Extinctions of Distinction - Paleontology Explorer
2025-09-20 03:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Falls of the Ohio State Park, 201 W. Riverside Drive, Clarksville, IN, 47129, United States
What do paleontologists know about the causes of extinctions across geological time? Park paleontologist, Alan Goldstein, will discuss extinctions from volcanic activity, mountain building, asteroid impacts, and other causes. An assortment of fossils will be used in the conversation

Fossil Bed Discovery Hike
2025-09-20 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-09-21 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-09-27 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-09-28 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-10-04 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-10-05 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-10-11 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-10-12 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) and 3 more dates
Discover the wonders of the fossil beds with a park naturalist. We will look at Devonian marine fossils and discuss how they lived, what they ate, how / why they were preserved. Hike lasts 60 minutes. Meet on deck. We walk down 60 steps to fossil beds and return via ramp. (Or use ramp if participants have problems with steps.) Please wear shoes suitable for walking on rocks.

River Rock Bingo - Family Nature Club
2025-09-21 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
A variety of water worn pebbles are found along the riverbank. Each has its own story. Some are formed by heat and pressure, others by river or sea sediments. We’ve turned it into a game. Learn about rocks while trying to match up your selection with the bingo master’s call. You might just win a rocky prize. Family Nature Club is a program established in 2015 for children with adult attending, held once a month. Program fee covered by a grant from the Falls of the Ohio Foundation. Meets in the picnic area.

Experience the Outer Fossil Beds
2025-09-27 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
The outer fossils are one of the world’s amazing excursions to see Devonian fossils in their natural “habitat.” We only offer this hike in the late summer and fall when the upper gates of the McAlpine Dam are closed. This 3-hour hike is moderately rugged on uneven limestone ledges and without shade, so wear a hat. Use enclosed shoes and bring water. You will do a little wading; the worst is about two feet deep with a moderate current. We will explore the geology, history, and river dynamics & engineering of the dam and 1870 railroad bridge. Watch for birds and other wildlife. Meet at the Interpretive Center 15 minutes early to sign the waiver. The hike is for anyone over age 12.

Bead It - Art at the Falls
2025-09-28 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
We inherited a large collection of beads. Join us for an Art at the Falls activity that beads to a different drum. Mike Gibson will guide participants in an activity where you can design sculptures, mandalas, or jewelry in this “multibeadia” activity. Don’t bead around the bush, meet in the picnic area. $2 program free covered by a grant from the Falls of the Ohio Foundation.

Junior Paleontologist Program
2025-10-04 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Our Junior Paleontologist program is similar to what some national parks offer but focuses on our area. This family program is geared for the same age as our Lewis & Clark Junior Ranger program – ages 6 – 13. New guided activity booklet is now in use. Join park paleontologist Alan Goldstein as we have some fun learning about fossils. Free. Meets in the classroom. Exhibit gallery admission not included.

Bee-utiful Fossils
2025-10-05 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Fossil insects have been found dating back hundreds of millions of years. Volunteer Dale Brown will bring examples and discuss the history of insects, where they are found, and how they are preserved. Free program meets in the rotunda.

Lewis & Clark Junior Ranger Program
2025-10-11 15:00 - 16:00 UTC
As an official stop on the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, we offer the National Park’s Lewis & Clark Junior Ranger program. It comes with a J. R. activity booklet, and participants (geared for age 7 to 13) will get a Junior Ranger pin after filling the activity booklet out. Cost $2.00 per participant covered by a grant by the Falls of the Ohio Foundation.

CANCELED: Experience the Outer Fossil Beds
2025-10-12 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
CANCELED: The water levels are too high near the dam to safely cross this weekend so the Oct. 12th Outer Fossil Bed Tour has been cancelled.
The outer fossils are one of the world’s amazing excursions to see Devonian fossils in their natural “habitat.” We only offer this hike in the late summer and fall when the upper gates of the McAlpine Dam are closed. This 3-hour hike is moderately rugged on uneven limestone ledges and without shade, so wear a hat. Use enclosed shoes and bring water. You will do a little wading; the worst is about two feet deep with a moderate current. We will explore the geology, history, and river dynamics & engineering of the dam and 1870 railroad bridge. Watch for birds and other wildlife. Meet at the Interpretive Center 15 minutes early to sign the waiver. The hike is for anyone over age 12.

