Long Hunter State Park has announced its schedule for the month of April. All programs are free and open to the public; no reservations are needed. For more info on these programs or directions to the sites, call the park office at 615-885-2422.
Get Fit "Step Into Spring" Event: Saturday, April 2nd at 10 AM
Tennessee Health Commissioner Susan Cooper will join state and local government employees for an informal walk at Area 2/Couchville Lake. The event is tied to "Step Into Spring", an initiative to get state and local government employees outside to increase their physical activity. Commissioner Cooper will be joined by country music artist Julie Roberts, who will be introduced as the newest spokesperson for Get Fit Tennessee. The event is open to the public. For more info, go to http://www.tn.gov/environment/parks/promo/docs/step_into_spring.pdf. * Please meet at the Area 2/Couchville Lake parking lot.
Spring Wildflower Walk: Sunday, April 3rd at 1 PM
Long Hunter's diverse habitat results in a wide variety of wildflowers. The park's woodland trails are the best places to view blooms in early spring. Take a leisurely walk with naturalist Jason Allen on the one-mile Inland Trail to see how many different species of wildflowers we can find. For those participants who want to see some bonus blooms, we'll then drive to the nearby Nature Loop trail to check out a few more species of wildflowers. * Please meet at the Area 4 parking lot.
Couchville Lake Nature Hike: Sunday, April 3rd at 4 PM
There's plenty going on at Couchville Lake this time of year: Purple Martins arriving, trees leafing out, wildflowers blooming, frogs calling, and much more. Join naturalist Jason Allen on this easy two-mile walk on the scenic lake trail to seek out these first signs of spring. The hike will last approximately two hours. * Please meet at the Area 2/Couchville Lake parking lot.
Preschool Story Time - The Nature Circle: Monday, April 4th at 10 AM
"The Nature Circle" is an interactive group made up of nature-themed stories, puppets, songs, and crafts for ages 3-5. Children are encouraged to bring an item (examples: favorite book, stuffed animal, or photograph) to The Nature Circle that relates to each week's theme. Join us each Monday morning as we develop and nurture our love of nature. Participants should meet at the park office. This week's theme: Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds!
Jones Mill Trailbuilding & Cleanup Day: Saturday, April 9th at 9 AM
The Jones Mill Mountain Bike Trail features 4.5 miles of trails, but an expansion is underway which will extend the length to 10 miles. For those who wish to contribute to Long Hunter's newest trail, feel free to join us for a day of trailbuilding and litter removal along the wild and scenic Jones Mill Trail. For those who choose to work on trailbuilding, tools will be provided; if you wish to help with the cleanup, trash bags will be provided. Don't forget to wear sturdy shoes and bring water and snacks. * Please meet at the Jones Mill Mountain Bike Trail parking lot.
Birds, Trees, Wildflowers & More!: Saturday, April 9th at 3 PM
Although only one mile in length, Long Hunter's Inland Trail features an impressive variety of flora and fauna. Wildflowers are common here in early spring, birds abound in the canopy, and some of the most impressive oak & hickory trees in the park can be found along this trail. Take a slow-paced walk with a park naturalist and let's see how many different species of birds, trees and wildflowers we can identify. * Please meet at the Area 4 parking lot.
Natural Areas Week: Sunday, April 10th-Sunday April 17th: To celebrate the 40th anniversary of our State Natural Areas, more than 20 events have been scheduled to celebrate Tennessee State Natural Areas Week. There will be hikes to such destinations as Short Springs State Natural Area, Savage Gulf, Taylor Hollow, Virgin Falls, Flat Rock SNA, Frozen Head, Walls of Jericho, and more. To see a complete listing of all the hikes and programs, go to http://tn.gov/environment/na/events/seasonal.shtml.
