# Durant Nature Preserve > Place to go for families in the Raleigh–Cary area (NC). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Park open dawn to dusk, 7 days a week (closing times vary through the year — call the… - Where: Durant Nature Preserve, 8305 Camp Durant Rd, Raleigh, NC 27614 - Ages: All ages; ecoEXPLORE for grades K–8 - Price: No admission fee listed; backpacks free - Schedule: Park open dawn to dusk, 7 days a week (closing times vary through the year — call the office). Park office in the Training Lodge, Monday–Thursday 8 am–1 pm; backpacks lent during office hours. - Organizer: City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources - Official page: https://raleighnc.gov/parks/durant-nature-preserve-amenities - Last checked: Sat, Oct 24 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/raleigh/activities/durant-nature-preserve--listing-c09571ea6bed44370bef6c00 ## About A city nature preserve in north Raleigh with lakes, trails, picnic areas and gardens for exploring. The Sensory and Nature Play Garden by the entrance road has colorful plants, murals, small frog ponds and nature-play features; there are also bird and butterfly gardens by the Training Lodge, fishing from the docks only, and a 12-tree Tree Trail along White House Road with summer and winter keys. Free Discovery Backpacks on ponds, insects, birds, animal tracking or nature art can be borrowed from the park office, and the preserve is an ecoEXPLORE HotSpot where K–8 kids earn prizes by photographing nature. Bring water to the garden; no personal grills. Stream and stormwater construction is under way, including wetland conversion of the upper lake. ## Similar picks in Raleigh - [Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park](https://grassyknees.com/raleigh/activities/annie-louise-wilkerson-md-nature-preserve-park--listing-a9a33c37692ae465fb5aadd9) — Opens Tuesday–Saturday at 10 am and Sunday at 1 pm; closed Mondays. Closing times… · Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park · All ages · checked Oct 24. Raleigh's first designated nature preserve: 157 acres south of Falls Lake with mature forest (some trees over 200 years old), rock outcrops, wetlands and open pastures. The… - [Nature Play Day at NCMA](https://grassyknees.com/raleigh/activities/nature-play-day-at-ncma--listing-99821f78be99db9160fd27ef) — Mon, Oct 26 (+1 more date) · 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM · North Carolina Museum of Art · Up to 7 · Free · checked Oct 24. 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