Went today for their Superb Owl event - it was cute! It was set up in stations so you could stroll around and do different things. Got to see a great horned owl which was very cool. The other owls were tucked away and asleep in their enclosures, which makes sense. Also saw a bald eagle, a couple hawks, and critters like a tarantula, snapping turtle and others in their critter house. Staff/volunteers on site were super knowledgeable and friendly, and there was a lot to learn about owls during this event. Believe the trails and outdoor bird enclosures are free and open to the public year round. read more

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This is a nice center! We stopped by for their Critter House (limited hours, check their website before you go if you want to see it) and enjoyed seeing the snakes, turtles, and more. We then headed outside, dodging raindrops, to see the exterior raptor enclosures. There were a variety of owls, hawks, and more. We especially enjoyed watching the owl that was having a good time on its swing. They are currently also working on creating a nearby nature playscape. The section that is complete so far is very nice - a very neat slide, places to climb, a higher up area to look out from, and more. They also offer some trails to explore. Paved parking is available and staff were friendly. read more

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Great birds of prey and reptile house. We took our grandchildren. They all had a great time.

This was a really great place when I visited in the past so I decided to visit again. It is very limited due to the pandemic with only the raptor/bird outside areas open and the trails. One trail leads to a pond and the other is a sensory trail. My favorite was the Critter House which unlike all the buildings is closed to the public. I wanted to at least visit to support the center as most nonprofits rely on field trips and such for a lot of their income. There is a drop box to leave donations in also. Although limited, my son and I enjoyed it and for the time we had available, it was a perfect nature adventure read more

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Cute little spot to take kids Loved that it connected to back trails with some serious inclines to explore read more

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Great place for a hike and seeing the birds. Went there with my mother (80) and two kids (5 &3) and all had a great time.

This place is ever so cool. Every age, ability, interest level can be accommodated. It is right in Ann Arbor, but on the edge of woods and farmland so a very natural, outdoorsy environment. There is a sanctuary for injured or abandoned birds of prey, owls, raptors and the like that have been rehabilitated as much as possible but cannot safely be released into the wild. You can walk right up to a bald eagle and get a good look. And the indoor space, in addition to classroom and party space, includes some protected reptiles and amphibians, including the biggest snapping turtle and the teeniest toads I've seen. Outdoors, you can take a nice trail through the woods to Black Pond. The trail is not challenging, most ages can do it, but it is not boring either, It's all very natural and though we went in early spring, I think it would be beautiful any time of year, in fall colors, snow or lush summer. There is space to do birthday parties, there are picnic tables for snacks for any visitors on a first come basis, there are restroom facilities and a wonderfully friendly and informative staff. The visit is free, but there's a spot to leave a donation if you can. I would love to go back another time, even just to take a nice walk. read more

I'm rating this based on what the Leslie Science & Nature Center offers on the outside as I arrived when the building was already closed. It's unique that they have a small garden at the entrance​ of the trails complete with a chicken coop! The trails are made for beginners only. The longest one is only a mile-long loop which is relatively flat. Anyone who is even past a beginner hiker would get bored of the trails. read more

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Monarch Butterfly performance Fun Free parking Friendly staff No AC Family activities Highly recommend Will return next year read more

Leslie Science & Nature Center - Hiking Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Your local Nature Center, but much cooler! A fun place to go for a hike or to visit the animals and critters that they have. The many creatures provide a great learning opportunity and the friendly staff just pull it all together and create an atmosphere where learning and fun happen. I've been here for various events, and quiet hikes, too bad more people don't enjoy this place! If you are in the area, go visit! Go now! Don't wait! You will enjoy yourself :) read more

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We booked a private tour for our germ sharing cluster- 2 boomers, 4 gen X, 4 elementary kids, and had an incredible time! Lisa shared lots of great bird facts, answered a million questions, showed us talons and skulls and wings, and then blew our minds by taking us to feed a bunch of predator birds. Watching the owls, falcons, eagle, turkey vulture and kestrel devour defrosted mice and rats had us gasping in amazement. We all learned so much from Lisa. She had answers for all of our questions and I liked that she emphasized that the birds are in captivity because they're relatively safe with humans and they can't survive in the wild. The backstories of how the birds ended up at Leslie are really interesting- we now know that if you see an injured baby owl you should NOT take it home and try to make it your pet! (Illegal and means the bird will imprint on humans and cannot be in the wild ever again!) The sassy attitude of the female great horned owl had us in tears of laughter. I jumped out of my skin when Lisa stepped close to point out the owl leg and the owl hissed and kind of rushed the mesh. After our awesome tour we enjoyed a nice walk on the trails behind the nature center. The private bird tour was pandemic safe, entertaining and informative! read more

