Five bald eagles were spotted soaring over Quartz Mountain Wednesday as the cold front barreled through.

Eagle watches, open to the public, will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6.

If you would like to schedule an eagle watch for your church group, class, 4-H club or scout troop, call 563-2238 and ask to be transferred to Sue in the Nature Center. The bald eagles usually leave the park area sometime between mid-February to early March.

Nature Center's Sue Hokanson reminds everyone that deer season is upon us, and while all hunting is prohibited within Quartz Mountain Nature Park, private landowners just outside the park do hunt their property. Because of the nearness of the private property, some of our hiking trails near the Lodge are closed. Sunrise Trail, Sunset Loop and Rock Creek Canyon trails near the Lodge are closed for guest safety. The Cave Trail and the trails on Twin Peaks are still open. Blackjack Pass Trail in the Baldy Point Trails system is also closed until after all deer seasons conclude.

In other park news, Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Department of Recreation and Tourism are sponsoring a drawing and writing contest called “What Parks Mean to Me.” Essays and drawings will be accepted until March 1, 2007. Visit the Web site: www.okparks.okstate.edu for more information, or stop by the Quartz Mountain Park Nature Center. Copies of the contest rules and application forms are available there.

The Quartz Mountain Flyer will make it's last run for 2006 on Saturday, Dec. 9. Call Lone Wolf City Hall at 846-9078 for train reservations.