Payment and registration form must be received to confirm your spot in our programs. Please note that all payments must be made using cash, check or money order (made out to "Wake County Parks") – park staff do not have the ability to take credit cards.
To register, complete and sign the
registration form and return it with payment by mail or bring by the park office. For more information and to check availability about the following programs, contact the park at 919-387-4342 or email
harris.lake@wakegov.com.
Our staff also offers public programs at the American Tobacco Trail! Check out the ATT Programs page for details.
Click on a program series and learn more about our offerings:
Longleaf Festival
at Harris Lake County Park
Saturday, April 12, 2014
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Come to our 5th Annual Longleaf Festival to learn about the history and the importance of the Longleaf Pine and its ecosystem.
There will be something for everyone to enjoy:
Hayrides to the Longleaf Festival
Exhibits from Agencies and Organizations
Live Animals
Bulldozer and Fire Engine
Live Entertainment
Food vendors will be on site
Interactive Hike with NCSU Students
Games, Crafts and much more...
Call 919-387-4342 for more information!
(For children ages 1–3 w/adult)
Discover the natural world through stories, hands-on nature activities, games, crafts and more.
Ages 1–3 years with an adult; 10–11 a.m.
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Fee: $4/child
Friday, March 14
Super Salamanders
To celebrate The Year of the Salamander, we will learn about these super amphibians and how they are different from lizards. Hopefully, we will meet a real one!
Friday, April 4
Dashing Deer
Deer are beautiful and graceful animals, and we have lots of them here at Harris Lake County Park. Learn how they survive and make your own deer track to take home.
(For children ages 3–5 w/adult)
Get up close with nature! Discover amazing things in the park as we explore nature "hands on" through games, crafts, hikes and more.
Ages 3–5 years with an adult; 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (**new time**)
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Fee: $4/child
Friday, March 14
Super Salamanders
To celebrate The Year of the Salamander, we will learn about these super amphibians and how they are different from lizards. Hopefully, we will meet a real one!
Friday, April 4
Dashing Deer
Deer are beautiful and graceful animals, and we have lots of them here at Harris Lake County Park. Learn how they survive and make your own deer track to take home.
Unless otherwise noted, these programs are open to all ages. A water bottle is suggested for all programs. Please register at least 2 days in advance!
Fee: $5/family or $3/individual
Salamander Search
Saturday, March 22
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Choose your time: 10–11:30 a.m. OR 1:30–3 p.m.
Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) has designated 2014 as the "Year of the Salamander." Join Wake County Parks as we honor this cold weather-loving amphibian. Did you know that one of our State Amphibians is a salamander? We'll learn about these important animals and then head out to search the many temporary wetlands of the park for eggs and larvae. Space is limited to minimize impacts on the habitat.
Afternoon Canoes
Saturday, May 3, 1–3 p.m.
Fee: $10 per canoe; for ages 8 and up
Meet at the Longleaf Shelter
Spend an afternoon on Harris Lake canoeing with park staff. We'll lead you along the shoreline and look for signs for wildlife from the water. Borrow a park canoe or bring your own canoe/kayak. Limit of 3 people per park canoe.
Numerous Newts
Sunday, May 18, 2–3:30 p.m.
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Harris Lake County Park is home to the Red-spotted Newt, an aquatic salamander with an interesting life cycle. We'll "net for newts" in one of our ponds and then create a fun newt craft.
Bloom Hunt
Saturday, May 24, 1–3 p.m.
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Have you heard about our Natural Resources Inventory Database (NRID)? We use this to count and share the different species of plants and animals in our parks. Join us for a bloom hunt and add to our database. We'll hike and look for the different flowers in bloom, take pictures and try to identify the exact species for NRID.
Take a Hike – Journey to the Past
Sunday, June 15, 1–3 p.m.
Meet at the Loblolly Shelter
Discover the old home sites of Harris Lake. We'll take a hike around the property, looking for old foundations and other signs of habitation left by the farmers that used to live here. We might even find important historical artifacts on our journey!
Jumpin’ Junebugs
Sunday, June 22, 2–3:30 p.m.
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Everyone is probably familiar with these colorful beetles. We'll have fun searching for them in the park and then create your own shiny beetle to take home.
Free Programs for All Ages!
Spring Big Sweep
Sunday, March 9, 1–4 p.m.
VOLUNTEERS WELCOME!
