Fall’s promise of cooler temperatures is encouraging many area residents to plan outdoor activities, and families can find plenty of fun and educational options in upcoming weeks at Ray Roberts Lake State Park.

The Isle du Bois and Johnson Branch units have scheduled fall events, including campfire programs, nature hikes and Halloween activities. Each unit will host programs about “Creatures of the Night.”

“We’ll be listening to some different night sounds that people hear a lot in the park,” said Jan Hodson, interpretive ranger at the Johnson Branch Unit. “We’ll get them familiar with the animals that can be found in the park at night.”

Some sounds, such as the ones made by owls, can be disturbing to those who are unfamiliar with them, Hodson said, so the program is designed to put park visitors at ease.

“Basically, we go out and see if we can hear anything,” Hodson said. “I’m trying to reduce fears — a fear of the outdoors that has been ingrained over the years from tall tales that aren’t true.”

Today’s residents might not spend as much time outdoors as previous generations did, Hodson said, and as a result, many are fearful of what they will find when they do explore.

“We need to get them outside,” she said. “These programs not only introduce kids to the outdoors, but also the parents.”

Two sessions at the Johnson Branch Unit highlight night creatures.

A Kids ’N’ Nature program from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 will explore this topic, and youngsters can make a paper bat as a craft project.

“We’re going to talk about bats and dispel some of the myths about them,” Hodson said. “Thanks to horror movies, most people think they are evil little creatures, and they are extremely beneficial.”

Space is limited for the program, and registration is required. Those interested can call 940-637-2294 to sign up.

A second program from 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 17 will feature a discussion followed by a walk on the Vanishing Prairie Trail to listen for night sounds. Participants will meet at the Park Store Pavilion at the Johnson Branch Unit.

The Johnson Branch Unit has scheduled nature walks for 3 p.m. every Saturday, and participants will meet at the Vanishing Prairie Trail head.

The Isle du Bois Unit also will offer a Kids ’N’ Nature program on night creatures from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the unit’s Interpretive Center.

Cassie Cox, park ranger and interpreter at the Isle du Bois Unit, said a stargazing party is planned for Oct. 17. The event will be at the Isle du Bois Unit’s Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association Trail parking lot, and it will begin at dusk, weather-permitting, and will continue into the evening. Telescopes will be set up for the public to use, Cox said.

“That’s something we used to do on a monthly basis,” she said of the stargazing party. “Volunteers bring out telescopes, and the public is welcome to come up and take a look.”

Halloween activities at the lake will include a Kids ’N’ Nature program planned for 1 to 2 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Johnson Branch Park Store Pavilion and a Halloween night hike from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Isle du Bois Lost Pines Amphitheater.

“We encourage people to wear their costumes,” Cox said of the Isle du Bois Halloween night hike.

The Interpretive Center at the Isle du Bois Unit will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Saturday this fall and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. The center also is open at various times on weekdays.

Nature hikes are planned for 3 p.m. every Saturday on the Lost Pines Trail, and participants will meet at the Lost Pines Amphitheater. The guided walks on the half-mile loop trail feature discussions of the plants and animals in the park.

Most programs are free with paid park entry, Cox said.

“It feels great outside now,” she said.

LES COCKRELL can be reached at 940-566-6887. His e-mail address is lcockrell@dentonrc.com .