By AGNES PASCO CONATY
Nature plays such a vital role in my life, and I so often write about our natural world, right here at home. In previous columns, I’ve written about Patuxent Wildlife Refuge and Granville Gude Park, along with other well-known recreation spots in and around Laurel. We have so many lesser-known natural gems, too: green spaces, hidden trails and quiet pockets of nature nearby — and spring’s warmer weather is right around the corner.
We all know the benefits of being outside: exercise, fresh air, Vitamin D. Studies show that spending time in nature helps improve focus, reduces stress and blood pressure, and boosts immune function. A study conducted by the U.K.’s University of Exeter indicates that spending even two hours a week outside in nature enhances one’s physical and mental well being.
If you’re a regular reader, you likely remember my stories about the creek that runs at the bottom of our backyard. I explore the creek on my own often, and I’ve based many of my nature sketches on the wildlife I see there — deer, foxes, groundhogs and more. And bundled in layers of flannel, my family huddles together around a crackling campfire in our snowy backyard, our personal sanctuary beneath the stars. While it can seem like that there is no wildlife in these cold conditions, under the creek’s ice, life teems in abundance.
I also have written here about Rocky Gorge Reservoir, along Supplee Lane in nearby Burtonsville. In addition to the well-traveled trails at the reservoir, there are hidden paths by Browns Bridge Road. Some of these smaller trails lead to the water’s edge, where you can sit in warmer weather and enjoy the solitude of the picturesque scenery and the calming sound of rippling water. For a map of trails near the reservoir, go to tinyurl.com/5dh9fuh7.
I’ve mentioned Fairland Recreational Park, one of my family’s favorite biking spots. Many of you are likely familiar with the park’s indoor amenities and soccer and ball fields. The park also has lesser known trails and footbridges over quiet streams — ideal spots to pause and reflect. If you’re lucky, you may even see deer or an owl. For a map of the park, go to tinyurl.com/49d7xe2r and zoom in to see the trails.
Then there is the abandoned WB&A Railroad bridge for the history buffs. Located near where Brock Bridge Road crosses the Patuxent River, this almost forgotten piece of history, hidden in the woods, is a remnant of the Washington Baltimore & Annapolis Railway bridge. Now surrounded by trees, the bridge has been overtaken by nature and is captivating in its raw beauty.
Hidden in plain sight, there is a park near the Deerfield Run Community Center, on Laurel Bowie Road. This wooded area follows the path of the Deerfield Run Creek. The park is a quiet oasis with very little foot traffic, ideal for a meditative walk.
The T. Howard Duckett Watershed, not too far from the Rocky Gorge Reservoir, offers a quiet retreat close to home. Known by area anglers for its peaceful setting, the watershed is also ideal for birdwatching; you may even be fortunate enough to see visiting bald eagles here. (You can find a map of the trail at tinyurl.com/44rnysb5)
Whenever you need to recharge yourself, escape the crowded spaces and go to a secret nature spot, a place you have not been before and would love to discover — a spot where you can make beautiful memories and even create new traditions, simply by stepping out your door and into the wonderful, big world of nature.
“Go outside more” has become my environmental science students’ mantra; it’s their call to put on hiking shoes and explore nature’s extraordinary classroom without walls. I urge you to adopt their mantra, too.
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For maps of local hiking trails, go to tinyurl.com/c7u6hxye and tinyurl.com/48p2dzp3. For a fascinating (if long!) video on abandoned rail lines in and around Laurel, go to tinyurl.com/y7skbtah.