Back in the fall, my mother and I decided to pay a visit to Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary. The big draw? A 154 foot poplar tree!!! The trail for the tree was only listed as 3 miles, which meant our hike would be short. That doesn’t mean we skipped right to the trail, there is a visitor center that we needed to check out first.
The Frank Oslislo Visitor Center has several kid (and inquiring adult) friendly activities. When we visited, it was important to gently dip our feet in a cleansing solution to keep the resident screech owl healthy before heading downstairs to the main viewing area. The little owl was adorable, and not much bigger than a can of soda (or two). My favorite spot is where you can stand with your arms outstretched and see how ‘big’ of a wingspan you have, and which bird you line up with. There are several more activities here that I’ll need to mention in a future review.
If the weather outside isn’t very cooperating with your visit – no worries! The visitor center has binoculars and a bird feeder so you can watch in the safety of the indoors that has a great view of the park. There is also a critical area driving tour for those visits that may be hindered by weather, or maybe visitors that still would like to enjoy the scenery but may be unable to do a short hike. Please note that the critical area driving tour is closed Oct. 1 – January 31st.
The on-duty ranger is very friendly and informative, and will help you with any questions you have. One of the monthly activities includes star-gazing – make sure to sign up on the list to get notifications as to when the date/time will be. Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary is not near a major metro center, and it will mean a bit of a drive no matter where you reside, but it will be an excellent spot for star gazing since it’s quite a bit of distance away from any light pollution.
After our short visit around the visitor center, we decided to head towards our trail goal – The Poplar Springs Trail, and our 154 foot poplar! Upon exiting the visitor center, we had to backtrack up the road a bit to the trail entrance. If you’re interested in the tree like we were, make sure to jump onto the Paw Paw Trail for a short stint, this is the only way to connect. The Paw Paw trail is one we’ll have to re-visit at another time, it certainly is aptly named with the groves of Paw Paw trees. It would be fun to visit when the paw paws are ripe – these local fruits are very much so edible, and are said to be quite tasty. Unfortunately, they can’t be sold in major stores due to their very short growing season and easily bruised/ruined fruit.
Upon finding the trail, we immediately bore right to head up the hill after crossing a road. My mistake, if we had stayed the course, we would have gotten right to the tree! The Poplar Springs Trail does have some hills and ups and downs. Make sure to wear tick/bug spray, as the trail is small and the foliage will brush up right against you. There are several other great sights along the trail, including several trees we wondered might rival the 154 foot tree – even a cluster of four together that got us for a moment.
Once we found the tree, it certainly was a sight to behold! There was no way even two people would be able to wrap their arms around it, and it was almost higher than could be seen and the sunlight filtered through, giving the tree the perfect lighting. My mom inquired if I was going to hug it, and I held back from wanting to – it is off the trail, and right near a dip. No reason to slip and slide down the gully just for a mighty tree.
Here’s the skinny on the rest of the park, for anyone interested in other activities (though, I do recommend the Poplar Trail – I swear you’ve never seen a tree so big!)
Dogs – Allowed (as far as I can tell), but please keep them leashed.
Picnicking – There are several picnic tables near the visitor center. Make sure to leave no trace and pick up any/all trash. No grilling/fires allowed.
Fishing – Yes – make sure you have your license and sign in at the check-in station. Ponds are open April 1st to October 1st.
Bicycling – No, trails are only for hikers.
Horseback Riding – No, trails are only for hikers.
Volunteer Opportunities – Absolutely! Visit this link for more information: http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/southern/merklevolunteer.aspx
More Information & Trail Guides – http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/southern/merkle.aspx
Will I be back to visit again? Absolutely!!!!
Warm regards and Sunny Days,
Annie Gordon