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Verde
River Days
at Dead Horse Ranch State Park
On
the last Saturday and Sunday in September, a meadow at Dead Horse
Ranch State Park is turned into a battlefield.
At designated times, Civil War reenactors, dressed as
soldiers in either blue or gray, march towards each other, waving
their Union and Confederate flags. Then—in an eyeball-to-eyeball
and musket-to-musket encounter—they recreate a Civil War battle.
While spectators watch on the sidelines, canyons are fired,
shots go off and soldiers drop to the ground. The action is loud
and startlingly immediate. When there is a lull in the fighting,
musicians, also in period costume, play songs once favored by each
side.
The
reenactment of the Civil War is one of the highlights of Verde
River Days, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary
on Saturday, September 27, 2008. While
the historic encampments, drills and battles go on through the
weekend, many other activities, mostly taking place on Saturday,
promote preservation and care of the Verde River’s riparian
habitat.
As
the saying goes, you take care of what you love.
And, as everyone who visits will soon discover, it’s easy
to love the Verde River and Dead Horse Ranch State Park. Many of
the scheduled activities for Verde River Days are sure to delight
people of all ages—from canoe rides on the lagoon (with or
without assistance) to nature hikes and fishing. The lagoon is
stocked with hundreds of pounds of catfish, and the Arizona Game
& Fish Department is on hand to help with poles, bait and
tackle.
In
addition, there are dozens of environmental exhibits, some with
hands-on activities and programs for children. Food
vendors offer refreshments. The program changes slightly from year
to year.
Admission
to Dead Horse Ranch State Park is free on Saturday; usual entrance
fees apply for Sunday. There
is a $6 charge per vehicle with up to 4 adults; the fee is $2 for
bicyclists and walk ins. For
those who choose to camp at the park, the fee is $12 or $19 with
hookups. For more
information and specific times, call Dead Horse Ranch State Park
at (928) 634-5283.
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