Begins: Saturday, September 14
Closes: Sunday, September 29
In celebration of the fall Monarch butterfly migration, come out to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area to enjoy a StoryWalk®️ of “Monarch and Milkweed,” by Helen Frost and Leonid Gore.
Free and self-guided. Trail starts at the Trotter Road main entrance kiosk. Trails are unpaved. MPEA is open every day, sunrise to sunset.
Combine reading and physical activity in a fun, new way!
A StoryWalk® is a deconstructed children’s book made into signs placed along a trail where visitors can stroll and follow the story from page to page.
Along the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area Trail
5795 Trotter Road, Clarksville, MD 21029
Free and self-guided.
Open every day, from dawn to dusk. The trail starts at the Trotter Road main entrance.
Past StoryWalks
Begins: Saturday, June 15
Closes: Sunday, June 30
In celebration of National Pollinator Week, come out to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area to enjoy a StoryWalk® of A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long.
Free and self-guided. Trail starts at the Trotter Road main entrance kiosk. Trails are unpaved. MPEA is open every day, sunrise to sunset.
Begins: Saturday, March 23
Closes: Sunday, April 7
Celebrate spring with a walk in the woods! Experience the ephemeral show of beautiful spring wildflowers and listen as the birds change their tune from winter calls to spring songs. Come out for a StoryWalk® of Feathers: Not Just for Flyingby Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen.
A StoryWalk® is a deconstructed children’s book made into signs placed along a trail. Visitors can stroll through meadows and forests while following the story from page to page.
Free and self-guided. Trail starts at the Trotter Road main entrance kiosk.Trails are unpaved. MPEA is open every day, sunrise to sunset.
Begins: Saturday, December 16
Closes: Monday, January 1
Winter is coming, and it’s time to get ready! Learn how wildlife prepare for winter’s cold and snow. Come out to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area to enjoy a StoryWalk®️ of Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer & Richard Jones.
Saturday, March 25 – Monday, April 10
Celebrate spring with a walk in the woods and experience the beautiful spring wildflowers. Visit the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area to enjoy a StoryWalk® of Wake Up, Woods. The book was illustrated by Gillian Harris. Text was written by Michael Homoya. Verses were created by Shane Gibson.
Children’s Reading Lists
In celebration of National Pollinator Week, come out to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area to enjoy a StoryWalk® of Flowers Are Calling (written by Rita Gray and illustrated by Kenard Pak).
Thursday, December 23 – Sunday, January 2
Winter is coming, and it’s time to get ready! Learn how our wildlife prepare for winter’s cold and snow. Come out to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area to enjoy a StoryWalk®️ of Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer & Richard Jones.
Friday, June 18 – Sunday, June 27 2021
In celebration of National Pollinator Week, come out to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area to enjoy a StoryWalk® of Protect the Pollinators by Rachael Rose Zoller offered to the community through a partnership between Howard County Rec and Parks and Howard County Public Library.Combine reading, physical activity, and family time outdoors as you learn about pollinators while walking through meadows and forest. Then, continue learning with additional books and resources!
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
