PUBLIC NOTICE
 
 
COVID-19 Updates

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 in phases over the coming months.

 
Shelter Rentals and Park Use Agreements
As of October 1, shelter rentals and other park use agreements are available. Gatherings are limited to 50 people per the governor's executive order.

 
Playgrounds 
Playgrounds at parks managed by Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space are open to the public. Visitors are encouraged to maintain physical distance, wear masks or cloth face coverings, and wash or sanitize their hands often. Capacity limits are posted near each playground.

 
Park Capacity
Measures to limit the number of people allowed in the park at one time remain in place. If a gate is closed or cones are blocking the entrance, that means the park has reached capacity. Parks that are run by towns or cities may be operating differently—please reach out to them directly before visiting their parks.

 
Help Continue to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
Wake County park and preserve visitors must comply with guidelines set forth by the State of North Carolina, including gathering with no more than 50 people, maintaining physical distance of at least six feet from any other person, and wearing a mask or cloth face covering when social distancing is not possible.
 
The following restrictions will remain in place at Wake County parks and preserves through at least January 31:
  • Park centers are closed.
  • Park programs and events are canceled.
  • Special operations, such as boat rentals, group camping and lodge rental, are not available.
As a reminder, 24/7 digital programming is available at wakegov.com/parks/fromhome.
 
Looking for educational opportunities at home?
 
Visit Parks from Home where you will find different activities created by park staff that will allow you to continue to enjoy the parks in a new way!

Onsite Self-Guided Activities

Geocaching at Harris Lake County Park

The hunt is on during this high-tech "treasure" hunting game where park visitors come equipped with GPS devices in search of hidden geocaches! The geocaches located in Harris Lake County Park are hidden containers that have been approved by park staff and placed on park property for your exploration and enjoyment. Geocaches can be of varied sizes and hidden in easy to difficult-to-find places. The basic idea is to use GPS devices to help find these hidden containers and then record your find on the paper log provided in the geocache. Some geocaches have little "knick-knack" items, such as toys and stickers, that you can collect and replenish as you play, so the activity can be a real "treasure hunt." This activity can be self-guided by getting coordinates from Geocaching.com and bringing your own GPS unit, or you can participate in one of our scheduled introduction to geocaching public programs.

Placing a Geocache
Geocachepicweb.jpgGeocaching on Wake County Park property is handled on a park-by-park basis. To see if geocaching is allowed and what the approval process is for placing a cache, please contact each park directly.

Geocaching is an accepted recreational activity at Harris Lake County Park. (At this time, no additional/new geocaches will be accepted or approved until further notice.) The park maintains a maximum number of caches on park property. Those wishing to establish a new cache must receive approval from Harris Lake County Park prior to placing a cache. To obtain the approval you must complete and submit a Geocache Placement Request Form to the park office. Please refer to the placement request form for more information.


Orienteering

If you love the outdoors, exploring and map reading, then orienteering is for you! Orienteering is the sport of navigating through an unfamiliar area using a map and perhaps a compass. The object is to make your way through a series of points identified on a map and return to the finish line in the shortest amount of time possible. The route of your journey is up to you.

Orienteering is sometimes called, “the art of map and compass reading.”  This fun outdoor recreational activity dates back more than 100 years and uses “low-tech” tools to navigate the landscape. Often set as a timed challenge, orienteering is a fun way to exercise and build wilderness survival skills.  Finding the points and markers is a sort of “treasure hunt” for participants of all ages.

Harris Lake County Park’s Orienteering course includes a short course (5 waypoints) and a long course (16 waypoints) that navigate you to different parts of the park, including wooded, field, and play areas.  They are accessible at all times of the year that the park is open.  You can use our “Harris Lake County Park Orienteering Course” brochure as a guide for getting started, as well as our printable course sheets to fill in the points as you find them.  Each point has a rubbing, try to collect them all!

Orienteering Brochure.pdfOrienteering Brochure

orienteering post.jpg

Orienteering Short Course 5 waypoints.pdfOrienteering Short Course 5 waypoints

Orienteering Long Course- 16 waypoints.pdfOrienteering Long Course 16 waypoints



 

Questions?

The most common registration questions are answered on our FAQ page.
If you still need further assistance after visiting that page or if you have a question about a program, please call the park office at 919-387-4342.