STORYWALKS® AND STORY TRAILS

Explore Prairie Ridge through the guidance of a StoryWalk® or Story Trail! StoryWalks® are traditionally children’s picture books whose pages have been spread along a walking trail, allowing visitors to read the book while on a walk! Story Trails similarly follow along a designated path as visitors explore a variety of nature-related topics or themes.

StoryWalks® and Story Trails are intended to be completed on your own, at your own pace, during Prairie Ridge’s open hours. Trails are mulch-, dirt- or grass-covered and may contain small hills. We recommend wearing closed-toed shoes, dressing for the weather, and bringing a water bottle with you for your journey!

For more information about our StoryWalk® and Story Trail programs, please reach out to Eileen Tan at eileen.tan@naturalsciences.org.

An illustrated girl wearing binoculars with birds in the background

SPARROW LOVES BIRDS STORYWALK®

September 10 – October 26

Do you have a little who’s fascinated by backyard birds? Then join us for our next StoryWalk®, which features “Sparow Loves Birds” by Murry Burgess. Follow along with the story as you take a walk around Prairie Ridge, all while exploring the diversity of birds around you!

Illustraed animals on the edge of a body of water with mountains in the background

THE FIRST FIRE STORYWALK®

November 5 – December 21 

Dive into the origins of fire with our winter StoryWalk®, which features “The First Fire: A Cherokee Story” by Brad Wagnon and Alex Stephenson. As you follow along with the story you’ll learn the Cherokee legend that explores the origins of fire.

Outdoor Adventure Packs

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resource’s PATH Outdoor Adventure Packs are now available for use at Prairie Ridge!

PATH Outdoor Adventure Packs are part of the PATH (Parks and Trails for Health) program that encourages folks to get outside to encourage mental and physical well-being. These packs come with activity suggestions, guides to North Carolina wildlife, and tools to aid your exploration, like compasses and measuring tapes! At Prairie Ridge you’ll find these packs in a large bin located next to our staff trailer. When you want to give one a go, grab an available pack, sign it out, and then get exploring! When you’re done, return it to the bin and sign it back in. It’s that easy!

Kids in Parks: Track Trail Program

Track Trails Program

Have you heard of the TRACK Trails program? Prairie Ridge is one of several locations throughout North Carolina with a Kids in Parks TRACK Trails program. TRACK Trails feature self-guided brochures that lead families on different adventures while taking a walk at a specific park. Prairie Ridge has four TRACK Trails available, including two that are available in both English and Spanish.

Prairie Ridge TRACK Trails include:
• The Need for Trees
• Birds of the Piedmont
• Animal Athletes/Animales Atletas
• Nature’s Hide and Seek/El Juego Del Escondito En La Naturaleza

The TRACK Trails kiosk is located by the picnic tables adjacent to the Nature PlaySpace. Participants are encouraged to register through kidsinparks.com, as participants can earn Trail TRACKer Gear and prizes for each TRACK Trail they complete!

Check out the Kids in Parks website for a full list of participating locations throughout the state.

Planet Walk

Want to learn about the planets of our solar system? Explore our Planet Walk!

Beginning at our back entrance off of the Reedy Creek Greenway, Prairie Ridge is home to an at-scale Planet Walk, with each planet spaced apart proportional to the actual distance between planets in space! This walking experience is a self-led activity that can be enjoyed at any time during Prairie Ridge’s open hours.