Junior Naturalist Day

Grandfather Mountain’s Junior Ranger Program is now the Junior Naturalist Program! Activities throughout the day will be provided specifically for children ages 5-12 but all ages are welcome! Events listed below are included with admission. We recommend that those planning to attend purchase their tickets to the park online in advance here.

Schedule of Events

Schedule of Events (Time | Program | Location)

10 – 11 a.m. | Bug Hunt | Pollinator Garden (Behind the Wilson Center): If you like to search for the creepy crawly critters that roam on the forest floor, then come on our Bug Hunt! We will have scientific tools to help us get up close and personal with the decomposers that make up the ecosystem of Grandfather Mountain. Can you help us find some cool creepy critters?

11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Insect Crafts | Classroom in the Clouds (In the Wilson Center): Design and create your own insects with some of our park educators!

1 – 2 p.m. | Can You Find a Salamander? | Woods Walk: Come with us on an adventure to find what is slipping around underneath the rocks at Grandfather Mountain. Leave no rock unturned (but remember to put it back)! Let’s go say hello to one of the most interesting organisms that calls this mountain home.

2 – 3 p.m. | Case of the Disappearing Log | Meet in front of the Wilson Center: Have you ever noticed that rotting logs eventually just disappear? Join our education staff on an investigation using scientific tools to explore the different suspects involved!

Grandfather Mountain’s daily program schedule will also be in full swing! You are welcome to join:

• Random Acts of Science | 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. | Wilson Center
• Community Science Weather | 11 a.m. | Pollinator Garden
• Junior Naturalist | 11:30 a.m. | Pollinator Garden
• Peaks and Profiles | 1 and 3 p.m. | By the Swinging Bridge
• Animal Encounter |  2 p.m. | Outside the main entrance of the Wilson Center
• Ramble with a Naturalist | 2 p.m. | Main entrance to the Wildlife Habitats
• Keeper Talks: Throughout the day | Wildlife Habitats

Find more details about these daily programs here.