Has a quick wooden area (portage trail) loop walk with shade. A one-eyed red tailed hawk, another hawk, an owl and a coyote are viewed in a cage enclosure. The visitor center is clean nicely maintained and has more live critters, reptiles and amphibians on glass enclosures. I imagine kids would enjoy seeing the animals. Medium parking and best of all, it's free. Donations accepted. read more

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I recently took a hike in this area and passed by this Nature Center several times during the hike and decided to stop in. I was pleasantly surprised at how many different things there were to do here, but indoors and outdoors. Outdoors I was able to see a variety of animals including a coyote, owl, hawk, eagle, kestrel, and fox. Though they were caged, I got to see them fairly up close and hear the different sounds that they make. Indoors, there were various interactive exhibits as well as live turtles and various educational displays. Overall this is definitely worth a visit if you're hiking in the area and want to see a nicely maintained and educational display that helps to explain some of the wildlife nearby. read more

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The staff at River Trails are great, the woods, river, and trails are great, and we look forward to every visit to River Trails. River Trails has many programs at the Nature Center and in the woods surrounding it. Lots of great native gardens to attract pollinators like bumble bees and humming birds. The trails take you through maple heavy woods that put on spectacular color shows as the leaves turn in the fall. Fall Fest draws hundreds of visitors who watch re-enactments from the fur trapping days when the Des Plaines River was a super-highway for Native Americans and European trappers alike. They also show how to tap the Maple tress to make syrup. River Trails has something for everyone, whether you want to see bee hives, hike a trail, or learn about the local plant and animal communities. Definitely a place to spend a day! read more

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I never would have known if River Trail if not for a serendipitous visit to Trailside Nature Center in River Forest. Obviously I knew about the forest preserve system--that's something you pick up on within a very short time of living in this area--but it took 15 years before I knew that these nature centers, which all have programs, were around. I stopped here the first time whilst seeking places in Northbrook to take photos for the Northbrook Plein Air Photography Festival. I only had intended to spend about five minutes here but ended up staying an hour or so. They have a pollinator garden here, filled with lots of flowers that moths, bees, and birds love. There's a small playground here near the pollinator garden, an aviary, and several animals as well, both inside and outside. The turtles were enjoying a lazy swim when I was here. Most recently, I attended the Bat Chat program that was held here. I learned that bats basically use what's their fingers to move their wing. This is in contrast to a bird, that uses its wing from shoulder to tip. A bat can move more similarly to a butterfly given the type of wing, and it allows them to fly differently from a bird; their wings give them superior maneuverability. Their wings are incredibly fragile, to the extent that if the membrane of their wing tears the slightest bit, it will render them unable to fly. Bats local to Cook County are a type of micro bat. They kind of scoop their prey out of the air with the tip of their wing and get it into their mouth. Their teeth are very sharp, and this they have sharp teeth to get into the exoskeleton of their prey. Fascinating! Bats are facing a lot of issues in Illinois. Habitat loss is a major issue, as are wind farms. White Nose Syndrome is a fungus that has caused the death of mostly colony bats since it was discovered in 2006. The fungus itself isn't the problem; rather, it's that it wakes them from hibernation. The fungus warms them and this pulls them out of hibernation, and because they cannot find their sources of food during the time they should be hibernating, they die. I have to say there's someone at least at this nature center who's got a sense of humor and I love it. I'll go to Toni Preckwinkle to protest if they ever fire that person! Wander the pollinator garden and hidden amongst the signs you'll see one for Whitesnake Root (a play on the 80's hair band; the plant is called White Snakeroot), and Oscar the Grouch is telling you where to place your trash. I dig Easter eggs like that and they gave me a chuckle. read more

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I love this place because there's so much to see inside and around the nature center, from turtles, to owls, to a coyote. Plus they have an apiary (beehives). In addition, there are trails that go through forested areas surrounding the nature center. My favorite part, however, is all the bird feeders around the nature center building. All you have to do is sit or stand a few feet away and you'll see some great birds, plus lots of chipmunks! If I lived closer I'd come here every day. read more

