Guided Public Tours and Hikes
In addition to our regular Saturday tours of the Display Gardens and monthly tours of Coker Arboretum (see sidebar), we offer occasional guided hikes and walks to other special natural areas or campus locales. These hikes and tours are listed below. (If you would like to arrange for a special private tour of the Botanical Garden Grounds, Coker Arboretum, or Battle Park for your group, please see the Scheduling Tours page.)
Unless otherwise indicated, the following tours/hikes require pre-registration and cost a small fee. Please call 919-962-0522 to register.
Tours and hikes are listed below in date order.
Explore the Morgan Creek Valley [FULL]
Date: Saturday, January 23
Time: 1:00 - 4:30 pm
Guides: Johnny Randall, NCBG Assistant Director for Conservation
[Registration Full, as of 1/7] The Morgan Creek Valley holds a wealth of natural and cultural heritage, from ice-age rhododendron bluffs and rare plants to evidence of Native Americans and moonshiners. We will explore the length of the Morgan Creek Valley, from its headwaters to the Triassic Basin bottomlands of the Mason Farm Biological Reserve, all of which occurs within Orange County! Meet at the Garden's Visitor Parking Lot gazebo. Fee: $10 ($5 NCBG members).
Battle Park Natural History and Restoration Tour [FULL]
Date: Saturday, January 30
Time: 11 am
Guide: Stephen Keith, NCBG's Battle Park Curator
Looking into the forest of Battle Park from the seating area of the Forest Theatre
[Registration full, as of 1/8]Battle Park, a wonderful wooded tract on the eastern edge of the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been under the care of the North Carolina Botanical Garden since 2004. One of the most awe-inspiring legacies of the University, much of the 93-acre tract consists of forest that predates European settlement in the area (1740). Join us for a winter hike and learn about the natural and human history of Battle Park. We'll take a tour of the pedestrian trails, discuss the colorful history of the area, examine the flora, enjoy "Lover's Leap," the "Monarch of the Forest," "Piney Prospect," and other named locations in the park. We might even get to see the Battle Park Volunteers working to restore this beautiful Piedmont forest. Meet on the stage of Forest Theatre; please come prepared for the weather and with good walking shoes! Fee: $10 ($5 NCBG members). More about Battle Park.
A Darwin Walk
Date: Friday, February 12
Time: noon - 1:00 pm
Guides: Johnny Randall, NCBG Assistant Director for Conservation, and Duncan Porter, Biologist and Darwin Expert
In recognition of the fact that February 12 is (or, would have been) Charles Darwin's 101st birthday, Johnny Randall will lead a walk through the Botanical Garden in which he highlights fascinating details about plant adaptations. A great way to spend your lunch hour outdoors on a February day. Free, but please call to register so we know how many to expect.
Darwin's "Thinking Path" on the grounds of Down House, his home in Kent, England. Darwin regularly walked along this path for exercise of body and mind.
Return to the EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS page to find other public programs, such as Lectures, Classes/Workshops, Art in the Garden.
Last updated by Laura Cotterman on January 08, 2010 at 01:45:24 pm.
