In late January, we had a snowy / icy storm blast through. Everything was glazed and slippery. With grandparents in town, I was searching for something to do that would appeal to all. Google brought up the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center in Abingdon, MD. It was only an hour from home, so we decided to check it out. We packed a picnic lunch and winter gear, and hoped it wasn’t a slippery nightmare as no one had crampons!
The Center itself is open M-F 8:30 to 4:30, 10-5 on Saturdays, and 12-5 on Sundays. Leight Park is open dawn to dusk. The address is 700 Otter Point Road, Abingdon, MD 21009. When we arrived, there was only one other car in the spacious parking lot. We bundled the kids into their winter coats, hats, and mittens. All three were wearing their long Johns under snow pants. Layering is always important when hiking! Once attired and masked, we headed into the Center where we were greeted by a very friendly woman at the front desk. She told us where everything was located in the building, recommended a few trails, and mentioned an “I Spy” game for the kids. There were four stuffed animals hidden around the center for children to spot, and, once they’d located them all, they returned to the front desk for a small prize. My kids love scavenger hunts, and wouldn’t look at anything else in the place until they’d located each of the animals!
The Center is multiple levels, but small, with only the top level set aside for exhibits. The lower levels are offices, the front desk, restrooms, and classrooms. What the Center lacked in size, it made up for with its exhibits. There is an entire room, called the Discovery Room, that is home to a variety of turtle and snakes. All three girls loved peeking into each of the tanks, and Pebble was fascinated with the turtles in the 300-gallon freshwater turtle pond. There are also exhibits on different types of soil, the history of the Center and the park, the ecology of the Bay, wildlife in the area, and even a touch table with items like feathers, furs, snake skins, antlers, seed pods, etc. Once everyone had finished exploring, and used the restrooms, we set off to explore the grounds.
We first hiked the paved road down to the water where there is a stony beach at low tide. It is a steep walk, but the road was covered in snow, no ice, thank heavens! The girls explored the beach for a bit, slipping on all the icy spots near the water’s edge. We then climbed back up the hill, and set off on the Discovery Trail, which skirts the Center. We discovered two neat stops along the trail. The first was a set of Discovery Boxes filled with things, like rocks, sweetgum balls, colorful leaves, acorns, etc. Each box had signage that told explorers what the items were, and gave facts about each collection. Next, there was a stop to learn about animals tracks.
As we continued to follow the trail, we came to the most awesome Nature Discovery Area I have ever seen! This one had so many stations for children to explore! Rainbow headed right for the music area, while Stormy checked out a sunken canoe and a snail made from wood that one could ride on. Pebble went to the kitchen area, and treated everyone to wood chip hot chocolate. There were stumps of various heights arranged for one to hop across, and a bird’s nest, too. The musical instruments and the cafe area proved to be the favorites of my girls as these were the areas they returned to over and over again. My parents and I needed a crowbar to get them out of the Discovery Area so we could continue our hike. We had to promise to let them play again at the end of the hike.
We followed the yellow trail until it met up with the blue trail, which then led us down to a pier with a beautiful view of Otter Creek! Just a word of warning parents with younger kiddos in tow… There is a set of stairs to traverse shortly after you leave the Discovery Area. You climb down a set, across a bridge over a stream, and back up again. These are steep, so watch your step! There is a second set of stairs at the beginning of the blue trail, too. Pebble had a lot of issues with these steps because the sections were further apart than her little legs could manage. She needed a boost to get up the stairs, and a firm hand to help her down. Otherwise, the trails are beautiful, especially in the snow we were hiking in.
We took a pause down near the pier to soak in the views. There were picnic tables, too, so each of the girls took a snack break. Pebble loves her goldfish! After snack, Stormy and I explored an exhibit set up along the ramp down to the pier. It was called “Birds Seen At Otter Point Creek.” There were wooden poles set a certain distance apart mounted with life-size wooden silhouettes of birds. Each bird was accompanied by a wooden plaque with the bird’s name and size. A Marsh Wren is only 6 inches big! Super cool!
After a bit, we started the climb back up the blue trail to yellow, and then circled back to the Discovery Area. We let the girls play for a bit, Pebble happily feeding everyone wood chip and snow ice cream from the pretend cafe area, until everyone’s grumbling tummies demanded more food than goldfish. While hiking, we didn’t notice the cold temps, but once we stopped for lunch, a picnic at our car, everyone started to feel the chill again. We ate fast, and went back into the Center one last time to see the animals again and use the bathrooms before hitting the road home.
Everyone had an amazing day out, even the griping from certain kids about their winter weather gear stopped! A dose of fresh air can be a major boost, especially in winter, and I can’t recommend this place enough! All 3 girls want to return to visit the animals in the Center and play in the Discovery Area. I spent some time talking with the woman at the front desk, too, and found out about all of the wonderful programs they have here. It is definitely a day trip to plan for this summer when school lets out! Check this place out! Happy trails!
Anita C. Leight Estuary Center
