View over 75,000 lights at Lake Hope State Park’s “Holiday Trail of Lights”

Lake Hope State Park will again be offering the Holiday Trail of Lights with over 75,000 lights and featuring animated displays, decorated trees, landscape lighting and holiday music along a quarter-mile trail near the park’s nature center.  The lights will be turned on beginning Thursday, December 1st and will run every night through December 31st, 2011.   This year’s additional activities will include horse-drawn wagon rides on December 10^th and 17th from 6:00-9:00pm and numerous visits by Santa Claus at the nature center from 6-8pm, December 9^th ,10^th ,16^th , and 17^th. The Holiday Trail of Lights is free, open to the public and fun for all ages.  Donations to the Friends of Lake Hope are strongly encouraged.

Most displays along the trail will turn on with the use of motion sensors as visitors walk along the trail and automatically shut off as visitors pass by.  Don’t be discouraged if most of the lights are out when you arrive.  Be sure to hike the trail to make the lights turn on!   Park personnel are excited to join visitors in celebrating the holiday spirit, but also want to encourage conservation and wise use of natural resources by using low voltage lights, motion detectors, and timers to conserve energy.   The display will also have a section of solar powered lights!   
            The park’s nature center provides information on the nature and history of the area and is home to live critters including a timber rattlesnake and a snapping turtle.  The nature center will be open special hours during some of the days in which Santa visits.  On the following dates, visitors of all ages can visit the nature center from 6-9:00pm and enjoy additional activities including Lionel train displays, cooking s’mores, and enjoying hot chocolate:

Santa Visits Lake Hope, 6:00-8:00pm,  December  9^th ,10^th ,16^th and 17^{th
The Nature Center will be open on December 9th, 10th, 16th, and 17th from 6-9pm}

Horse Drawn Wagon Rides, 6:00-9:00pm, Saturday December 10^th and 17th 
No reservations required, FREE, but donations encouraged.

Trail of Lights is open every night in December from 6:00-10:00pm

All activities are free, but please donate to the Friends of Lake Hope.

For more information, please check out our website at www.lakehopestatepark.com or contact the Lake Hope Nature Center by calling 740-596-3030 or email at lakehope@dragonbbs.com