The Brodhead Watershed Association has organized a scavenger hunt for adults and elementary-aged children at the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge near Stroudsburg in Monroe County.

Once a golf course, the Cherry Valley Refuge is now a haven for birds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators. For families who enjoy a fun challenge, there are worlds to discover, and Brodhead Watershed Association offers a scavenger hunt to encourage adventure.

Sharp-eyed kids will find at least five distinct habitats-- a sunny meadows, stream, and brush pile are three of them. Another is the small wetlands where native cattails grow, home to red-winged blackbirds, wetland plants, frogs, salamanders and turtles.

Stretches of forest habitat provide a shady retreat along the creek and also line the upland boundaries of the old golf course, where you might see the opening of a groundhog burrow, coyote scat or white-tailed deer.

Wood turtles, bog turtles, rabbits, foxes, bears and bobcats thrive as their habitats return. Fish, aquatic plants, water striders and other bugs are coming back, too. The water of Cherry Creek is fertilizer-free and healthy again.

“Nature does most of the work,” says Jared Green, refuge manager of CVNWR for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “We humans help by cutting out the fertilizers and insecticides that hurt the creek. Then we just get out of the way.”

The scavenger hunt is fun for adults and elementary-age children. Get clues, photos, video and information at brodheadwatershed.org/gopoconos. Take only pictures and leave only shadows!

The Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge is off Cherry Valley Road south of Stroudsburg. Take Route 191 South past Stroudsmoor Country Inn. At the bottom of the hill, go left on Cherry Valley Road. At Croasdale Road, go right to parking for the refuge. GPS coordinates: 40.9710 -75.1714

Trail information: A former golf course, cart-paths at the 193-acre preserve form two walking loops-- the Front Nine and the Back Nine. Varied terrain, lots of views, and 3.4 miles of hiking. Trails are hard gravel and well-groomed, with switchbacks, steep hills, and a gazebo at the highest point. Maps in the kiosk near the parking area.

For more information on the scavenger hunt, visit the Cherry Valley webpage. The Get Outdoors Poconos hiking series is administered by Brodhead Watershed Association and supported by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.

For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the Brodhead Watershed Association website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Association.  Click Here to become a member.

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[Posted: July 20, 2020]

7/27/2020