Walnut Creek Greenway

2014 Fall Festivals @ Local Parks

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Here’s a list of upcoming Fall Festivals happening at various parks in the Greater Raleigh area:

Southeast Raleigh Community Day @ John Chavis Memorial Park – Sat., Sept 20 from noon-4pm; free event that will feature free food, health information, music, voter registration info and more

9th Annual Fall Harvest Celebration @ Historic Yates Mill Park – Sat., Sept 20 from 11am-3pm; free event includes costumed corn-grinding tours of Yates Mill, a fun children’s scavenger hunt activity, live music and dance, story-tellers, community displays, hand-craft demonstrations and sales, antique vehicles, farm tool displays, food vendors, and more; pre-registration is not required; all ages

Community Art Day Festival @ Powell Drive Park – Sat., Sept 27 from 10am-2pm; free kid-friendly activities such as bracelet making, sidewalk chalk, painting and more; performers will be on site; art vendors will be on site to purchase from local artists with vendor spaces still available

4th Annual Festival in Motion along Walnut Creek Greenway – Sat., Sept 27 10am-2pm; designed to get people out and moving in nature; enjoy this day of discovery with live music, art-in-the-making, nature games and fitness challenges

IMG_1592Heritage Day @ Historic Oak View County Park – Sat., Oct 4 from 10am-4pm; a free “county fair” type event featuring live animals, antique farm equipment displays, heritage crafts, handmade items, live music, antique cars, horse-drawn carriage rides, quilt auction, cane pole fishing, and more; food will be available for purchase

Annual Heritage Day at Jordan Lake (White Oak Recreation Area) – Sat., Oct 4 from 10am-3pm; enjoy hands on activities, live entertainment and demonstrations all relating to the unique cultural and natural resources of this region; gain an appreciation for the rich history of the land and natural resources; for more information or volunteer opportunities for this event, please contact Ranger Jim Trostle at 919-362-0586 ext. 227 or jim.trostle@ncparks.gov

Haunting at Harris Lake: Creatures of the Forest – Sat., Oct 18 from 1-6pm; free event with games, activities, crafts, and a wagon ride adventure as you search for the weird, creepy and outrageous creatures of the forest; wear a costume or come as you are; all ages

Fall Events @ Umstead Park – hosting a variety of events in Sept & Oct from Free Weekend Matinee Movies, Take a Child Outside Week events, Trail Running with a Ranger, Big Year Birdwalk, From Farm to Park and more; for additional info, visit the main Events page and search for September and October 2014

Walnut Creek Wetland Center

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img_3191We are always on the lookout for something fun and different to do outside the house especially in the early evenings after nap time. When we attended the Neuse River trail expansion grand opening some folks from the Walnut Creek Wetland Center were there explaining their programs.  I remember them saying their center was open late each weekday, so we finally found some time with our good friends to get out and explore the center.

Walnut Creek Wetland Center is located at 950 Peterson St in downtown Raleigh. Upon arriving at the center, I immediately noticed this center was not in the best area of town.  The center itself is very nice, but all the surrounding parts were less than delightful – there was trash scattered on the nearby trails, apartments across the street seemed sketchy, and nearby fields were neglected.  After getting past that we went inside to explore the center and the girls had a blast.

The mission of the center according to the website is to “Promote the importance of wetlands, wildlife habitat, hydrology, and human interactions with the natural environment.”  There are several free educational games, coloring and stamp activities, nature and animal books to read, stuffed animals, and a touch table featuring different wetland animal skeletons, furs, and more.  The staff was very helpful and excited to help show us around the center.  The center incorporates many environmentally friendly features and offers several organized programs for kids of all ages and three rooms available for rental.

After playing inside for at least 30 minutes, we headed outside to the expansive back deck to explore.  Unfortunately we only saw birds, but if you’re looking to relax they also have several rocking chairs overlooking the floodplain.  After a lot of running back and forth on the deck we headed out to the greenway to explore some more.  We exited the building and headed west on Peterson Dr and then headed south on the Walnut Creek Trail towards Walnut Creek.  Again, the greenway was moderately littered and we didn’t get the impression that we were in a floodplain/wetland area.  We continued on the trail and over a boardwalk to the creek and turned around when we reached State St.  Due to the unkept nature of the trail and the lack of “wetlands” conditions we didn’t feel comfortable continuing on.  For future trips, it may be best to register for a scheduled program that explores the wetlands.

