National Park week begins today and Wind Cave National Park north of Hot Springs is marking the occasion with a variety of activities over the next 8 days.
Park Chief of Interpretation Tom Farrell says up first will be free cave tours all day today.
Farrell says Wind Cave is also offering a pair of workshops this morning at 9:00 and 11:00 to build a place for bluebirds to live.
On Tuesday, the park is offering a virtual program on its Facebook page at 2:00 with University of Northern Iowa chemistry and biochemistry professor Dr Josh Sebree on the environment inside Wind Cave.
Sebree has been using a grant from NASA to study the cave’s unique low energy environment, which he says resembles environments found on other planets. His research will help NASA scientists better understand extraterrestrial life.
There will be a variety of social media posts on the park’s Facebook and Instagram platforms throughout the next week highlighting various aspects of Wind Cave.
Wrapping up National Park Week next Saturday will be a Junior Ranger program next Saturday from 2-3:00 that includes a scavenger hunt for a free prize along with a craft project for kids to take home.