Crowders Mountain State Park

Crowders Mountain State Park

Programs for June 2010

All Programs typically last one to one and a half hours.

All Programs are appropriate for children unless otherwise stated.

Auxiliary aids require a seven day advanced notice. 

Questions?  Call: 704.853.5375

                                           

Snakes of Crowders Mountain                      Saturday, June 5 - 10:00 AM

Snakes are our friends even if they scare you!  Join us for this program to learn about the different scaly friends living in the park; overcome your fear with knowledge and amazement.  Meet at the visitor center; come rain or shine.

 

 

 

Beavers, Our Amazing Animal Engineers           Saturday, June 12 – 4:00 PM

Meet at the fishing pier at the park lake to see signs of our newest wildlife resident, and all around amazing critter: the beaver!  We will have a fun activity demonstrating the physical characteristics that make the beaver such an effective engineer, and hike around the lake looking for signs of their hard work.  This program will be held at the visitor center if it is raining.

 

 

Ranger on the Ridge                                   Sunday, June 20 - 6:00 PM

Meet with a Ranger at the Crowders Mountain overlook at the top of the Backside trail.  Here’s your chance to ask any questions about the park you may have and look at the surrounding countryside through a spotting scope.  The program will be cancelled if it rains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                             

Self-Guided Kids Digital Camera Scavenger Hunt             Saturday, June 26                See times in the narrative below

It is a new age of electronics!  Many people have digital cameras today, even kids!  Join us for this new kind of a scavenger hunt that, “Leaves only footprints and takes only memories and photographs!”  Come by the visitor center front desk any time and pick-up the, “Scavenger Hunt Worksheet”.  Then go out into the park, on your own, hunt for, and take photographs of the things listed on the sheet.   Come back to the visitor center at either 1:30pm or 5:00pm to meet with a park ranger.  Share your scavenger hunt photos and chose from a number of free prizes!  Participants must bring their own camera.

 

                                                             

 

                                                                                 Garter Snake

 

Programs for July 2010

All Programs typically last one to one and a half hours.

All Programs are appropriate for children unless otherwise stated.

Auxiliary aids require a seven day advanced notice. 

Questions?  Call: 704.853.5375

                                           

 

Stream Critter Search                              Saturday, July 3 – 10:00 AM

With nets, wet shoes, and a fun spirit we will search out and catch the fish, insects, and other animals living in our local streams and maybe the park lake.  After getting to know our little aquatic friends we will carefully release them back into their habitats.  Meet at the First Picnic Shelter parking lot.  Program is canceled if it is raining.  

 

 

Birds of Prey                                              Saturday, July 10 – 4:00PM               

Red-shouldered hawk, Great Horned Owl, Coppers Hawk, and many other birds of prey make their home in and around the park!  Not only are they beautiful birds, they also have many interesting physical and behavioral adaptations that you will learn about.  Meet in the visitor center auditorium come rain or shine.      

 

Outdoor Safety                                    Saturday, July 17 - 10:00 AM

How do you stay safe while hiking in the summer heat and humidity?  Ever wonder what to do if you get lost in the woods?  What should you always carry in a daypack?  Join a ranger to learn the answers to these and other questions you may have about survival in the woods.  This program is great for children, girl scouts, and boy scouts.  Meet at the visitor center, come rain or shine.

 

 

Celebrate North Carolina!

July 23 to 25 is “Celebrate North Carolina,” an initiative to celebrate what makes North Carolina unique sponsored by the First Gentleman’s Office, the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, and the Governor’s Office.  The theme for this weekend is: Parks!  So get out this weekend and enjoy a North Carolina State, Federal, county, or city park, including Crowders Mountain!  

 

                                                                              

Biters, Stingers and Itchers                          Saturday, July 24 – 4:00PM                                                                Lack of understanding has led to many misconceptions about plants and animals that can cause us harm.  Curiosity about these plants and animals is both healthy and useful because it may prevent the harm in the first place.  Learn more about some of the venomous animals and poisonous plants in the park as well as what to do if you come into contact with some of them.  This program would be great for scout and youth groups.  Meet at the visitor center auditorium.

 

 

Kid’s Summer Nature Games                         Saturday, July 31 – 10:00AM                                                                

Summer is of course a time to play!  So it is a great time to learn about nature through various interactive games.  Parents can join in too!  Meet at the visitor center; program is canceled if it is raining.

 

 

 

 

Black-eyed Susan’s: A common summer wildflower!

 

 

                                                                                              

 

 Word About the Park Lake

The Lake is now filled.

The park lake was recently drained for repairs, but has been refilled and restocked with fish. However, the fish have not had the opportunity to grow. Catching fish might be difficult until they have some time to gain in size. It will be approximately two years before they will be large enough to keep, and we are asking everyone to practice catch and release so that the stocked fish can continue to grow and reproduce. Please call the park office with questions or for more details. Thank you.

Our permanent exhibits are here!!!!

After six years and a lot of work on the part of park staff and volunteers, the permanent exhibits have been installed in the Exhibit Hall of the Visitors Center. These exhibits provide information on four natural communities, plants and animals common to these communities, and approximate elevations within the park where the community occurs. There is an area that focuses on neo-tropical migrants, complete with their calls, that nest in Crowders Mountain State Park during the summer. Another area focuses on the natural resource management efforts of park staff and what visitors can do to both enjoy and help protect park. A final area in the exhibit hall and areas in adjacent hallways focus on local cultural history of this area and the history of how Crowders Mountain State Park was established. There’s plenty to learn and hopefully everyone will discover something different each time they visit.