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Programs at Harris Lake County Park
Kids Discover Nature: The Busy Tree
Thursday, May 7; 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
For ages 2-5 with accompanying adult
Register Here
Explore the wonderful world of trees with park staff! Together we will read The Busy Tree by Jennifer Ward, a sweet story about the many creatures that make their home in trees. Participants will sing songs, make a craft, and take a hike to search for different types of trees in the park. Don't miss it!
Meet at the Cypress Shelter.
Wild About Woodpeckers
Saturday, May 9; 2-3:30 p.m.
For all ages
Register Here
Woodpeckers are some of the most recognizable birds as they grip the side of a tree pecking a hole or looking for food, but how much do you really know about them? Learn some cool woodpecker facts, hear common woodpecker calls, make a special craft to take home, and go on a short hike to look and listen for them around the park. All participants (children and adults) must be registered in our online system.
Meet at the picnic tables in the
Educational Garden.
Taste of Spring
Sunday, May 31; 2-3 p.m.
For all ages
Register Here
Spring is here! Celebrate all the senses of springtime as we explore what we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste this time of year. We will look for new plant growth, listen for birds, smell flowers in bloom, and more. Enjoy a leisurely hike through the spring woods.
Meet at the Cypress Shelter.
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Programs at the
American Tobacco Trail
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ATT Twilight Discovery Hike
Friday, May 8; 6:30-8 p.m.
For all ages
Register Here
Join us for an early spring evening hike! Learn more about the history of the ATT and observe natural wonders along the Trail as we make our way to the picturesque Beaver Creek wetland. We will be walking about 1.5 miles on a crushed gravel surface. Bring a water bottle and binoculars if you have them. All participants (children and adults) must be registered online.
Meet at the New Hill parking area at the upper picnic table (1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Rd.)
O is for Opossum
Sunday, May 17; 2-3 p.m.
For all ages
Register Here
There is much more than meets the eye when it comes to our State Marsupial! You’ll learn what makes them unique and important, practice playing ‘possum and get to see a real opossum mount up close. For all ages. All participants (adults and children) must be registered.
Meet at the New Hill parking area at the lower picnic table (1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Rd.)
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HARRIS LAKE COUNTY PARK
Heads Up: Harris Lake County Park will be closed to the public until 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, to host the Triangle Sprint and Mini-Sprint Triathlon.
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Dynamic Dogs
Saturdays, May 2, 9, 16, 23
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Dynamic Dogs will be using the overflow parking field for their training classes on these dates.
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Beginning on Monday, May 18:
Harris Lake County Park will close at 9 p.m.
The New Hill parking area (1309 New Hill-Olive Chapel Rd.) on the American Tobacco Trail will lock at 8:30 p.m. Restrooms at New Hill and White Oak will automatically lock at 8:15 p.m.
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Did you know you can recycle monofilament fishing line at the park? Look for the collection bins constructed of PVC plastic pipes located at the fishing pond and on the fishing pier. Signs on the bins provide instructions on how to dispose of the monofilament line properly. Park staff collect, package, and ship the line to Berkley, a fishing tackle company. The Berkley Conservation Institute melts the fishing line into raw plastic pellets which are then used to manufacture new products, including tackle boxes, fishing line spools, fish habitats, and even toys.
Please do your part to help keep our waterways safe and clean for all to enjoy!
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StoryWalk® at Harris Lake County Park:
Be Nice to Spiders
May 9-31
Join us for this month's StoryWalk®, Be Nice to Spiders, written and illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham. Originally published in 1967, this classic tale follows the adventures of Helen as she becomes a hero to the animals (and caretakers!) of the zoo by doing what spiders do and earning respect for her kind! This book is a great read for children and adults to show how important spiders are to our world.
This self-guided StoryWalk® will follow the paved trail beginning at the traditional playground.
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Star Party at the ATT
Thank You!
The Statewide Star Party at the ATT on Friday, April 24 was another galactic success! We loved seeing all of your smiling faces as you learned about "Mission to the Moon" through games and crafts, journeyed through the solar system, listened to constellation stories, enjoyed sweet treats from Kona Ice, and viewed stars, planets, and the moon through telescopes!
Big thanks to our volunteers, including telescope operators from the Raleigh Astronomy Club, Mir Youngquist-Thurow representing Go Camp! LLC, Kona Ice of Western Wake, Green Level High School's Astronomy Club and Science National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society, and many student volunteers from Green Hope High School!
This free event was part of the NC Science Festival and supported with generous funding from North Carolina Space Grant.
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Help Wake County plan how it manages waste
in the future
With the South Wake Landfill expected to reach capacity as early as 2040, the Wake County Solid Waste Management Division has initiated the Beyond the South Wake Landfill Study to prepare for the future of Wake County's waste disposal. Currently, the four options for waste disposal being considered are:
· Development of a new landfill in Wake County.
· Hauling and disposal at regional landfills outside Wake County.
· Development of a Waste-to-Energy facility in Wake County.
· Alternative disposal technologies.
Check out this new webpage to learn more. While you're there, please take five minutes to complete a brief survey to help plan next steps.
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Calling all artists! Are you registered to Paint the Parks?
Join us to #PaintTheParks!
Wake County Parks invites artists to paint the landscapes and landmarks of our parks and preserves in celebration of our 50th anniversary.
🌲Each park and preserve will have a painting day
📆Artists choose location and date when registering
👩🎨Artists paint outdoors!
🎨Selected artists will be featured in an exhibition
Paint at Harris Lake County Park on Thursday, May 7!
Paint at the American Tobacco Trail on Saturday, May 9!
See all dates and locations and register to paint at: wake.gov/parks50
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STAFF ANNIVERSARIES
May is a special anniversary month for HLCP/ATT staff!
On May 16, Amy Sidoti celebrates 3 years as one of our Park Technicians of Education! Yay, Amy!
On May 20, Assistant Manager of Education and Programs, Joanne St. Clair, marks her 13th anniversary at HLCP and the ATT!
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As spring rolls along, we are seeing more wildlife out and about. Just like humans, lots of critters enjoy soaking up some sun, including the various turtles that call Beaver Creek Wetland home! But for these turtles, basking in the sun is more than just a relaxing pastime; it is critical for their survival.
Turtles, like all reptiles, are ectotherms; this means that they rely on outside heat sources (such as the sun) to regulate their body temperature. Being an ectotherm might sound inconvenient at first, but a bask in the sun has its own unique advantages! For one, because the sun is helping to warm their bodies and regulate their temperature, turtles do not have to burn many calories. This allows adult turtles to go weeks or even months without food!
Getting plenty of sunshine is also vital for the production of Vitamin D, which helps strengthen bones (important if you've got a bony shell to maintain). Finally, nothing quite dries out and clears off skin parasites like a sunbath! Why not embrace your "inner turtle" and enjoy some time in the sun this week? If you visit the American Tobacco Trail (particularly the Beaver Creek bridge where this photo was taken), see how many turtles you can spot soaking up the sun just like you!
Species ID: Smaller turtle - Yellow-bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta)
Larger turtle - Eastern River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna concinna)
(Photo by Bob Oberfelder)
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Harris Lake County Park
2112 County Park Drive, New Hill, NC 27562
(919) 387-4342
Email: harris.lake@wake.gov
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