Holmes Educational State ForestPublic Events At Holmes Educational State Forest
Inclement Weather Policy
Hikes may be cancelled in the event of inclement weather such as thunder and lightning. Notifications will be sent out via phone and email. Due to the unpredictability of weather patterns in our area, cancellations may occur as late as the morning of the scheduled meeting date.
Spring/Summer/Fall Public Programs
Free Educational Offerings At Holmes Educational State Forest
These programs are free but you MUST SIGN UP to participate. Call now (828 692-0100) or email (holmesesf.ncfs@ncagr.gov) to reserve your spot! The guided hikes will only last a few hours, but there is so much more at Holmes Educational State Forest to learn about and explore on your own time! We offer hiking trails, picnic areas, and a variety of educational exhibits. Category II, III NC EE certification and CEU credit are available upon request.
Spring Programs
2024 Guided Wildflower Hikes
• Saturday, May 4: 2-4 p.m.
• Saturday, May 18: 2-4 p.m.
Join N.C. Forest Service rangers for a moderate, ¾-mile hike to observe and identify spring wildflowers! This unique forest ecosystem supports an incredible diversity of plant life and different wildflowers can be observed each month. Each hike is limited to 10 participants and will meet near the main kiosk in the parking area. We recommend bringing comfortable shoes, a water bottle, a camera and a wildflower field guide if you have one.
Other Free Educational Programs
Birding Exploration
• Friday, May 10: 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Join professional birder Kevin Burke for a birding exploration of Holmes Educational State Forest. Kevin has been leading tours and helping people get outside for most of his adult life. His passion for birds and birding has become a career. Kevin owns and operates Carolina Nature Tours with his wife. Here they lead a multitude of walks and talk about everything in nature. Kevin also is a full-time guide for VENT (Victor Emanuel Nature Tours). He’s led trips throughout much of the U.S. and especially loves going to the Pacific Northwest where he used to live. He has also led trips to Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
Learn more about Kevin's trips through Carolina Nature Tours.
On this hike, we can expect to see/hear warblers (such as ovenbird, black-throated green warbler, hooded warbler, Louisiana waterthrush and Northern parula), tanagers (scarlet) and vireos (red-eyed and blue-headed) among other species. The program is limited to 15 participants. The group will meet in our main parking area at the amphitheater. It is recommended that you bring comfortable shoes, a water bottle, camera and bird field guide if you have one.
Professional Development for Formal/Non-Formal Educators
HESF periodically host professional development workshops for formal and non-formal educators. Workshops include but not limited to Investigating Your Environment, Project Learning Tree, and Tree Identification for Educators. Please contact the office for more information on Continuing Education Units for Teachers and/or Environmental Education Certification credits.
Most NCFS and HESF educator workshops will fall under the following categories. NCEE Category I: Approved Instructional Workshops, NCEE Category II: Outdoor Environmental Education Experiences and/or Continuing Education Units for formal teachers.