COOKSBURG, Pa. (EYT) — Cook Forest State Park has announced a series of five seasonal educational programs running from late October through Jan. 1, offering local residents opportunities to learn about regional timber history, search for nocturnal wildlife, and take part in a holiday hike.

The schedule begins Thursday, Oct. 29, with “Cathedral by Candlelight” at 7:00 p.m. Participants will gather at the Park Office Conference Room for a two-hour tour. A guide portraying an 1800s lumber worker will lead attendees through the Cook Homestead and along Tom’s Run to the old bracket dam, recounting the hazards of floating timber downriver to Pittsburgh.

On Friday, Oct. 30, at 1:00 p.m., Department of Conservation and Natural Resources volunteer Greg Burns will lead a 90-minute tour of the Fire Tower and Seneca Point. Attendees must meet at the Fire Tower parking lot and are asked to bring binoculars. The tour covers logging history and Native American sign, ending with views from the tower.

The park will host an “Owl Prowl” on Wednesday, Nov. 4, starting at 7:00 p.m. Participants will meet at the Park Office Conference Room for a three-hour driving tour across old-growth areas along the Clarion River. Drivers and attendees must bring flashlights. Target sightings include barred, great horned, screech, and saw-whet owls.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7:00 p.m., the park will conduct a three-hour driving search for white-tailed deer. The group will meet at the Park Office Conference Room to carpool to various park locations. Attendees should bring spotlights to search for the animals while learning about Pennsylvania’s state mammal.

The series concludes Friday, Jan. 1, with the Friends of Cook Forest “First Day Hike” at 1:00 p.m. Hikers will meet at the Ridge Camp entrance for a two-hour, four-mile walk along the Deer Park and Mohawk trails. The trail includes rocks and roots, and participants should dress for the cold. Leashed pets are permitted.

For additional information, visit the Cook Forest calendar of events.