Stop 5: The Hidden Pond

Welcome to the Hidden Pond, the trails namesake! Hopefully you can see it today!

The reason we call it hidden is because it’s not always there! A vernal pool is a seasonal wetland. It starts to fill with water in late fall and then freezes over the winter. It thaws in the spring but during the hot months of summer it is usually empty. It empties out because it relies on rain and ground water to fill it rather than be fed by a stream. The lack of constant water means that fish cannot live in vernal pools. Without fish amphibians and reptiles like wood frogs, salamanders, spring peepers, and turtles can thrive in this habitat! For many of these species the pond is vital for raising their young. Frog and salamander eggs are laid in the water and their young grow up there until they are adults when they leave the pond in late spring.

Vernal pools are very common throughout Delaware, especially further south as head into the coastal plains. Vernal pools are a vital and endangered habitat! Wetlands across the country are shrinking as a result of human encroachment and development. There are lots of people fighting for the preservation of these wetlands and raising awareness of their existence is an important and easy way to help conserve these precious ecosystems.

If you are interested in learning more about vernal pools, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has partnered with the production company 302 Stories and writer-director Michael Oates to produce and premiere the nature documentary “Wetlands of Wonder: The Hidden World of Vernal Pools.” The 54-minute film features a panoramic voyage into Delmarva Bays called vernal pools, unique wetland ecosystems found in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. The film can be found on the DNREC Youtube channel: