Story Trail Walk: The Secret Pool

Read a family-friendly book while walking through the woods. Follow the illustrated signs along the trail as they tell a tale that connects you to your natural surroundings. The free 1-mile story trail starts from the Oak Point Farm parking lot kiosk and can be completed at your own pace and on your own time. The current story trail features the read-aloud book “The Secret Pool”, written by Kimberly Ridley and illustrated by Rebekah Raye.

You might walk right by a vernal pool and not notice it. Often mistaken for mere puddles in the woods, vernal pools are the source of life for many interesting creatures. If you look carefully you can find them—and be amazed! These secret pools form every year when low places on the forest floor fill up with rain and melted snow. They soon become home to hatching wood frogs, spotted salamanders, and fairy shrimp. Even in late summer and fall, when many vernal pools have shrunk to mud holes, creatures such as turtles and snakes rely on these places for shelter and food. The Secret Pool introduces young readers to the wonders right underfoot as the voice of a vernal pool shares its secrets through the seasons and as sidebars provide fun facts on its inhabitants and the crucial role these small, often overlooked wetlands play in maintaining a healthy environment.

The story trail at Oak Point Farm is open year-round during daylight hours, with a new book posted every four to five weeks. Current book titles and dates will be updated on our website.