Check Out What's Happening at Crowder! November 2021 | |
See what's happening on our social media sites: | |
Photograph of stunning Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata), reaching towards the sun in the late afternoon. Photo taken by volunteer Sam Ray. | |
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The health and safety of our visitors and staff remain the top priorities for Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space. As Wake County follows the state's phased approach to lift COVID-19 restrictions, we are also working to safely reopen park services.
Shelter rentals and other park use agreements are available.
The following restrictions will remain in place at Wake County parks and preserves until further notice:
- Park centers are open to the public.
- Park programs will be held outdoors with limited participant capacity to allow social distancing and additional safety measures.
- In-park programs are now being offered with no more than 10 participants per program.
In an effort to slow the increasing spread of COVID-19, employees and visitors to all Wake County buildings are required to wear face masks starting Monday, August 2, regardless of vaccination status. Thank you for your cooperation.
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Park Opening and Closing Times:
Park Grounds are open daily,
from 8 a.m. to Sunset.
The entrance gates close at
7:00 p.m. through November 6th, and will change to 6:00 p.m. as of November 7th. The closing time will change once more in the month on November 15th, switching to a closing time of
5:30 p.m. This time will remain until the new year.
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Park Closed for the Holiday
Happy Thanksgiving from the staff here at Crowder Park!
Please note that the park is closed for Thanksgiving Day so everyone can spend holiday time with family and friends.
The park will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday morning, November 26th.
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Lower Restrooms & Water Fountains Winterized
Please note the restrooms in the lower pavilion and the drinking fountains in the park are now winterized and closed to the public. Facilities are still available in the upper pavilion next to the large playground!
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Crowder Educational Programs | |
Virtual- Crowder By Night:
Mysteries of the Moon
Thursday, November 4th;
3-4 p.m.
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In Person- Crowder By Night:
Mysteries of the Moon
Friday, November 5th; 4-5 p.m.
Program is FULL; waitlist is open.
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Is there a man in the Moon, and is the Moon made of cheese? Join us as we learn all about the Moon and its role in our solar system! We will talk about how moons are formed, and how other planets got their moon(s) too. Play some fun interactive games, then read a cute story. For all ages.
Registration is required for all virtual programs. A zoom link will be sent out to all registered participants a day before the program start date.
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Is there a man in the Moon, and is the Moon made of cheese? Join us as we learn all about the Moon and its role in our solar system! We will talk about how moons are formed, and how other planets got their moon(s) too. Go on a moon hike, read a fun story, look through a telescope, and see if you can remember all the different phases of the moon! For all ages (adult accompaniment is required for all children).
Registration is required. No unregistered participants will be allowed into the program. Meet at the Heron Shelter, and we ask that you and your family please arrive ten minutes early for check-in and COVID-19 rules.
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Family Features:
Nature’s Bounties
Sunday, November 21st;
2- 3 p.m
Program is FULL; waitlist is open.
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Nature Families:
Why the Leaves Change
Wednesday, November 17th,
11 a.m.- Noon
Program is FULL; waitlist is open.
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Join us as we learn about Indigenous American farming practices, investigate corn under microscopes and hand lenses, and learn the difference between fruits and veggies. Learn about the different indigenous communities of the Americas and their ways of life, then go on a hike to discover edible and medicinal plants. For all ages (adult accompaniment is required for all children).
Registration is required. No unregistered participants will be allowed into the program. Meet at the Heron Shelter, and we ask that you and your family please arrive ten minutes early for check-in and COVID-19 rules.
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Have you ever wondered how trees talk, or why all the leaves change color in the fall? Join us as we discover our native trees, do some nature journaling, and read a fun story, then build your own "tree" to take home. For all ages (adult accompaniment is required for all children).
Registration is required. No unregistered participants will be allowed into the program. Meet at the Heron Shelter, and we ask that you and your family please arrive ten minutes early for check-in and COVID-19 rules.
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Self-Guided Activities!
Virtual and In-Person
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Storywalks® at Crowder
Crowder is excited to offer you and your families a wonderful interactive StoryWalk® activity within the park!
Join us for this fun self-guided activity. This will be located on the Outer Loop Trail, beginning at the park's Bird Garden, which is immediately on the left as you enter the park, across from the park's office.
This wonderful program combines the joy of reading a story while also getting out and enjoying nature. This hike is around 0.8 miles.
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New to StoryWalk® concept? Laminated pages from a children's book are attached to signs, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you stroll down the trail, you're directed to the next page in the story. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
“The Gift of the Tree” by Alvin Tresselt and illustrated by Henri Sorensen
Month of November
“Time to Sleep” by Denise Fleming
Month of December
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Everyone's Welcome Launch
Wake County Parks is happy to announce the launch of our "Everyone's Welcome" Initiative that aims to welcome all visitors and affirm commitment to offering programs and services that are accessible to everyone.
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Crowder on Video!
