WASHINGTON (June 4, 2009) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with federal, state and local government agencies, non-profit organizations and the recreation industry, will host activities on the second annual National Get Outdoors Day June 13.

More than 75 organizations will conduct hundreds of outdoor activities at 39 private and government-managed recreation sites across the country, according to event co-sponsors, the U.S. Forest Service and the American Recreation Coalition. The goal of the national event is to raise the awareness of people of all ages, especially kids, on the benefits of outside activities. Each National Get Outdoors Day event will feature activities that promote fun and value time outdoors.

Eight Corps of Engineers project sites will be featured nationally:

• National Great Rivers Museum in West Alton, Mo.
• Lake Oahe in Pierre, S.D.
• Melvern Lake in Melvern, Kan.
• Pomona Lake in Vassar, Kan.
• Bay Model Visitor Center in Sausalito, Calif.
• Wappapello Lake, Wappapello in Mo.
• Bonnet Carre Spillway in New Orleans, La.
• J. Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tenn.

Among the outdoor recreation activities at these sites are geocaching (a high-tech version of treasure hunting, using handheld electronic devices), hiking, bicycling, photography contests, scuba and water safety demonstrations, dutch oven cooking, disc golf competitions, children’s fishing derby, environmental education, and a virtual fishing simulator. Dozens of other Corps of Engineers project sites will also hold events in support of National Get Outdoors Day.

National Get Outdoors Day is a signature event of “Great Outdoors Month,” designated annually in June by the White House and governors across the nation.

For more information on the event, click here.

For more information on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes, click here.

In the photo: Visitors pause during a Segway tour of the US Army Corps of Engineers' National Great Rivers Museum in Alton, Ill. (US Army Corps of Engineers Photo)