Activities at O’Leno and River Rise
O’Leno’s dense forests and sandhill topography have served for decades as a living laboratory for field trips attracting schoolchildren, biology majors and University of Florida graduate students alike for in-depth studies of northcentral Florida’s unique flora and fauna.
Click on each photo to enlarge.
Race the Tortoise O’Leno State Park 5K run March 13, 2010. Entry Forms available at: www.floridastateparks.org/oleno/Events.cfm Click on O’Leno State Park, then events. Now check out the photos of the 2009 5K run. (2010 5K t-shirts will be available at the Ranger Station after March 13, 2010.)
O’Leno Olé Chili Cook-off The Friends of O’Leno will be host to a CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International, Inc.) Chili Cook-off, Mar 27, 2010 at O’Leno State Park. This is a CASI sanctioned cook off but you do not have to be a member of CASI to participate. To learn more about CASI and CASI rules go to: www.chili.org. Entry fee is $20. Contact Harriet Walsh 386-454-4806 or email: FriendsofOleno@windstream.net for more information. Check out our photos of the 2009 Olé Chili Cook-off!
Welcome to the River Rise Rally Trail Pace event! This will take place Saturday, April 10, 2010 (Rain date: April 17, 2010) and will be at the River Rise State Preserve on State Highway 27, 2 miles west of High Springs downtown. This is a fun ride for all levels of horse rider. There will be three paces with three distances in the competition for a predetermined but, unknown to the riders, time. This is not a speed event but, an elapsed time event where the rider tries to figure out what time the Rally management rider did the ride in. Prizes will be awarded to the three riders in each of the three rides who come the closest to the predetermined time. Click here for more information and registration forms.
New! A Nature Center at our own O’Leno State Park due to open sometime in 2010. Funds from events will go to complete the Nature Center and purchase a power point system for use in the multi purpose use dining hall.
Grist Mill Pavilion, a Friends of O’Leno project, is open for viewing! Please stop by and take a look at some of the original grist mill artifacts on display from the mid 19th century town of Leno, which is now the site of O’Leno State Park.
Contra Dancing continues through the Winter and Spring at the Rec Hall. Call the Ranger station at (386) 454-1853 for date and times.
Items for sale at the Ranger Station:
A New Cookbook. The new Friends of O’Leno Cookbook is now available at the Ranger Station for $5.
Friend’s of O’Leno Coffee Mugs now available at the Ranger Station, $4.
2010 5K Race the Tortoise t-shirts will be available after March 13th.
‘Springs of North Florida, the Mystery of River Rise’, a DVD, for sale at the Ranger Station. Price $22 (includes tax).
The CSO also sponsors other activities from time to time to generate income
for special projects to improve facilities and services at the Park. For further
information about activities going on at the park check:
www.floridastateparks.org/oleno/Events.cfm
. All scheduled events are listed and additional information is given
about the event.