As the pandemic summer marches on, you may be looking for new spots nearby to socially distance outdoors.
Located less than 30 minutes from downtown Hyattsville, the Patuxent Research Refuge at 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop in Laurel is a good option for a dramatic change of scenery with plenty of room to keep your distance from others.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service site has a visitors center with some informative exhibits that’s currently closed, but you can head out for a hike on one of the many trails, look for dragonflies, frogs and turtles along the banks of Lake Redington, check out the pollinator garden or spy for wildlife from a bird blind.
The refuge is the only one in the U.S. system that is dedicated to wildlife research, and staff have worked to make the 12,841-acre site hospitable (8,100 acres of which you can explore) to as many animals as possible.
If you’re observant, you may spot a menagerie of local wildlife: deer, foxes, raccoons and beavers, not to mention the birds: great horned owls, scarlet tanagers and great blue herons, to name a few. Some 270 species of birds have already been documented at the refuge.
The trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset and the visitor’s center grounds are open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., though both are closed on federal holidays. Here’s a handy brochure about the refuge to plan your trip and learn more about the refuge.
You can also make a donation to the Friends of Patuxent, which supports the refuge through educational programs, exhibits, and research.