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Oh my glorious goodness- this place is an amazing hidden gem in Cook County. Its hours of free family fun. Park in the spacious free parking lot and enter the nature center. In the nature center there are animals and reptiles to meet and learning opportunities for the kiddos and their parents. Go to the website and look for family-friendly activity dates. There are several hiking and biking trails throughout the property. Grab a map at the nature center and try not to get lost, just kidding. The area and map are pretty simple to navigate. Make sure to visit the outside birds, a coyote, owls and even a bald eagle. It's tons of family fun. There's only one little caveat to this place that has soo many birds. Dogs are not welcome-so leave the fellahs at home and check out this Cook County marvel wrapped around the DesPlains River. read more

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Beautiful woods and trails. Nice to see the park so well used. The nature center had some animals on display outside and inside. read more

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The springs back lots of childhood memories my older sister and my mom always has to take us here when we were kids I went there a few times with my kids preschool to they have all these different animals that are in the area that are from Illinois they are in cages but it's kind of cool to see them they have really nice trails it's really pretty by the river and they have an indoor area where you could view more animals read more

We are constantly looking for family- and pandemic- friendly outdoor recreation options in the Chicago area and came across this hidden gem. Being located on the Des Plaines River Trail system, there are short and long hiking options in the forest and by the river from this nature center. The wooded areas give off a WIsconsin / Tennessee vibe, and can briefly make you forget that you are trapped in Illinois due to all the travel restrictions. There are also eagles, hawks, and a coyote (that are hopefully being well taken care of), which provide for educational opportunities for the little ones. Bonus point: Although the main building is closed at this time due to the pandemic, the restrooms are open. Overall, we highly recommend this nature center and the trails around it. read more

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This is a quaint little hidden and tucked away nature center with trails right off of busy and built up Milwaukee Avenue.  With the caged (and partially disabled) wildlife here (a coyote, a couple of owls, a couple of hawks, and a bald eagle), it is a particularly fun and educational venue for any kiddos.  We took the opportunity to get in a few fitness steps here and visited the caged wildlife as well as walked the trails around the nearby Des Plaines river.  The river makes a scenic turn here and it would also be an interesting vantage point after a big rain (if possible) as this river is notorious for local flooding.  During the current pandemic, the main building is closed but the grounds are open and as mentioned the wildlife is still on display.   It's great for us to have this public resource so conveniently close by. read more

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"Who" should go here? You! If you're looking for a place to bring friends and family who might actually learn something first hand that isn't on a phone or computer, look no further! River Trail Nature Center has got you and your family and group covered! In addition to many hiking trails, the center also provides a safe place to live for recovering and long-term wild animals who may never return to the wild due to injury. I recently went with several friends on a cold snow-covered day to learn from the experts at the facility all about: Owls! The event was free to the public, (donations are greatly appreciated!), and the place was packed! It was so nice to see so many people coming out to learn more about the world around them, and in addition to learning quite a few things myself, (did you know that Barn Owls are almost extinct in Illinois?!), it was very refreshing to be with kids, adults, and their extended family members of all ages to see the local wildlife you may never know lives in your community. Check out my pictures here, and if you get the chance, I highly recommend visiting the center! It's very kid friendly, though there are lots of things for adults to view in the live and display galleries, as well as lots of bird watching opportunities just outside the door. The facility also has resident animals to view, though I do hope they get a bit more room for the coyote, who though well taken care of - seems a bit cramped in his enclosure. They have nature talks and learning opportunities all year, so check their schedule! read more

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I can't believe that we have lived in the north shore for over 20 years and we had never been here! What a gem! We came here with our son and future daughter-in-law for walk on a very cool, very early spring day. Parking was a bit difficult as they had a maple syrup tapping event going on and they closed off parking spots in order to keep the number of people there at time low, due to the pandemic. They have a number of paths through the woods to walk. None of them are particularly long and definitely not arduous. It was very pleasant strolling along and chatting. We ran into one of people that works there and he was very willing to answer our questions and pointed us in the direction of the newly tapped trees. There is a small section were they have some of the local fauna on display. We enjoyed our meander through there too. Great place for young and old alike! read more

