and developed the park as a venue for bluegrass and Gospel music concerts. It was one of the first outdoor bluegrass music festivals in the country, and by the 1970s had grown to be one of the largest in the world. The park served as a venue showcasing many legends of the bluegrass genre including Bill Monroe, Charlie Daniels, Ricky Skaggs, Lester Flatt, Ralph Stanley, Doc Watson, and Norman Blake. Emmylou Harris made her first public appearance at Horse Pens 40, "standing barefoot on a wooden door propped up on the rocks." During this period, the park was designated by the Alabama State Legislature as "The Home of the South's Bluegrass Music". The park was also used for several years during this time for Art and Craft shows. The park, while recognized and protected by the State of Alabama, is private property owned by the Schultz Family, and as such is subject to their rules for access and stay. Wildlife and history According to the official website, Horse Pens 40 is home to many varieties of rare birds, animal, and plants, as well as ancient burial mounds and Native American Fetishes. From the official website: Since it is a natural stone fortress atop a fortress-like mountain, it was used by the Native Americans as a protected village and ceremonial area for thousands of years. There are living and working areas as well as burial areas dating back to the Paleo (pre- Stone Age-12,000+ years ago) and Archaic (early Stone Age-10,000 years ago) periods up to more recent times throughout the park. We also have what may be the only remaining example in the United States of an ancient leaching pit that has seen actual historical use. The boulders range from 400 to 600 million years old with a section that scientists say may possibly date back over a billion years old. Horse Pens 40 is home to field mice, foxes, badgers, black bear, coyotes, raccoons, deer, groundhogs, squirrels, as well as an assortment of hawks, owls, turkey vultures, and the rare red-cockaded woodpecker and red pileated woodpeckers. Bouldering Horse Pens 40 is home to one of the most concentrated boulder fields in the world. The boulders are made of "ancient erosion carved sandstone". In most places they are solid enough to climb, however some boulders are made of weaker sandstone that crumbles to the touch. Certain bouldering routes take advantage