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Event Information

Scenic Rivers Land Trust is pleased to announce that our annual “Walk for the Woods” is back in 2022.

The beloved outdoor community event is scheduled for Saturday, April 30, 2022, at Bacon Ridge Natural Area in Crownsville (rain date is May 1). Access to the event will be via the Farm Road entry.

Scenic Rivers will again partner with Anne Arundel County’s Department of Recreation and Parks to offer a wonderful opportunity to walk, learn about, and explore this beautiful wilderness just minutes from downtown Annapolis.

Walk for the Woods is Scenic Rivers’ annual celebration of families exploring the outdoors, the beautiful, permanently protected Bacon Ridge Natural Area, and the power of land protection to provide quality of life, wildlife habitat, and Chesapeake Bay and river health.

We anticipate a fantastic, safe day in our local, protected woods!

Bacon Ridge Natural Area’s 1,000+ acres are graced with upland streams, lily-filled ponds, nesting birds, and spring wildflowers.

Registration for guided hikes will open on April 8, 2022. The hike schedule and registration link will be announced via email and social media and will be accessible via this page.

COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place as required at the time of the event.

Guided Hikes & Activities

Guided hikes led by experts in wildlife, native plants, birds, nature photography, and more will be offered throughout the day. Advanced registration is recommended, but not required. Attendees will be allowed to sign up for guided hikes at the event. However, hikes will be limited to a maximum of 25 participants. Popular hikes will fill up quickly. A few spaces will be reserved on each hike for “walk up” registration on the day of the event.

Hikes range from 1 to 4 miles, vary in degree of difficulty, and are on marked unpaved trails.

Self-led Hikes

Attendees are also invited to explore Bacon Ridge Natural Area’s 1,000+ acres of woodlands, wetlands, streams, and meadows on their own. The Colby Rucker Memorial Self-led Naturalist Hike, complete with trail maps and educational signage posted along the trails, will be offered again this year. The hike is approximately one mile round trip and is great for small children and for those who prefer a self-led option.

Critter Discovery

Learn about the life teaming in our local streams! Experts from Coastal Resources, Inc. will be set up along the banks of Bacon Ridge Branch with hands on exhibits and information about the aquatic wildlife found in the stream. This activity requires a short hike into Bacon Ridge and is wildly popular with children and adults alike!

This activity will be open on a first-come, first-served basis from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Spring Scavenger Hunt

New this year!

Snap and share photos of our Spring Scavenger Hunt items to receive an “Open Space Is My Happy Place” sticker. All items can be found along the trails in Bacon Ridge Natural Area. Signs with details about the scavenger hunt will be posted near the check in tables at the event.

“Say My Name” Ceremony

During Walk for the Woods 2022, local historian Janice Hayes-Williams will again host the “Say My Name” remembrance ceremony honoring the Crownsville State Hospital patients who were buried in the Crownsville Hospital Cemetery (located adjacent to Bacon Ridge Natural Area) with only numbers to mark their graves. To allow for more participation, the ceremony is being offered twice—at 10 am and again at 12 pm.

Walk up attendance is available for this event. However, registering online for the “Say My Name” ceremony will save you time on the day of the event by allowing you to complete the required state and county waivers in advance.

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