I have these random memories of my grandmother taking my sister and I to some forest preserve years ago. There were a lot of geese, a river, some kind of maple syrup thing going on, and a sort of winding parking lot. As the years passed, and I visited several nature centers and forest preserves in the area, I came to believe that the memories were made up. I just couldn't figure out where this mystery place was! .....Until a few months ago on my mom's birthday (HI MOM!!!). After brunch, we were trying to think of something local and free to do that afternoon. My mother mentioned the River Trail Nature Center. I had never heard of it before and and was down for exploring a new outdoor place. When we drove through the woods towards the parking lots, memories starting flooding my brain. THIS was the mystery forest preserve that I had remembered all these years! It DOES exist!! Only mere minutes from my parents' house and down the road from another nature center that I love! Yay!! We parked and explored. Inside the nature center building, we found owls, squirrels, turtles, snakes, fish, and other small animals. They also have a 'classroom' for kids and a bunch of fun information all over the walls. Outside are several caged habitats for the fox, coyote, birds, etc. They even have a bald eagle! Most of the animals seemed to be blind in one eye or in need of some kind of rehabilitation. I'm not sure if this is some kind of project, but I like that the center was taking care of these animals that otherwise wouldn't able to survive in the wild Beyond the enclosures is a little spot for people to gather and some bees. We also stumbled upon some strange pod structures on poles which were actually bird feeders (for Purple Martins). After we finished looking at the animals, we went for a walk along the river and through the woods, which were almost kind of dark. I loved it. There were many different paths to take, but we took a short one that led us past a couple beautiful deer (and some kind of fence keeping the deer out or in....?) back to the nature center just before they closed for the day. All in all, it was a lovely afternoon of quality family time and exploring nature. I'm so glad we came here. I can't wait to come back. And I hope my mom had a good birthday. :) read more

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I first found this place 30 years ago when I was freshly out of a university in my first job. It was a great place to just commune with nature right outside of the 3rd largest metro area in the U.S. Fast forward to 2018 - it still is - it is even better. There is a nature center with 2 good-sized rooms inside. One room has a variety of birds, reptiles, and amphibians local to the area. The other room has a kids play area with games, stuff to climb on, and room to run around. Outside, there are a number of cages currently sporting a hawk, a couple of owls, and a coyote. Next to that is a colony of bees. There's also a "natural" playground for the little ones. Then there are a couple of trails - each about 1/2 mile long with interpretive markers (you need the guide sheet to know what A or C means). You can also walk along the Des Plaines River. Finally there's a long trail for joggers that continues several miles in each direction. I've jogged it - you can go south with only crossing one major road for about 2.5 miles. There are often activities for kids. The people working there teach fun facts. Or.... you can just find a bench and zone out.... read more

This is a lovely, little oasis and a well kept nature center with several caged, wildlife exhibits. Two different owl species, a bald eagle, a coyote and a red tailed hawk make for an interesting show and tell area. There's also a children's play area, an apiary and an outbuilding, called the Sugar Shack, where one can learn how maple syrup is made, although nothing was happening the day I visited. You can meander along two small loop trails in the immediate area or go for an extended hike along the Des Plaines Trail System. Close to the nature center, a little north and by the bend in the river, there are some relaxing and inviting Adirondack seats. There's a parking lot, indoor toilets (mask mandatory) and a maned tented area for trail maps and general info. read more

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As I stood there looking at the coyote pace in his small, cramped cage, I went from feeling bad to worse seeing that his only shelter is a plastic dog cage or a cold, cement half tube. After hearing his story, I made some phone calls. I called Ed Woodbury, Chair of Friends of the Forest Preserve who said he didn't even know this coyote was there and shouldn't be! He has done nothing to help the situation, even when offered a solution to rehome him at a rehabilitation center with no cost to them. Who is going to help him? I talked with Brian Winters (Assistant Director to the River Trail Nature Center) to donate funds to enlarge his cage and give him a shelter. He told me he'd think about it and talk to others, and I was denied my offer. Again, who is going to help this coyote? On three different occasions, there were three different people entering his cage to feed him. He certainly didn't seem to be imprinted to them, but ran to the back of the cage, squat and urinated. He seems to be one lonely coyote who needs a new home, as he is not thriving here! read more

Wonderful educational center and grounds staffed by people who care about nature. We've been participating in activities here for years and plan to continue. read more

I've been to many trails but this one's my most favorite so far. It connects different short trails so you can stroll along however it fits your time and mood. Different species of owls, bald eagle, Cayote cages outside the nature center are located. There's also parking lot and indoor restrooms in the nature center. It's a good place for hikes, casual strolls and families to spend some outdoorsy time. This is my recent personal spot to hangout with nature. read more

Came by here not to long ago to walk the trails along the nature center. It connects to a lot of over trails along the Des Plaines River so it's easy to extend your hike. We always bring our dog and roam around. DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED BY THE CENTER, but you can still enjoy the trails. read more