National Fossil Day at the Falls
2025-10-18 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Celebrate National Fossil Day at the Falls of the Ohio State Park with a series of special fossil bed hikes, reduced admission for the Interpretive Center – $7 for adults, guides on the collecting piles, children’s activities and more!
Three special hikes:
10 to 11:30 AM – Hike to the dam – look at the fossils in a part of the fossil bed that we rarely take visitors.
1 to 2:30 PM – A really big fossil hike: Join the park naturalist as we seek out the biggest fossils on the fossil beds, including a 50-foot-long branching coral, 15-foot-wide honeycomb coral, four-foot horn coral and more.
3 PM – Fishing for fossils at Fisherman’s Point: Join the park naturalist as we explore the fossil beds at Fisherman’s Point. We’ll look for snails, crinoids, and look at some of the biggest corals on the fossil beds. Bring a deck broom and a bucket and help us expose some cool fossils.
Hands-on fossil-related activities and crafts will be held in the Interpretive Center rotunda and the picnic area.

Family Nature Club - Build a Crinoid
2025-10-19 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Crinoids are common fossils but not understood by most people. Join us for an activity where visitors get to make and take a crinoid with art/craft materials and cereal.$2 program fee is covered by the Falls of the Ohio Foundation. Meets in the picnic area.

Paleontology Explorer - The AG Boundary
2025-10-25 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Alan Goldstein will spin a few stories connected to his favorite fossils in the park’s collections, including some he found over the years as interpretive naturalist and park paleontologist. He retires after 31 years from the Falls of the Ohio State Park in two weeks.

Falls Feeder Fairies - Art at the Falls
2025-10-26 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
We’ll make decorative fairies out of acorns and other natural materials that you can place in your yard to help feed wildlife. Led by artist Mike Gibson. Your $2 program fee is covered by the Falls of the Ohio Foundation.

An Afternoon with Alan
2025-11-01 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
After 31 years, interpretive naturalist and park paleontologist is retiring from the Falls of the Ohio State Park. This is one of your last opportunities to bring in rocks and fossils for identification by him. (Repeated Nov. 8th.) Ask questions about his time at the park, geology & fossils. He has “a few” funny stories to share.

Shell in a Handbasket
2025-11-02 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Join volunteer naturalist Nick Feltner as he goes through a basket of fascinating fossil and modern snail shells. How has the life history of gastropods changed over time? What are differences between their shapes? We will explore the unusual adaptations of current snails using beautiful specimens recently acquired from the Kentucky Science Center’s collection. Free Program in the rotunda.

Lewis & Clark Junior Ranger Program
2025-11-08 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
As an official stop on the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, we offer the National Park’s Lewis & Clark Junior Ranger program. It comes with a J. R. activity booklet, and participants (geared for age 7 to 13) will get a Junior Ranger pin after filling the activity booklet out. Cost $2.00 per participant covered by a grant by the Falls of the Ohio Foundation. Meets in the classroom.

The Last Afternoon with Alan
2025-11-08 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
After 31 years, interpretive naturalist and park paleontologist is hanging up his uniform and retiring from the Falls of the Ohio State Park at the end of the day. This is your last opportunity to bring in rocks and fossils for identification or ask questions about geology & fossils. He will share memories from his time here.

Dinosaurs, Gosh Dung It!
2025-11-09 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Coprolites are a paleontological curiosity. How can dinosaur droppings be preserved as fossils? Many animal droppings are preserved in the fossil record. Learn about this unusual and important trace fossil from Dale Brown, a local amateur paleontologist and park volunteer. Meets in the rotunda. Free program.

Saving America's Largest Salamander - The Hellbender
2025-11-15 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Indiana is home to America’s largest salamander, called the Hellbender. It is only found in one Indiana river – the Blue River in Harrison County. Come and learn about this amazing aquatic animal, what makes it special, and what you can do to keep its habitat clean. This hands-on program will cover its adaptations, how water pollution affects it, and how amphibians have changed over geological time using a life-size model of Ichthyostega, the oldest amphibian in the fossil record. Program free.