Preschool Story Time - The Nature Circle: Monday, April 11th at 10 AM
"The Nature Circle" is an interactive group made up of nature-themed stories, puppets, songs, and crafts for ages 3-5. Children are encouraged to bring an item (examples: favorite book, stuffed animal, or photograph) to The Nature Circle that relates to each week's theme. Join us each Monday morning as we develop and nurture our love of nature. Participants should meet at the park office. This week's theme: Remarkable Rabbits
Friends of Long Hunter Cookout & Night Hike: Friday, April 15th at 6 PM
The Friends of Long Hunter State Park is a non-profit group which assists in protecting, preserving and promoting the beauty of Long Hunter State Park. As a reward for the support of its many members, the group is holding a cookout and night hike at Couchville Lake. Please keep in mind this is a "members only" event. If you're a member and would like to RSVP for the cookout/night hike, please contact Erika Odom at nautical.gal8@yahoo.com; the deadline to RSVP is April 9th. If you wish to join the Friends of Long Hunter or learn more info about the group, go to http://friendsoflonghunter.com/ or call 615-885-2422.
Nashville Hiking Meetup Spring Picnic: Sunday, April 17th at 12 noon
Nashville Hiking Meetup is an outdoor adventure and eco-volunteer club that plans hiking, camping and other outdoor events all over Tennessee throughout the year. The group, which often hosts hikes/events at Long Hunter, will be holding its annual spring picnic at the Couchville Lake/Area 2 shelter. If you're a member of Nashville Hiking Meetup, please go to http://www.nashvillehiking.com/ to RSVP for this event. If you're not a member (membership is free), you can visit their website to sign up or learn more about the group.
Natural Areas Week Hikes - Couchville Cedar Glade & Vesta Cedar Glade: Sunday, April 17th at 3 PM
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tennessee State Natural Areas, a wide variety of events have been scheduled across the state. This "2-for-1" event will feature hikes to a pair of unique destinations: Couchville Cedar Glade State Natural Area and Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area. Join naturalist Jason Allen for a leisurely stroll along the one-mile Couchville Glade trail, which is home to many unusual and rare wildflowers. We'll then carpool to nearby Vesta Cedar Glade (about a 15-minute drive) and see what other flora and fauna we can discover. The glades can be extremely hot on sunny days, so don't forget your hats and sunscreen! * Please meet at Couchville Cedar Glade parking lot on South Mt. Juliet Rd.
Preschool Story Time - The Nature Circle: Monday, April 18th at 10 AM
"The Nature Circle" is an interactive group made up of nature-themed stories, puppets, songs, and crafts for ages 3-5. Children are encouraged to bring an item (examples: favorite book, stuffed animal, or photograph) to The Nature Circle that relates to each week's theme. Join us each Monday morning as we develop and nurture our love of nature. Participants should meet at the park office. This week's theme: Eggs-travaganza!
Earth Day Hike At Couchville Cedar Glade: Friday, April 22nd at 5 PM
Celebrate Earth Day with a relaxing evening stroll into Tennessee's "desert" -- the one-of-a-kind Couchville Cedar Glade. This unique ecosystem features many rare wildflowers, including two federally endangered plant species: Tennessee Coneflower & Leafy Prairie Clover. Tennessee's only native cactus -- the Prickly Pear -- is also common here. We'll keep our eyes & ears open for songbirds, owls, nighthawks, whippoorwills & other wildlife which calls the glade their home. * Please meet at Couchville Cedar Glade parking lot on South Mt. Juliet Rd.
Preschool Story Time - The Nature Circle: Monday, April 25th at 10 AM
"The Nature Circle" is an interactive group made up of nature-themed stories, puppets, songs, and crafts for ages 3-5. Children are encouraged to bring an item (examples: favorite book, stuffed animal, or photograph) to The Nature Circle that relates to each week's theme. Join us each Monday morning as we develop and nurture our love of nature. Participants should meet at the park office. This week's theme: Creek Connections
Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Wildflower Festival: Friday & Saturday, April 29th & 30th
Our "sister" park, Cedars of Lebanon, will host its 34th Annual Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Wildflower Festival on April 29th and 30th. The event features guided hikes, guest speakers, seminars, crafts, booths, and more. For additional information, go to http://www.tn.gov/environment/parks/Cedars/ or call 615-443-2769.
*** For updates, last-minute hikes, photos & other Long Hunter news, join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/longhunterstatepark ***
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