Crowder County Park offers public, educational programs for all ages, year-round. Visit our Calendar of Events and sign up for our E-Newsletter to stay up to date!
Scroll down or select a program series below to learn more about our offerings:
Important Updates
There is no charge for all Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space public, group and outreach programs. Fees still apply for camps and shelter rentals.
We no longer accept cash on site at any Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space location. Payments can be made on site or in advance with a credit or debit card. Checks must be mailed in advance.
Search for programs by location, age, date and more!
To register in person or by mail, please download a copy of our Registration Form or call 919-662-2850 for more information.
For a printout of quarterly programs and events, and for a paper copy of the Wake County parks program registration form, refer to the program bulletin below.
Our staff also offers public programs at Historic Yates Mill County Park.
Check out the
Yates Mill programs page for details.
Registration for January–March 2020 Programs opens on December 1, 2019.
Great Backyard Bird Count
Early Birders
Monday, Feb. 17, 9–10 a.m.
Join us on a winter bird scavenger hunt! Search for common birds of the park and count them along the way. Practice using binoculars and learn how to identify these animals by shape and color. For all ages (recommended for children ages 4–10); FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment. Meet at the Upper Pavilion.
Programs that are fun for the whole family! Meet at the Upper Pavilion.
Fantastic Fossils
Sunday, Jan. 19, 1–2 p.m.
Fossils tell scientists how animals and plants lived a long time ago. Join us as we become Junior Paleontologists! Play the rock cycle game and discover in which rocks fossils form. Learn and experiment with the four types of fossils, then excavate pretend reptiles from eggs! For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for everyone, and children must have adult accompaniment.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Mother Nature!
Sunday, Feb. 16, 1–2 p.m.
Did you give a valentine to Mother Nature this year? Join us as we celebrate a day of love and kindness at the park! Make a few homemade valentine presents for our feathered friends including a nesting ball and a bird feeder. Then create a card from natural objects to give to a special someone while eating a Valentine-themed snack. For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for everyone, and children must have adult accompaniment.
Crazy Corvids!
Sunday, March 22, 1–2 p.m.
Did you know crows, ravens and blue jays are super smart? Stop by the park and learn all about these fascinating birds! Play a fun game to see if you could outwit a raven, read a cute story, and create a corvid-themed craft to take home. We will also practice our crow calls and go on a corvid hike. For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for all family members and children must have adult accompaniment.
Crowder by Night
These family programs explore the park at night. Please see program description for meeting.Meet at the Upper Pavilion.
The Night Sky
Friday, Jan. 10, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
Winter is a great season to gaze at stars! Learn your way around the wintertime constellations, enjoy hot cocoa and learn about the mysterious night sky. Use our binoculars or bring your own pair, but make sure you bundle up, because it is cold outside! For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for everyone, and children must have adult accompaniment.
Night Birds
Friday, Feb. 21, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
Celebrate the 2020 Great Backyard Bird Count with a night hike at Crowder! Learn about owls and other birds that are active at night. Bundle up, as it is cold outside! For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for everyone, and children must have adult accompaniment.
Spring Has Sprung
Friday, March 13, 5–6 p.m.
Shake off the winter blues and join us as we spot the early signs of spring, from seasonal sights and smells to the varied sounds of wildlife. Go on a sensory hike around the pond, then make a toad abode for the spring peepers around your home. For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for everyone, and children must have adult accompaniment.
This weekday program is fun for the whole family! Meet at the Upper Pavilion.
Raptor Round Up
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m.–noon
Get a closer look at the birds of prey that call Crowder County Park home! Learn all about their adaptations through hands-on discovery centers, then warm up and practice your communication skills to locate your family and discover who is who high up in the sky. For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for everyone, and children must have adult accompaniment.
Tracking Down Tracks
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m.–noon
Tracks can tell us so
much about the behavior of animals. Learn to read the land—who has been here,
where they were going and how fast! Observe nature around us on a habitat hike and spot the winter wildlife, then make and take home a cast of an animal track. For all ages; FREE.
Registration is required for everyone, and children must have adult
accompaniment.
Marsupial Mayhem
Tuesday, March 17, 11 a.m.–noon
Did you know that
opossums are the only marsupial located in North America? Come learn all about
these fascinating animals and the important roles they play in maintaining
healthy natural ecosystems. Play a fun game and take home a cute opossum craft.
For all ages; FREE. Registration is required for everyone, and children must
have adult accompaniment.
This weekday program is for ages 3–5. Meet at the Upper Pavilion.
Hawks, Owls, and Eagles, Oh My!
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m.–noon
What is our national
bird? How many different hawks are there, and who goes whoooo in the night?
Discover fun facts about these feathered hunters of the sky. Read a story,
discover what makes a bird a bird, and play a birds of prey matching game, then
make a fun craft to take home! For ages 3–5; FREE. Registration is required for
everyone, and children must have adult accompaniment.
Who’s in the Forest?
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 11 a.m.–noon
If you cannot see animals, how do you know they
are there or where they have been? Read a fun story about exploring the
critters of the forest, then discover a few sets of funny feet and match them
up to their owners. We will end our class with a quick walk around the park to
search for animal clues in a fun, tracks-themed scavenger hunt. For ages 3–5; FREE. Registration is required for everyone,
and children must have adult accompaniment.
Outstanding Opossums
Wednesday, March 18, 11 a.m.–noon
Learn all about these marsupials through hands-on discovery
activities, stories and a fun craft! Then, learn how an opossum hides and all
about their favorite snacks! For ages 3–5; FREE.
Registration is required for everyone, and children must have adult
accompaniment.
This half-hour weekday program is for children ages 18 months to 3 years old. Meet at the Upper Pavilion.
Colors in Nature
Monday, March 30, 10:30–11 a.m.
Practice your colors
by sorting natural objects found in the park! Then, go on a nature hunt to find
plants and animals of different colors! For ages 18 months–3 years (with an
accompanying adult); FREE. Registration is required. Meet at the Upper
Pavilion.
This weekday drop-in program requires no registration. Come anytime for some creative fun (please note supplies may be limited on occasion)! Meet at the Cardinal Shelter.
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Splendid Snowflakes
Monday, Jan. 13, 11 a.m.–noon
Are you hoping for
snow this winter? We can have some snow-themed fun, either way! We will bring
the materials if you bring the imagination! For all ages (adult accompaniment
required for all children); FREE. Registration is not required.
Bird Bonanza
Monday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m.–noon
Birds come in
different shapes, sizes and patterns! Stop by to explore bird diversity and create
a bird craft to take home. We will bring the materials if you bring the
imagination! For all ages (adult accompaniment required for all children);
FREE. Registration is not required.
Raindrops and Rainbows
Monday, March 9, 11 a.m.–noon
Spring is here, and
the winter snow is melting away. Create a weather craft to celebrate the new
season. We will bring the materials if you bring the imagination! For all ages
(adult accompaniment required for all children); FREE Registration is not
required.
Discover the Park
Hiking fun for the whole family. No registration required. Meet at park office.
Walk in the Woods
Wednesday,
Jan. 22, 11 a.m.–noon
Saturday,
Feb. 15, 11 a.m.–noon
Friday,
March 6, 11 a.m.–noon
Take a walk in the woods to discover the
animals and plants that call our park home, and help to collect wildlife data
for our Natural Resources Inventory Database and other citizen science
projects. All experience levels are welcome. We can learn together! For all
ages; FREE. Registration is not required.