For more information, visit the City of Raleigh Walnut Creek Wetland Center website.

Thumbs up: indoor educational programs/activities/displays, being open past 5pm

Thumbs down: condition of trail, lack of wetlands condition, outdoor wetland display was not working, greenway signage

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Lake Johnson Park

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Picturesque. Serene. Beloved. All words to describe my recent visits to Lake Johnson Park.

Lake Johnson Park is located in the heart of southwest Raleigh at 4601 Avent Ferry Rd. Its popularity is evident with the many parking lots scattered throughout the park. On two of the mornings I visited, I had to loop around the lot a few times before a spot opened up. Other parking areas are highlighted on this map and can be found further down Avent Ferry Rd on the left, off Lake Dam Dr, at Athens Dr High School, or at Lake Johnson Pool.

The main entrance is where you’ll find the large veranda, deck, conference room, concessions, restrooms, rentals, live bait/tackle vending machines, and the boat put-in area. The veranda, conference room, and deck are available for rent. Paddle boats, jon boats, sunfish sailboats and canoes/kayaks are also available for rent. Rocking chairs along the perimeter of the deck provide peaceful views of the lake. There are also several picnic tables and information boards highlighting several of the unique park programs (boot camp, nature photography, fly fishing, sailing). Even though most have already begun, the fall programs such as the kayak and canoe lessons for ages 12+ are starting soon. Call 919-233-2121 for more information. Stroller Strides also runs fitness classes for moms/dads with kids on Tues/Thurs mornings and is beginning a mom/dad 5k training program on Friday, Aug. 26th.

Avent Ferry Rd splits Lake Johnson in half and there is a paved trail loop on the eastern half and an unpaved trail loop on the western half. The trail is the Lake Johnson Segment of the Walnut Creek greenway trail. Park maps can be found at several of the parking areas, but if you head east on the trail from the main entrance you’ll find a helpful map detailing distances and features of the park.

Distances around the park:

  • West Loop (unpaved, prohibited to biking) = 2.15 miles
  • East Loop (paved) = 2.75 miles
  • Full Loop = 4.33 miles
  • East to west loop from the bridge = 1.32 miles

East Trail – This is a wide, paved path perfect for biking, strolling kids/dogs, walking, and running. The trail is enveloped in large trees that provide great shade. You’ll find beautiful views of the lake throughout this trail, especially along the dam and boardwalk. You’ll also pass a few benches, swings, and shelters for rent along this trail. Shelter 2 has two picnic tables and a large charcoal grill and Shelter 4 has four picnic tables, several benches, and a large charcoal grill. Magnolia Cottage is a medium-sized building tucked deep in the woods that can also be rented for events. If you head clockwise on the trail from the main parking lot the trail starts off flat and then gets rather hilly after crossing the dam.

West Trail – This is a fun trail for hiking or trail running. Bikes are prohibited and I would recommend using a Baby Bjorn or back pack if bringing an infant/very young child. Use caution on the trail, as it is mostly a narrow, hilly, dirt trail with roots covering the path. Nature photography opportunities are galore on this trail. You can also access Lake Johnson Pool from the West Trail. Even though we didn’t have time for a visit inside the pool, from the outside there looks to be a spray garden, baby pool, and main pool with lap lanes and free swim area.

After a two year hiatus from visiting Lake Johnson Park until last week, I’ve been back three times and it is quickly becoming a favorite. Between the scenic views, boating opportunities, great running trails, and safeness of the area it’s a must-visit park!

Thumbs up: shady trails, scenic views, condition of paved trail, boating opportunities, security, facility rentals, mile markers along East trail, peacefulness

Thumbs down: confusing signage (especially along West Trail)

This post originally appeared on soutwestraleigh.com, where you can learn more about what a great place South West Raleigh is to live, work, and play.