Sunday Afternoon Nature Walk

SUNDAY AFTERNOON NATURE WALK: GIBSON PARK
Sunday, May 19th, 2 to 4 pm
Of Guilford County's six parks, Gibson may be one of the least known. This 200-acre park, which adjoins the Piedmont Environmental Center's North Preserve, has the usual soccer and baseball fields but also has many interesting trails. It includes a section of the Bicentennial Greenway which connects downtown High Point to the Guilford Battleground National Military Park.
We'll begin our walk at the Deep River Cabin, built about 1800 and typical of buildings of that era. We'll also see a memorial to the local makers of the famous Jamestown Longrifle of the mid-19th century.
Our walk will then take us to the paved Bicentennial Trail heading south to the overlook of a large marsh along the East Fork Deep River. This is often a great area to see herons, red-headed woodpeckers, red-winged blackbirds, and other species. We'll then head back to our starting point but take a shortcut through the woods on the unpaved but wide and sandy Patch Box trail. Our total walk should be about 1.5 miles on a mostly flat trail. Other birds seen or heard along the trails this time of year might include blue-gray gnatcatchers, white-eyed vireos, great-crested flycatchers, and indigo buntings. As we do on all our Sunday afternoon nature walks, we'll take note of interesting plants and trees as well as any birds along the way.
Gibson Park is at 5207 W. Wendover Ave., High Point, 27265, between Piedmont Pkwy. and Penny Rd. Drive to the end of the park road where parking for the ball fields is found. If the lots are full parking is allowed on the lawn of the old house you'll see near the parking lots. There are restrooms at the park office where we'll begin and end our afternoon.
This “walk in the park” will be a first for the Pearson chapter in this location. We think it will be a rewarding one. Bring a friend, some water, wear good walking shoes, and don't forget your binoculars. If the weather forecast calls for rain, we'll send out a cancellation on Saturday. The walk is free and all are welcome!

Photo of the marsh along the Bicentennial Greenway near Gibson Park by Sharon Daugherty.