Boat Rental is Now Open!

We are very excited to announce that our boat rental facilities are back open. The Boat Rental Facility will be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10-6 pm. Boats are available on a first come first served basis. Visit our Boat Rental Page for more details. Check out this document for the upcoming schedule. 

Join the Junior Park Explorers!



We are excited to announce the launch of the Junior Park Explorers 

program for kids ages

4-15! This program is a new way for kids to experience our Wake County parks and preserves. Grab a scorecard, complete the challenge, and win a cool prize! 

Sign your Dragonfly Detective up for this awesome summer camp!

Explore the world of dragonflies at the Dragonfly Detectives Camp! There are just a a few spots left for this exciting summer camp the week of Monday, July 18th to Thursday, July 21st, from 9 am to 2 pm each day. Learn about aquatic systems, animal migration, and dragonfly identification while participating in fun, scientific activities. Campers will help gather data on dragonfly migration and contribute to a citizen science project.

Each camper will receive a dragonfly field guide, insect net, activity guide, and water bottle to keep. Snacks will be provided each day. This camp is co-sponsored by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.

Additional camp forms will be sent to registrants and must be completed and returned prior to camp.

Open to ages 9-13. The cost for this camp is $80.

Sign up here!

Meet our new Program Animal

We have a new baby box turtle at Lake Crabtree. This individual is a hybrid between a native Eastern Box Turtle and a non-native Three-toed Box Turtle so it could not be released into the wild. We are excited to watch it grow and use it as a program animal to teach people about our native box turtles and why you should not take them from their homes in the wild to be pets. Check out our Facebook post for more pictures and to leave a name suggestion!

Crabtree Nature Crafts



Next time you bring the kids out to the park to enjoy the playgrounds, trails, or other facilities, be sure to stop by the Manager's Office for a free craft! Look for signs posted at the restrooms and playgrounds that the craft is available that day (generally Mondays through Thursdays from 10 am to noon). 

Each month we will feature a different craft and theme. This month's feature is FLOWERS! Stop by to make your very own sunflower craft.

UPCOMING PARK PROGRAMS

Come out to Lake Crabtree and discover more about the natural world while exploring the park. Click the links (program titles) for more details and to register. Spaces are limited to allow for social distancing at in-person programs, so register today. All programs are FREE!

Lake Crabtree also offers group programs! If your group is interested in booking a program, contact Colleen Bockhahn at colleen.bockhahn@wakegov.com.

In-Person Programs for Everyone

Nature Nerds: Lakeshore Life

Friday, June 3rd from 1-2 pm

Expand your knowledge of our local flora and fauna by exploring a different area of the park each month. Join park staff as they "nerd out" over a different group of animals, plants, fungi or other living things each month. Help collect data for our Biodiversity Project on iNaturalist while increasing your own identification skills.

This month we will be focusing on the animals that live along the lakeshore. We will be exploring both on land and in the lake. Bring waders, rubber boots, or other shoes that can get wet and help us collect aquatic species! Ages 10 and up.

Birding with Vernon

Saturday, June 4th from 8:30-10 am

Join our bird enthusiast, Vernon, for an easy walk while looking and listening for our feathered friends. Discover different types of birds and their habitats. Bring your own binoculars and field guides if you have them. Beginners and experienced birdwatchers are welcome! Ages 8 and up.

Plants and Animals to Look Out For

Saturday, June 11th from 2-3:30 pm

There are a lot of fun experiences to have outdoors, but there are also some things to watch out for and be cautious of. From venomous snakes, to stinging wasps and poisonous plants, you need to know what to look out for. Come learn about some of the things in nature you want to keep your distance from and be ready to enjoy the outdoors safely.

Ages 6 and up.

Watershed Wisdom

Saturday, June 18th from 1-2:30 pm

How can your trash end up in Lake Crabtree? A watershed has something to do with it! This program explores the concept of a watershed, Wake County's watershed system, and pollution solutions that better protect our waters in Wake County and beyond! Ages 7 and up. 

Storytime for Tots & Homeschool/Track-out Programs

Homeschool/Track-out: Bees and Blooms

Wednesday, June 8th from 1-3 pm

Join us as we take a closer look at bees and their relationship with flowers. We will discuss bee conservation, the wide range of bee species, and the differences between them. Come learn how to make your yard or garden friendly to these important pollinators, and how to build houses for native bees. All children must be registered, parents are welcome to stay or drop off. Open to ages 6-13.

WILD SIDE: Lake Life

Unsurprisingly, the lake is a big feature here at Lake Crabtree County Park. Lake Crabtree was created by damming Crabtree Creek and forming a man-made reservoir in 1989 in order to alleviate the possibility of flooding downstream. The result is a 520 acre lake that became the first Wake County Park location. The lake continues to function as a flood control site and has become a popular recreation spot, and home to many wildlife species. Fishing at the lake is catch and release only, so our natural predators don’t have to compete with humans taking home their dinner. 

Let’s dive into our lake life and learn more about what lives here. The lake was originally stocked with fish back up until 2005. To date, we have recorded 18 species of fish here at Lake Crabtree. We have the catch and release policy for our fish because they are not safe for human consumption. The lake was contaminated with PCBs from transformers that were illegally dumped upstream. The danger to humans comes from fish that feed on plants and sift through potentially contaminated soil. The EPA periodically tests the soil to monitor the contamination levels. It is a bit harder to explain the dangers PCB is to an otter or bald eagle than a human, but we have not actually noticed any ill-effects on wildlife at Lake Crabtree County Park. 

Speaking of eagles and otters, we have a lot of mammals and birds that live at the lake as well. You’ve probably seen, heard, or smelled the flocks of double-crested cormorants that roost in the trees near the fishing platform. We are home to about 40 cormorants year round, but in the winter we are hosts to a few hundred hungry migratory cormorants that enjoy our lake until spring comes again. Another notable bird is the regal looking great blue heron. You may find these large birds down by the shore where they wait for fish to swim by and strike with their long, sharp beaks! Most of our semi-aquatic mammals are nocturnal so you aren’t likely to see them in person, but you might notice some evidence they leave behind. Keep an eye out for gnawed trees near ground level that mark the work of some busy beavers. You may also find clam shells and scat piles near the shore marking where an otter or raccoon enjoyed a midnight snack.

Because Lake Crabtree is home to a lot more than just those species mentioned above, I recommend visiting the Natural Resources Inventory Database. This resource is an excellent way to explore data and photos of all our wildlife and plant observations here at Lake Crabtree County Park as well as the other parks and preserves. And if you want to see some pictures and videos of Lake Crabtree wildlife make sure to follow our Facebook page where we share exciting finds from our trail cameras!