Pettit Preserve’s Critter Carnival & Hike

Get ready to check out an assortment of creepy crawlies as the Pettit Environmental Preserve presents Critter Carnival on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition to the Critter Carnival program, the Preserve trail will be open for self-led or interpreted hikes presented by the Preserve Educator, Lori Jewell. The hike and program are presented as part of the Preserve’s quarterly outreach to the community.

Ronnie Holcomb, a Conservation Ranger with the Department of Natural Resources, will present the Critter Carnival program on an ongoing basis all day. Holcomb will have a variety of amphibians, snakes and spiders available for hands on interpretation as well as dozens of animal pelts and skins.

Admission to the Preserve, which includes the program and parking, is $3 per person with a maximum of $10 per family. The hike is free to Preserve members and memberships are still available by visiting the Preserve’s website.

“Ronnie’s program was a big hit when he came to another of our events a couple years ago,” stated Preserve Executive Director Marina Robertson. “Rather than having set program times, we’ve asked him to just have an ongoing presentation with participants since his wide knowledge and passion for his work make him a fabulous educator.”

The Bartow County Master Gardeners will also host a booth featuring worm composting and “Ask a Master Gardener”. The group has maintained the worm compost display every summer at the Pettit Preserve since 2011.

The Pettit Preserve was created to provide environmental education and promote ecological preservation. The 70-acre property hosts hundreds of school children and Scouts for field trips, hiking & Scout badge activities every year. The Preserve has trails that feature a swinging bridge, a Learning Shed, two aquatic stations, and three amphitheaters for teaching, all nestled around a 9-acre lake.

Since the mission of the Preserve is educational, not recreational, it is not open to the public daily for hiking. However, the trails were professionally designed by Switchback Trails, which has contracts all over the country, including on the Appalachian Trail. The Spring Hike is an ideal time to experience the trails.

The Pettit Preserve is located off Highway 61, 4 miles south of the Cartersville airport. Turn left on Douthit Bridge Road and continue to fork; right fork is Vineyard Road, which leads to the Preserve.