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StoryWalks

Welcome to our StoryWalk®!

Durham County Library is delighted to partner with Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association on this StoryWalk®. We hope you will enjoy a walk through the beautiful Beaver Marsh Preserve while also enjoying the book I’m Done and time with friends and/or family! This StoryWalk® trail is about ¼ mile long.

While this is our first StoryWalk® in some time, it’s not our last! Stay tuned for additional trails (and a new book every quarter).

Please send us your feedback, via a survey at: #######

The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.

About the Preserve

Purchased in 2009, this land is one of Durham’s hidden gems and the inspiration for the always epic Beaver Queen Pageant. It is home to a “diverse array of native plants, over 75 migratory and resident birds, 10 species each of dragon and damsel flies, and five species of frogs. In the center of the pond is a large active beaver lodge!”

How Did This Project Start?

Members of Main Library’s Small Business Center, STEAM Team, and Children’s Unit were dreaming about fun, interactive programs that promote early reading, being active outside, inspire creativity and curiosity, and help our community connect with amazing local places and organizations. Luckily Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association shared our vision, and here we are!

Plan Your Visit to the Beaver Marsh

Opening Hours: Dawn to dusk year-round.

Address: 3400 Ambridge Street, Durham, NC 27704

Directions & Parking:

​From East Club Boulevard / Ambridge Street: If you’re looking to hike along the trails, this entrance is your best bet. Turn south onto Ambridge Street from East Club Boulevard and park in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street. From there you’ll see an ECWA kiosk and markers for the Blueberry and the Bird and Creekside Connector Trail.

From East Club Boulevard / Cascadilla Street: This entrance is directly behind Big Lots at the end of Cascadilla Street, with parking located between Big Lots and Harbor Freight. Here, you’ll find a viewing bench located right in front of the active beaver lodge! Watch birds fly in and keep your eye out for the beavers who swim to and from their lodge at dawn and dusk each day.

Durham Public Bus

The closest stop to the Cascadilla Street entrance is #5868/#5992 on Route 9A/B at the corner of Cascadilla Street and East Club Boulevard. Walk south on Cascadilla Street behind the shopping center and you will see the preserve on your left. The closest stop to the Ambridge Street entrance is #5475 on Route 9A/B at the corner of Stephenson Street and East Club Boulevard.

Beaver Marsh Nature Preserve map

Pro Tips

  • Bring binoculars—there’s almost always wildlife to see! You may also want to download an app like Seek or iNaturalist to help identify plants and animals.
  • Bring some water! Although it’s not a long trail, always best to be prepared.
  • Starting from the cul-de-sac on Ambridge, there is a small decline to the start of the StoryWalk®. The Marsh View and Blueberry Trails are mostly flat and suitable for (jogging) strollers and new/unsteady walkers.
  • There is numbered signage along the trail, but you can also follow the blue blazes “out” and the yellow blazes “back.”

### trail blaze image here ###

  • The shopping center across from the preserve has Paleteria La Monarca Michoacana has excellent ice cream, paletas and other goodies. Bonus: it’s a local small business!