Great Escape: Get Outdoors Day

Ever wanted to try canoeing, fishing, pitching a tent or maybe just want to see how many s'mores you can eat in one sitting? Want to do all that for free?

This weekend you and your kids can experience thrills even your Nintendo Wii can't match during National Get Outdoors Day. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn how to safely shoot a gun or bow, cast a fishing rod, paddle a kayak, identify wild animals, have your picture taken with Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl and learn how to lead a healthier lifestyle.

This is the fourth annual Get Outdoors Day. The original event was held on June 14, 2008, and was a joint effort between the USDA Forest Service and the American Recreation Coalition to connect Americans—especially children—with nature and active lifestyles. Since then, a growing number of groups have teamed up to focus on a single day when they hope people will be inspired and motivated to get outdoors.

A number of Maryland parks are participating in National Get Outdoors Day. Here are a few:

1) Hazel Outdoor Discovery Center
4095 Cooper Rd.
Eden, MD
(Patch Tip: Free lunch will be provided to all, and free Hazel Outdoor Discovery Center T-shirts will be given to the first 400 kids.)

2) Antietam National Battlefield
5831 Dunker Church Rd.
Sharpsburg, MD

3) Rocky Gap State Park
12500 Pleasant Valley Rd., NE
Flintstone, MD