This is a very cool comprehensive nature and science complex, that includes a nature house, a "critter" house, teaching gardens and hiking trails. I was here on a sunny summer morning to check out the "Discovery Garden" which was beautiful and full of sunflowers and to walk the trails. I could hear there was something going on in Nature House. I peeked in to see children sitting on the floor listening to a man playing guitar and singing- it sounded educational, but the kids were rapt. I have several friends that tell me their kids beg to go back there repeatedly. I haven't had a chance to visit the "Critter House," which contains Michigan wildlife like snakes and turtles and rabbits, but that's on my list for the next trip. read more

Leslie Science & Nature Center - The "discovery garden" at Leslie Science & Nature Center - Hiking Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Very cool place if you are looking for fun, educational, and nature. This is it. The trail in the woods is beautiful during the summer and fall. They have owls and bald eagles that you can look at. I haven't try to visit during the winter yet. Maybe sometimes. read more

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On December 29th 2013 my family noticed a hawk in our backyard. It was pretty cool. I wanted to know more about these birds of prey (relative to Ann Arbor) and stumbled across the Leslie Science & Nature Center. We decided to go. It is completely free, but they do accept donations -- if you're in a position to donate, please do! The birds of prey at the Leslie Science & Nature Center are all beautiful. The staff at the critter house are friendly and knowledgable. The Leslie Science & Nature Center is definitely a must see!! Oh, and the hours of operation posted on yelp are incorrect. We stopped by on a Sunday and they were open. Please refer to the Ann Arbor official web page for correct information. read more

If you love seeing live animals and learning about nature, you will love the Leslie Science and Nature Center! They have events for all ages, like photography workshops, flight programs with the birds, education series for little ones and much much more. Currently, they have 19 non-releasable birds of prey that you can visit with during daylight hours and its totally FREE!! How cool is that?!? I truly could keep talking about how great this non-profit is, but I believe you need to go and check it out for yourself. Bring a picnic, camera, hiking shoes and walk their 50 aces of City Park and trails. They also offer volunteer opportunities for people who are interested in learning more about raptors or critters. And if you want to help out you can Adopt-A-Raptor or Adopt-A-Critter! I wish i could give them 10 stars!! This place is totally a hiden gem of Ann Arbor. read more

The raptors are in cages because they have received critical injuries that would cause them to starve to death in the wild. An owl missing an eye, a vulture missing toes because of an extreme case of frostbite, broken wings from striking a car, and so on... Each bird has a story of how and why they came to live at Leslie Science Center. So these maimed beauties are sheltered at the Leslie Science Center to allow people to see them close up, in order to increase their understanding and appreciation of nature. I hadn't been to Leslie in many a year. It has certainly gotten bigger and nicer, thanks to donations and volunteers. Every second Saturday of the month, you can see the raptors eat dinner between 3:00 and 4:00 pm. The park biology nerdy guy explained what he was going to be feeding the birds then let us watch. We were able to walk from cage to cage, taking photos. The birds seem accustomed to humans staring at them - even the bald eagle. How often can you look right into the eyes of such a magnificent creature? Even injured, they are impressive. The kids asked a lot of questions. The group that gathered that day was equally distributed between parents-with-kids and adults there for their own education. As a wildflower lover, I also enjoyed the plantings around the bird cages. They have made an effort to surround this place with as many native Michigan plants as possible. I pointed out many of their features to my hubby. I'm a biology nerd, too, so I really get into this sciency stuff for weekend recreation. Bring the kids and teach them why wild animals and plants are so important to *our* survival on this planet. Look for offsite events by Leslie Science center around the Ann Arbor and Saline area. Check their website for more details. read more

I am surprised the Leslie Science & Nature Center does not have more reviews. As said by the other reviewers there are a wide variety of creatures and crawlers at the LSNC. Additionally, most weekends they have events for kids (big and small) like Let it snow days and holiday ones for Valentine's Day, Halloween, etc.. most of which are free or inexpensive. My favorite part is the trails and birds. I was there last weekend and someone brought their dog with them (to walk the trails) and one of the birds puffed up all it's feathers and grew about four times the size. This is something I would have never gotten to see anywhere else. I have been in the woods hiking here and for a minute you feel like you have completely left the city behind. It is especially beautiful in the spring and summer time because you get to try and find wild creatures. The Leslie Science & Nature center is a great place for anyone to spend the afternoon with nature. read more

Grew up going to the science camps in the summers and so I decided to come back as an adult. It's changed quite a bit but it still has the trails to investigate, the animal areas and of course the black pond! ! read more

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Fantastic little nature center, a real add to the area

Really cool and all the birds are rescues that would not be able to survive in the wild.

This is one of our favorite places to go with the kids. We all enjoy the hike around the place and the kids loved the birds (eagle, owls, etc). The critter house is also another main attraction. This is one place that can be both indoor (Story time, tots programs, and more) and outdoor where families can spend hours of happy learning / playing time together. read more

My daughter did the Nature Song Writing Camp and thoroughly enjoyed it. A great balance of fun, music and education lead by excellent teachers. read more

This might be a beautiful place, but the presence of so many caged birds takes away from the atmosphere. As a nature lover, I believe those birds belong in the wild. read more