We are now offering videos all about wildlife and nature at Crowder Park, so you & your families can enjoy the park and learn from a distance.
Crowder's Youtube playlist
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Here are just a few of our video topics:
- Turtle Time with Ms. Bianca
- All About Bluebirds with Ms. Bianca
- All About Beavers!
- All About Bluebirds Part 2
- All About Monarchs
- All About Night Animals
- All About Ravens, Crows and Jays!
- Exciting Explorations at Crowder Park: A Virtual Guided Hike
- Nature-themed story time
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Activities for Home!
Park staff have put together activities for you and your families to enjoy from the comfort and safety of your own home. Crowder Park from Home offers different activities such as downloadable crafts, scavenger hunts, podcasts, puzzles, videos and more! Be sure to check back often, as this page is updated with new activities and videos regularly!
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Crowder Activity Packs
Are you and your families looking for some fun self-guided activities to do while in the park?
We have now put out our Fall Themed "Crowder Activity Packs", which can be found at the front office or by the restrooms at the upper pavilion. These packs include fun scavenger hunts you can complete while in the park, and even some take home activities as well!
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Park Picks:
Selfie Stations in the Park!
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Backyard Buddies:
Explore and Share
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We want to see YOU in our favorite park spots! Starting today, look for the #ParkPicks sign at Crowder County Park, STOP and SNAP a selfie and SHARE it with us using the hashtag #ParkPicks. We can't wait to see your selfies!
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Use #MyBackyardBuddies on social media to share photos of what you see and check out what we're finding too.
Use the following apps to help you identify wildlife:
- SEEK by iNaturalist
- Merlin Bird ID (now able to do photo and sound ID!)
- iNaturalist
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eco-Explore: An initiative of the NC Arboretum | |
Wake County Parks and Preserves Mobile Tours | |
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Crowder County Park is now an official ecoExplore hotspot! You can help scientists collect data, earn badges, and even prizes! This program is a wonderful and fun initiative of the NC Arboretum, that not only helps nature, but helps you become an expert naturalist!
On their website, you can search different hotspots and view challenges to participate in. You can find the program here:
www.ecoexplore.net
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Take a mobile tour and see our parks through a new lens. How does it work?
- Tap the icon below to pick your park. Other parks and preserves will be added soon, so be sure to check back.
- The tour will show you a map of the property and indicate significant features and interesting spots to see.
- When you get to each point, you'll have access to text, audio, photos and/or videos to help you learn more about and explore your surroundings.
Find the mobile tours here.
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Wake County Natural Resources
Inventory Database
Discover the park by researching our database. Find out when wildflowers are in bloom and what animals have been spotted!
Discover NRID here!
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Wake Parks Instagram Contest
Visit your favorite @WakeGovParks and tag your best with the months corresponding theme!
Tag #WakeParks365 and you are entered. Good luck, everyone. We can't wait to see your photos!
#WakeParks365
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Park Surveys: We want to hear from you!
Have you enjoyed a day in the park recently; walked on our trails; enjoyed a family picnic; or simply have something you'd like us to know about? Please select the link below to fill out a short anonymous survey so we can know what you and our other park visitors are thinking about!
Let us know about your visit.
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Help us keep our park beautiful!
Just a reminder that we have trash cans and recycling bins located throughout the park. If you ever see one that needs attention, please let us know. Thanks for helping to keep our park clean for everyone to enjoy!
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Just a friendly reminder that when you are visiting our park, please be sure to wear your mask or face covering when you are unable to stay at least six feet away from people outside your household.
Our grounds, playgrounds, trails and restrooms are open. Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
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Our playgrounds are now open! We’re excited to welcome kids back and want to ensure they have a safe place to play. Please remind your kids about the importance of social distancing, wearing a mask and washing or sanitizing their hands often. | | |
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Check out the amazing texture on this northern cricket frog! This frog can be many different colors, but usually is grayish-brown with rough skin and black markings on the hind legs. Despite being a relatively small frog (at most 1.5 inches), it is able to jump over 3 feet! It generally can be found near bodies of water such as lakes and ponds, and anywhere there are plants growing in the water. Their favorite snacks include insects like mosquitoes, which can be caught using their long, sticky tongues. Male frogs will call for females in the spring in order to start the mating season, and the best way to pick out a northern cricket frog is by listening for a sound similar to “marbles clicking together." Next time you’re near a pond around dusk, see if you can pick out the “gick-gick” of the northern cricket frog’s call!
Special thanks to Sam Ray for this photo
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Until we can gather again, Crowder County Park is excited to offer engaging virtual field trip programs for groups. Get an interactive, educational experience from the safety and comfort of your own home.
School classes, scouts, clubs, homeschool groups, retirement communities and other organizations can sign up for an educational program to enjoy online.
Crowder's educational programming offers opportunities for participants to learn about nature and to explore important environmental concepts specific to piedmont North Carolina that will help them develop the skills and decision-making processes to become good environmental stewards.
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