This weekend at the Trails Center: Trail Treks, Blacksmithing Demonstrations, and More
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CASPER, Wyo. – Join the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center this weekend, June 17 and 18, for exciting and educational programs for all ages, including blacksmithing demonstrations, a youth wildflower hike, and a once-in-a-lifetime Trail Trek.
Participants in Saturday’s Trail Trek will have the rare opportunity to witness the reburial of Dr. McDermott, a pioneer who died in 1849 near present-day Guernsey, Wyo. Trail trekkers will meet in the parking lot of the Trails Center at 8 a.m. on June 17, departing for the Guernsey area shortly after. Participants will drive their own vehicles or carpool and will be led by a Trails Center employee. Please bring a lunch, water, sunscreen, and wear appropriate clothing and shoes suitable for walking. To register for the Trail Trek, call Jason Vlcan at 307-261-7783.
On Saturday at 11 a.m., bring your children along for this month’s youth History Club program. Young naturalists will join a BLM interpreter on a short hike to learn the names, history, and amusing stories of Wyoming’s native wildflowers. History Club is geared for 2nd to 5th graders, but all ages are welcome. Chaperones are required to stay on-site for the duration of the program and are invited to participate in the activity.
Throughout the weekend, learn about the ingenuity and skill of 19th century blacksmiths with Wyoming blacksmith Dave Osmundsen. Osmundsen will showcase various blacksmithing techniques by demonstrating how to make horseshoe art, tomahawk making, and chuckwagon cooking utensils on Saturday, and primitive fire-starting and iron gun parts on Sunday. Demonstrations will take place outside on the Trails Center grounds at the times listed below.
Osmundsen has been forging wrought ironwork and tools since the 1970s and was even selected to forge napkins rings for the White House in 1976. His focus includes trade goods related to the fur trade eras and sharing his passion with the public.
Events Schedule
- June 17 at 8 a.m.: Pioneer Trail Trek – Pioneer Reburial near Guernsey, Wyo.
- June 17 at 11 a.m.: Wildflower Hike (Youth History Club)
Join a guided hike of Wyoming’s native flowers with a BLM interpreter. - June 17-18: 19th Century Blacksmithing
- Saturday, June 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- 10 a.m. – Horseshoe Art
- 1 p.m. – Tomahawk making
- 3 p.m. – Chuckwagon cooking utensils
- Sunday, June 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- 9 a.m. – Primitive fire-starting
- 11 a.m. – Iron gun parts
- Saturday, June 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Interested in upcoming programs at the Trails Center? Visit the Trails Center’s website at https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/national-historic-trails-interpretive-center or follow BLM Wyoming on Facebook or Twitter. For more information, call the Trails Center at 307-261-7700.
The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST.
1501 N Poplar St., Casper, WY 82601.
Admission is Free
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.