Activities underway at Lieber

Interpretive naturalist for Lieber State Recreation Area Allysia Schwartz paints a bear paw on Conner Sanders while his mother Leslie holds him. Park representatives visit the aquatic center Tuesday through Sunday to give nature talks and other activities with children.

As today brings the first official date of summer, many Putnam County residents will be searching for fun outdoor activities to do with their families. With swimming, fishing and camping available, Lieber State Recreation Area in Cloverdale could serve as a place for families to create summer memories.

With admission set at $4 for weekdays and $5 for weekends and holidays, carloads of families can pile into the park and take advantage of its activities. Admission to the aquatic center costs an additional $2, and children under two-years-old are free.

The park's interpretive naturalists hold activities at the pool and around the campgrounds throughout the week. For example, the naturalists coordinate games at the pool for children Tuesday through Sunday at 1 p.m.

Children can also listen to nature talks at the pool at 2 p.m. Kids can observe live animals or get their faces painted at these presentations. Smokey the Bear often makes appearances, providing children with bear hugs and information on fire safety.

Vicki Albietz, interpretive naturalist for the park, said Smokey is always received by fanfare from children at the campsites and the pool.

"They (the children) stand at their campsites and just wait for Smokey to come around," Albietz said.

Albietz also said more activities will be held at the pool this summer rather than the beach because of the record high water at the Cagles Mill Lake located in the park. Some of the park's regularly scheduled events such as the sand castle building contest and boat tours will be canceled due to the unusually high water level.

"Our number one job at Lieber is to control flooding in the south. That's what we were created for. Recreational activities come second," Albietz said.

The lake was designed and built by the Louisville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to control flooding in the Eel and White rivers. The usually 1,400 acre lake can grow up to 5,000 acres when flooded the most. Due to the recent flooding, the waters have reached a record high of 52.3 feet above normal summer levels, according to the Web site for the lake (www.in.gov/dnr/parklake).

According to Albietz, the high waters are not a terrible inconvenience for the park.

"We are so used to the high waters, though, we have learned to just relocate our activities when possible," Albietz said.

High water does not affect camping availability at the park, however. Electric and non-electric camping sites are available for rent. Different charges apply for weekend and weekdays ranging from $10-$25.

Campers are urged not to leave food out at night because of raccoons and other wildlife and to thoroughly put out the fires. Also, campers cannot bring in their own firewood due to invasive insects called emerald ash borers.

"The emerald ash borers kill trees, and we don't want them braught in with outside firewood," Allysia Schwartz, interpretive nationalist for the park said.

Activities for campers include karaoke held from 8-10 p.m. every Saturday night for campers at the park's nature center. Schwartz said that karaoke night is worth coming out for.

"Its always fun and funny to see people do karaoke," Schwartz said.

Other activities will be held at the park this summer such as the antique tractor show and rodeo on June 29, a 3-on-3 volleyball tournament on July 5 and a horseshoe tournament on July 19. For additional information on Lieber State Recreation Area and its activities, contact the main office at (765) 795-4576.