Goose Creek StatGoose Creek State Park will add a history lesson to this weekend’s planned hike.

Park Ranger Joe Martin said the 1.3-mile trail would offer a closer look at some of the park’s oldest relics.

“It’s just kind of a guided hike to check out some of the tar kilns,” he said.

Tar kilns were used to distill turpentine that was used to help weatherproof boats. Martin said an East Carolina University graduate student dated some of the park’s kilns to the 1700s.

Guided weekend hikes are more common this time of the year, according to the ranger. Martin said the park adds more of them as the weather cools. A hike was offered last weekend, and one more is scheduled this month. On Oct. 19, the park will have a fall-leaf hike through a hardwood stand. All hikes are free.

The guided hike will cover a flat, dry area and should be fairly easy for most people to hike in the allotted 90 minutes, Martin said.

Martin recommends people wear sturdy footwear and bring water with them. He also suggested wearing long pants and applying bug spray.

“Ticks aren’t that bad right now, and we’ll be staying on the trail, but bug spray and long pants would be a good idea,” he said.

Those interested in taking Saturday’s guided hike should meet at the Ivey Gut Trail parking lot at 2 p.m.

Goose Creek State Park is located at 2190 Camp Leach Road, off U.S. Highway 264. For more information about this and other scheduled park programs, call 923-2191, go to ncparks.gov or send email to goose.creek@ncparks.gov.