Meet at 1 p.m. at the Loblolly Shelter
Clean up Harris Lake County Park! Staff will lead volunteers along the shore of the lake, along our roads and on land in the park. Please wear sturdy shoes or boots. All should bring a water bottle. Gloves, trash bags and data cards will be provided. Volunteers will work until 4 p.m.
Minors and students must be accompanied by an adult. Groups with minors must complete waivers prior to the event. Please register in advance by calling the park office at 919-387-4342.
Migration Walk
Saturday, April 26, 8:30–10:30 a.m.
Fee: FREE! For all ages
Meet at the Longleaf Shelter
Join Museum of Natural Sciences Junior Curator Lucas Bobay, as he takes us on a migration walk through the woodlands at Harris Lake County Park. We'll look for birds migrating north to begin their breeding season. We hope to see some of our more colorful visitors, including warblers, tanagers and vireos! Bring a water bottle, good walking shoes, binoculars and dress for the weather. (Binoculars and I.D. books also available for loan.)
Please register in advance for these "drop-off" kids programs.
Due to the preparation time that is needed, if the minimum number of participants is not met, the program will be canceled. Please register early!
Eco-Tracks
Calling all kids! Want to spend a day at the park? Staff will lead exciting adventures and activities at the lake, in the fields, and through the woods. Explore the ecology and history of North Carolina's Piedmont region. More information will come with registration.
Lessons in Flight
Friday, March 28, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Fee: $28/child; for ages 8–14
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Come to the park for a fun day learning how to build and fly kites, bottle rockets and more as you get ready for National Kite Month in April. We will talk about how these objects fly, as compared to our birds in flight. Discover life in the skies at Harris Lake County Park!
Nature Labs
Spend a few hours at the park! This half-day, drop-off program gives kids a chance to explore and learn outdoors through hikes, hands-on activities, games, crafts and more. Nature Labs will be a blast! Great for homeschoolers, track-out days, early release or teacher workdays!
Nature Lab: Amazing Aquatic Adaptations
Friday, March 7, 1:30–4:30 p.m.
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Fee: $8/child, for ages 6–10
Wildlife have a variety of adaptations that help them to live and thrive in a particular habitat. Through games, a hike and craft, we'll explore the unique survival strategies that animals (and plants!) in an aquatic ecosystem have adapted to keep themselves alive in this special environment.
Additional Children's Programs...
Earth Friendly Crafts
Tuesday, April 22, 1–3 p.m.
Fee: $8/child; for ages 6–10
Meet at the Park Office
Show your appreciation for our Earth by creating some fun crafts from reusable and recyclable materials. Mother's Day is coming up, so this is a great opportunity to create a unique, handmade gift.
Gardening from Seeds
Tuesday, May 6, 1–3 p.m.
Fee: $8/child; for ages 8–12
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
This is a two-part, after school program. Register for one program or both. Join us for vermicomposting on May 8!
Starting a garden from seed sounds intimidating, but it's very easy and fun! Spend an afternoon starting seeds for our Native Garden. We’'ll even send you home with seeds for your own garden or potted planting area.
Vermicomposting Workshop
Thursday, May 8, 1–3 p.m.
Fee: $8/child; for ages 8–12
Meet at the Cypress Shelter
Worms are the best pets you can own! They are quiet, low maintenance and take care of your trash. Worms eat food scraps and transform it into an amazing fertilizer. This is called vermicomposting. Build a worm bin to take home with you and learn how to care for your worms.
Natural Reads Book Club –"NEW Series"
Fee: FREE!
1–3 p.m.; Meet at the Park Office
Join Harris Lake County Park staff in our newest adult series – a nature book club! Each month we'll discuss a book that deals with nature and our environment. Topics will range from nature journals, environmental issues, poetry and fiction to current events and outdoor adventure stories.
Dates and topics below:
Sunday, March 16
This month, we go back to where it all started for most of us, with Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. Who is the real villain of the story? And what lessons did we learn as children that we still use as adults? Take a step back to your childhood with this classic!
Play animal BINGO, inspect earthworms, go leaf hunting and much more while you explore nature from different points of view.
In the course of about two hours, your troop will have the opportunity to earn the "Earth and Sky," try-it and parts of the following try-its: Animals, Watching Wildlife, Plants and Outdoor Adventure; 11 requirements in all.
This is a troop-led program in which all activities are independent of each other, giving your troop a choice in activities. Program kits are reserved and loaned out through the park office on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information please contact the office at 919-387-4342.