Enjoy free nature programs (and a $1 hayride!)

Canoe for free on May 1. Photo from Latta Plantation Nature Preserve Facebook page

Naturally Wonderful, by Rich Haag – April 24, 2012

We have great lakefront nature preserves nearby that offer us many fun and educational programs. This is a great time to visit, before the heat of the summer. Even better, in the next couple of weeks, both parks have several free programs and one nearly free program for all ages. Canoe, play, explore and sit around a campfire for no cost at all. Or take a nighttime hayride and learn about wildlife for just $1 per person!

Here are the details. Programs take place at the park nature centers unless noted otherwise.

  Note about registration – Call the appropriate park office for details on any program you wish to attend. Many free programs require no advance registration. You can pre-register for the hayride to assure that your family has seats or come early and take your luck getting a still available seat.

PROGRAMS AT LATTA PLANTATION NATURE PRESERVE

Latta Plantation Nature Preserve is at 6211 Sample Road on Mountain Island Lake. 704-875-1391. CLICK for a map.

Family canoeing – 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, at Latta Plantation Park – Bring your family out to the nature preserve for free canoeing! Canoes are available on a first come-first served basis and can be checked out for 30 minutes at a time. Canoes hold up to four people, with at least one adult per canoe required. Meet at the waterfront area.

Family Nature Explorer Club: Get to know a tree – 3-4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 10 – Bring the family out and explore nature. Trees are important to us all. Come explore the world of trees with park staff during a walk through the woods.

Get Outdoors! Play Festival – 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 12  – Nature makes the best playground! After all, where else can you catch a fish, bake a mud pie, and build an awesome stick fort? Families and kids of all ages will have a blast at this festival that’s all about getting outside, being active, and having fun in nature. Activities will include canoeing, hunting for bugs, building sand castles, making mud art, and much more messy fun. The only limit is your imagination! So, dress for mess and join park staff as they get outdoors and play at Latta!

PROGRAMS AT MCDOWELL NATURE PRESERVE

McDowell Nature Preserve is at 15222 York Road on Lake Wylie. 704-588-5224. CLICK for a map.

Digital photo scavenger hunt – 1-4 p.m. Sunday, April 29 – Stop by the nature center for a scavenger-hunt list filled with fun and adventure for your family. Bring your digital camera, or use a FREE loaner camera, and develop a sense of exploration.

Reptile feeding – 11 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 28 ­– Come to the nature center as park staff talk about the special adaptations that allow our local snakes, turtles and lizards to be such efficient hunters. Staff will feed the box turtle and yellow-bellied slider along with a fence lizard and one of the snakes in the nature center exhibit hall.

Playing with fire / family campfire / nature-at-night hayride – every Friday evening – These two free programs take place every Friday evening from May through September followed by a nighttime hayride for just $1 per person. Come to the McDowell Campground. No registration is required for the free events. You can pre-register for the hayride or come early to the campfire to take advantage of first-come-first-served hayride seating.

• Playing with fire – 6:30-7 p.m. – The ability to create fire has been called one of humanities greatest accomplishments and one that might save your life! Get hands on and discover a variety of ways to start a “matchless” fire and help kick off our family campfire program. 6:30-7 p.m.
• Family campfire – 7-8 p.m. – Enjoy Stories, eat s’mores, and sing songs around a campfire with family and friends. Groups are welcome to attend, come early to get tickets to the Nature at Night Hayride immediately following the Campfire.
• Nature-at-night hayride – $1 per person. 8:15-9:45 p.m. – Bring your family and experience McDowell Nature Preserve at night. Weather permitting we will venture into our Prairie in search of coyote, bobcat, deer, and owls while taking in the sights and sounds of the night. Limited seating available, pre-register (15 spots) or come to the Family Campfire early to take advantage of first-come first-serve seating (min. 10 spots); contact McDowell Nature Center at 704-588- 5224 for more information. 

About Rich Haag -  Rich gained his love for the outdoors while roaming the woods and river gorge near his upstate NY home. He has spent many vacations – one lasting eight weeks -  camping with his wife, Karen, and their sons. Rich still roams the woods nearly every day, either walking with Karen at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve or cycling on the Mallard Creek Greenway.