Walk for the Woods

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, April 29, 2023 (rain date Sunday, April 30)
Location: Farm Road, Bacon Ridge Natural Area, Crownsville, Maryland

Walk for the Woods is Scenic Rivers Land Trust's signature community event celebrating the joy of the outdoors and our local, protected woods.

This beloved spring event is scheduled for Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Bacon Ridge Natural Area in Crownsville (rain date is April 30).

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

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

Experts in wildlife, native plants, birds, and more will be on-site and available to attendees. Plus, self-guided hike options will be offered, complete with trail maps and educational signage posted along the trails.

Registration for guided hikes will open in early April 2023. The hike schedule and link to registration will be announced via email and social media.

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.

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!

Spring Scavenger Hunt

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" Remembrance Ceremony

During Walk for the Woods, local historian Janice Hayes-Williams traditionally hosts 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.

Walk up attendance is available for this event. Times for this event will be announced in April 2023.

Walk for the Woods T-Shirts

Each year, attendees who donate $25+ receive a Walk for the Woods t-shirt featuring the unique, custom art of local illustrator Phyllis Saroff!

Shirts will be available for purchase/pick up on site at the event. Adult sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, and XXL available.

About Walk for the Woods

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.

The event, held in late April of each year, is a day of guided hikes, including bird watching, amphibian searches and naturalist hikes, and educational programs. Attendees are also invited to explore the Bacon Ridge Natural Area’s 1000+ acres of woodlands, wetlands, streams, and meadows on their own. It is always a beautiful, relaxing day in our local woods!

Scenic Rivers is able to make Walk for the Woods a fun, FREE event for our community because of the generosity of local businesses who sponsor the event.

About Scenic Rivers Land Trust

For more than 30 years, Scenic Rivers has worked with landowners to permanently protect nearly 3,200 acres of forests, farms, meadows, and wetlands through conservation easements. Once such conservation agreements are in place, we assist landowners in the ongoing stewardship of their land. Our efforts safeguard critical wildlife habitat, protect water quality of nearby streams and rivers, remember our history, and help our rural communities and farmlands endure.