What to do at Locust Grove
Nature is everywhere!
Raccoon track.Look for tracks and signs as you hike the trails or quietly watch from an observation deck or bench.
Play with the indoor oak tree exhibit
View of the indoor oak tree.Find the animals that live in and near the tree; push the buttons to learn what they sound like! Look for signs that show the importance of trees both dead and alive!
Watch the birds feeding at the Wildlife Observation area
Children at the pond watching frog eggs and tadpoles.Watch from inside, or go outside and watch from the back deck. Quietly visit the small pond to look for frog eggs or tadpoles in Spring. Enjoy the antics of the resident squirrels.
Check out the Naturalist Garden
Small bulb.
Naturalist working on the garden.Spring brings bluebells and bulbs, while summer welcomes butterflies and blossoms galore. Fall is for seeds and fruit, while most plants lie dormant all winter.
Hike through the Upper Meadow
Monarch butterfly pollinating.Look for Monarch butterflies, caterpillars and eggs on the milkweed in summer. Check out the dogbane for iridescent dogbane beetles. Listen for wrens and bluebirds near the bluebird nest boxes. Watch for box turtles crossing the path in early morning.
Enter the young forest
Spring wildflower.Discover early moths and spring wildflowers before the trees leaf out.
Visit with the giants
Giant trees.Visit with the giants as you follow the trails through the mature forest. Towering white oaks and tulip trees dwarf the younger understory.
Wander to the Lower Meadow
Watch for bats leaving the bat boxes in late afternoon or early evening. To learn more about bat boxes, please visit the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Bat Page. Sit under the shade of the 80-year-old sycamore and imagine what the park looked like when it was part of a huge farm. Watch as Cabin John Creek flows briskly by. You might spot minnows, crayfish, caddisfly larvae, bathing birds, or signs of beaver activity.
Montgomery County Department of Parks