Smile Across America
At Bighorn Canyon, Wyoming, a small piece of driftwood is about to become a family memento—and a reason for neighbors to spend time caring for a shared shoreline.
On August 22, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area plans to begin its National Park Week activities with a free driftwood-art session at Horseshoe Bend Picnic Area. Aquatic Invasive Species Intern Natalie will lead the two-hour program, scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon. The park says participants can collect driftwood from the surrounding area and turn it into a keepsake of their visit.
It is an appealingly modest invitation: sit down, make something with a found bit of wood and look out across the water and canyon walls together. The National Park Service says the session is for families, budding artists and anyone looking for a hands-on way to connect with the park.
A week for making a personal connection
The Bighorn Canyon program is part of National Park Week, which runs August 22 through 30 this year. The nationwide theme is “Celebrate America’s Story,” and the Park Service has positioned the week as a time to explore nature and history, join ranger programs and make new memories outdoors.
At Bighorn Canyon, the calendar adds a second kind of connection. On August 29, the park plans a park-wide cleanup at Horseshoe Bend from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aquatic Invasive Species Intern Charlie is set to assign areas, while volunteers help keep trails and shorelines welcoming for wildlife and future visitors. The park says it will provide trash bags; participants are asked to bring work gloves, water, snacks, sun protection and sturdy shoes.
The two events make a nice pairing. One asks people to notice a small piece of a place and make it their own. The other asks them to leave the larger place ready for the next family, walker or wildlife watcher. Neither requires a grand gesture; both make room for people to contribute at a human scale.
Before heading out
These are scheduled programs, not reports of completed events. Visitors can confirm details and current conditions with Bighorn Canyon’s official calendar before traveling. The Park Service’s National Park Week page also lists the August 25 fee-free day marking the agency’s 110th birthday.
There is no need to overstate what a paintbrush or a cleanup bag can do. But a few unhurried hours by the water can give a family a story to take home—and leave a public place a little more ready for someone else’s story.
Sources
- National Park Service: End of Summer Programming at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (August 4, 2026)
- National Park Service: National Park Week (accessed August 18, 2026)
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