recreational hike. Route and theme varies weekly. Dress for the weather, bring water, and wear bug repellent. Hike is easy to moderate in difficulty. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at the Visitor Center. Downpour cancels.

Architecture Tour: A Story in Stone Friday June 8, 2012 from 2:00pm to 2:30pm.  Explore the exterior of the Ames Mansion and learn about its construction on this 30-minute outdoor tour. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet in front of mansion. Rain cancels.

Explore Nature: Animal Detectives. Sunday June 10, 2012 from 2:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. Using your detective skills with the Park Interpreter, find evidence along a short hike, that indicates animals have been there. For adults and school-age children; no umbrella strollers or pets. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain cancels.

Off The Beaten Path Hike. Thursday June 14, 2012 from 1p.m. to 2:30p.m..  Explore the trails less traveled on this 3- to 4-mile informative and recreational hike. Route and theme varies weekly. Dress for the weather, bring water, and wear bug repellent. Hike is easy to moderate in difficulty. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at the Visitor Center. Downpour cancels.

Mansion Tour: The Ameses and Women’s Rights:  On Friday June 15, 2012 from 2:00pm to 2:30pm, discover Oakes and Blanche Ames’s involvement in the struggle for women’s rights on this 30-minute guided tour of the first floor of the Ames Mansion. View some of her suffrage artwork and political cartoons. First floor only. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. For adults and older children. Meet in front of the mansion. Rain or shine.

Mansion Tour: Building a Home: On Saturday June 16, 2012 from 3:30pm to 4:00pm, learn about the history of the building of the Ames Mansion on this 30-minute guided tour of the home. First floor only. For adults and older children. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. Meet in front of the mansion. Rain or shine.

Explore Nature: Ponding. On Father’s Day, Sunday June 17, 2012 from 2:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. Explore nature using nets to pond for creatures living beneath the surface of the water or more!. For adults and school-age children; no umbrella strollers or pets. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain cancels.

Mansion Tour: Building a Home: On Father’s Day, Sunday June 17, 2012 from 5:00pm to 5:30pm, learn about the history of the building of the Ames Mansion on this 30-minute guided tour of the home. First floor only. For adults and older children. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. Meet in front of the mansion. Rain or shine.

Architecture Tour: A Story in Stone Monday June 18, 2012 from 3:30pm to 4:00pm.  Explore the exterior of the Ames Mansion and learn about its construction on this 30-minute outdoor tour. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet in front of mansion. Rain cancels.

Fishing with Ranger Buck: Fishing with Ranger Buck is back!  Join Ranger Buck on Monday June 18, 2012 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Puds Pond.  For children and adults of all skill levels are welcome to come on down and cast a line and fish.  Bring your own fishing pole or use one of ours. Worms will be provided! Children must be accompanied by an adult.  Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request.  $2 per car parking fee.  Meet at Puds Pond.  Rain cancels.

Pond Walk: Monday June 18, 2012 from 5:00pm to 6:00 p.m. Join the Park Interpreter for an hour stroll along the designated Healthy Heart Trail, which goes around Lower Leach Pond.  The Healthy Heart Trail is an initiative to connect us with nature while enjoying the health benefits of walking. Downpour cancels.

Off The Beaten Path Hike. Thursday June 21, 2012 from 1p.m. to 2:30p.m..  Explore the trails less traveled on this 3- to 4-mile informative and recreational hike. Route and theme varies weekly. Dress for the weather, bring water, and wear bug repellent. Hike is easy to moderate in difficulty. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at the Visitor Center. Downpour cancels.

Friends of Borderland: Mansion Tour:  On Sunday June 24, 2012 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, discover the history of the Ames Mansion while supporting Friends of Borderland State Park! Volunteer guides conduct tours of the stately home of Oakes and Blanche Ames. Tours run about every 20 minutes. For all ages. Donations are accepted and will benefit the Friends of Borderland. Meet in front of mansion. Sponsored by Friends of Borderland. Rain or shine.

Garden Tour: Restoration in Progress. Monday June 25, 2012 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Join the Park Interpreter for a half-hour outdoor tour of the Ames Mansion gardens. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet in front of mansion. Rain cancels.

Fishing with Ranger Buck: Join Ranger Buck on Monday June 25, 2012 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Puds Pond.  For children and adults of all skill levels are welcome to come on down and cast a line and fish.  Bring your own fishing pole or use one of ours. Worms will be provided! Children must be accompanied by an adult.  Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request.  $2 per car parking fee. Meet at Puds Pond.  Rain cancels

Pond Walk: Monday June 25, 2012 from 5:00pm to 6:00 p.m. Join the Park Interpreter for an hour stroll along the designated Healthy Heart Trail, which goes around Lower Leach Pond.  The Healthy Heart Trail is an initiative to connect us with nature while enjoying the health benefits of walking. Downpour cancels.

The Long Hike. Thursday, June 28, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Hike to the hardly visited northern-most point of Borderland State Park on this 5- to 6-mile, moderately paced recreational hike. We’ll hike to Morse Loop and enjoy a snack on the shores of the beautiful and peaceful Dead Swamp Pond. Wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water and bug repellent, as well as a snack to eat at the pond. For adults and older children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at Visitor Center. Rain cancels.

Mansion Tour: Building a Home: On Friday June 29, 2012 from 2:00pm to 2:30pm, learn about the history of the building of the Ames Mansion on this 30-minute guided tour of the home. First floor only. For adults and older children. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. Meet in front of the mansion. Rain or shine.

Mansion Tour: The Ameses and Women’s Rights:  On Saturday June 30, 2012 from 3:30pm to 4:00pm, explore Oakes and Blanche Ames’s involvement in the struggle for women’s rights on this 30-minute guided tour of the first floor of the Ames Mansion. View some of her suffrage artwork and political cartoons. First floor only. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. For adults and older children. Meet in front of the mansion. Rain or shine.

Kidleidoscope! Sign up NOW for the JULY session of Kidleidoscope (Session three), which begins Thursday July 5, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.. The popular preschool program “Kidleidoscope!” returns to Borderland. This weekly one-hour program includes a guided nature walk with a park interpreter, a story, and a craft. For children ages 2 to 6; all children must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-enrollment required; please call Paul at 508-238-6566 with number of children, their names, parent or guardian’s name, and a phone number and email address. Session three will meet on July 5, 12 and 19^th. Reasonable accommodations available upon request. $2 per car parking fee. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain or Shine.

Tennis on the Ames Mansion Court.  Daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Play tennis on the Ames Mansion court on the back lawn of the Ames Mansion. Bring your own equipment. Park at the Visitor Center, walk to the mansion. Proceed to the right of the mansion and follow the curve of the mansion to the courts.  First come, first serve. Free - just come and play! $2 per car parking fee.