Early Spring Hike: Patuxent Research Refuge - North Tract Loop

Early Spring Hike: Patuxent Research Refuge, North Tract Loop

Spring is almost here! This will be our first hike of 2024!

This hike will be at Patuxent Research Refuge, North Tract Loop. This hike will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2024 at 11am.

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UPDATE: Hi all - I did a recon hike of this trail today (Sunday 3/17) to check it out. Here's what I found. On AllTrails.com, this trail is called North Tract Loop, but at the park, this trail is called "Wild Turkey Way." (For simplicity, we will stay on Wild Turkey Way the entire time; we will not take other trails making up the loop). If you stay on Wild Turkey Way it will take you from near the visitor center to Blue Heron Pond and back. The hike to the pond is about 1.5 hours, and then 1.5 hours back, for a total of 3 hours of hiking. Allowing for a 15 minute stop at the pond for a snack and rest, the entire hike should take about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Allowing for travelling with a group, which will slow us down a bit, the actual hike, including a snack break, should be about 3.5 hours. So if we leave the visitor center at 11am, we should be back at the visitor center (and our cars) at approximately 2:30 - 3pm. The trail itself is well-maintained - it's a gravel road. Blue Heron Pond is pretty, with a couple of benches, a small shelter, and some frogs and tadpoles in the water. Since this hike will be on Wild Turkey Way the entire time, if you want to turn back at any time to go back to the visitor center, it will be easy to do so - you'll just turn around and go back they way you came. The trail is well marked, with signs that say "Wild Turkey Way." The trail has moderate hills. Per the map from the park service, Wild Turkey Way is 3.6 miles, so out and back should be 7.2 miles. (I prefer the above time estimate, which I confirmed myself; I did not measure distance on my hike today). Due solely to the length (approximately 3.5+ hours) I will call this a "moderate" rather than an "easy" hike. Please meet us at the North Tract visitor center at 230 Bald Eagle Drive, Laurel, MD 20724, at 11am. I hope the above information is helpful. Hope to see you there! -Charles

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Information on the trail is available here

The Patuxent Research Refuge website is here

Directions to the Patuxent Research Refuge, North Tract are as follows:

North Tract Entrance
230 Bald Eagle Drive
Laurel, MD 20724

From Washington, D.C.: Take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway/Route 295 North. Exit onto MD-Route 198 East, toward Fort Meade. Travel on 198 E/Fort Meade Road for almost 2 miles. Then turn right at the Patuxent Research Refuge North Tract sign, onto Bald Eagle Drive (just before the ball fields). Travel 1 mile to the North Tract Visitor Information Station. Visitors must sign in at the Visitor Information Station.

From Baltimore: Take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway/Route 295 South. Exit onto MD-Route 198 East, toward Fort Meade. Keep left at the fork; follow signs for MD-198 E/Fort Meade. Turn left onto Route 198 East; travel about 2 miles. Turn right at the Patuxent Research Refuge North Tract sign (just before the ball fields) onto Bald Eagle Drive. Travel 1 mile to the North Tract Visitor Information Station. Visitors must sign in at the Visitor Information Station.

The hike begins at 11am and should end at approximately 3 - 3:30pm. It's a loop so we'll end up back where we parked. Bring a light backpack with some water, Gatorade, a sandwich and/or snacks, and a simple first aid kit. Consider bringing an extra jacket or sweatshirt. When we're at about the halfway point, we'll stop for lunch.

This hike is open to all - men and women, young and old. If you are under 18 you must be accompanied by an adult family member. Come solo or with friends and family, enjoy God's beautiful creation, and make new friends and connections. WE HIKE RAIN OR SHINE. IF IT'S RAINING (OR MAY RAIN) BRING YOUR HAT, RAIN PONCHO, AND/OR UMBRELLA.

For questions contact Charles on this meetup site.

We hope to see you there!

P.S. If you have suggestions for future hiking sites let us know!