River Trail Nature Center - Parks Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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Got here right as a feeding presentation was going on in Sunday afternoon. This place closes at 5PM everyday, so it'd be difficult for anyone who works a regular day job to come here. Otherwise, not a shabby place to take the kids or just come here on your own. They only house animals that would not otherwise be able to survive on their own in the wild, making up of injured animals, rescued animals and animal born into captivity. Friendly for bikers and trail walkers. Nature center has bathrooms and a great area in the back to sit down in deck chairs and overlook into bird feeders. Inside also has a great play ground for the kids. Pamphlets and maps for cook county forest preserves in the nature center. Quite educational. Will be back to try out their trials. Situated right on Milwaukee, a busy road, so be careful coming in and going out. Speed limit is 15 MPH driving through the park. Additional parking at the nature center. read more

River Trail Nature Center - Parks Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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Great place to come and walk the trail look at the animals and relax. The nature center building is pretty big and it's also a mini zoo. He trails are AWSOME. Can't wait to bike on them. Definitely love this place and would come here instead of going to the movies. It's like the north park village nature center but with more woods. read more

River Trail Nature Center - In the woods... - Parks Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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Went there with the kids for the scavenger hunt-awesome! Legit coordinates and navigating tools provided. Kids discovered little prizes at each location and received a bonus one if all were found. Great educational opportunity; we also learned what geocaching is...and you can download an app to participate in this community of scavenger hunting locally to your home. Lovely grounds even in March/April. Many animals for viewing inside and a fun play area for all ages. read more

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My two daughters and I love this place. The trails are so well kept and clean, and the fresh air and delicious forest smells take our minds away from city life. We locals are so fortunate to have a free place such as this to take our kids and create wonderful memories. I love to go around feeding time, so they can hear the owls hiss at the ranger, the coyote whimper for his meal, and the hawk squawk in glee as he devours his prey. My oldest daughter loves the inside exhibit, and could sit and watch the turtles forever. Also, the Rangers are truly delightful and have a plethora of knowledge to share and seem to really enjoy what they do! read more

River Trail Nature Center - My eldest - Parks Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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I just left River Trail Nature Center and I'm sick to my stomach. They have a coyote, Rocky, kept in a TINY cage, out in display for everyone. The panic and stress in the animal is obvious. He started whining because their were so many shouting kids, with no where to run and hide. This is absolutely disgusting. If you need to teach your kids about animals, how about read them a book. This is animal abuse. read more

We participated in their Seeetheart Night Hike! For $10, we got a a buffet style dinner, opportunity to take photos with a nice backdrop and during the hike, hot chocolate, s'mores, and a nice walk on their trails. It was very worth it! I was impressed with how the staff created such a cute date night for couples. The food was good. They offered chicken, potatoes, vegetable pasta, drinks, and salad. They also had desserts. The hike was great because it had just snowed that day so it was very beautiful outside. All in all it was a really unique date night and I'll be looking forward to other events at this nature center. read more

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This is a great place to spend a few hours with the family. They have a few lives animals such as a bald eagle and fox. You can also enjoy a picnic in the designated picnic grove. At the River Trail Nature Center you can learn about native plants and animals that remain in the urban environment. Enjoy a walk through sugar maple woods along the Des Plaines River on self-guiding trails, learn of the past and present in the exhibit building, and visit a few of the native animals. Todor Krecu http://hotfortea.yelp.com/ read more

Great place! Highly recommend. Be sure to jot down the address if you're using a GPS to get there. It apparently doesn't register as a park... at least not on mine. And you don't want to miss this. So many parks in the area are either just spaces that haven't been developed yet, or overrun with people and specified outdoor activities. This is the first place I've found in a long time that's actually dedicated to nature. The nature center itself is quite interesting. Live animals inside and outside with interesting facts about all of them. Great trails leading all over the river. There are interpretive guides for the trails nearest the center. Once we got away from the main trails, however, we saw very few other people on the trails -- very peaceful! We hiked, but biking is also allowed on some trails. I'm looking forward to bringing my bike next time. read more

River Trail Nature Center - River in autumn - Parks Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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Friendly staff. We did geocaching for hidden objects. We enjoyed every moment. Enjoy how much Illinois takes their preserves and outside nature trails with open spaces so seriously. read more

During my first visit I was highly impressed with the knowledge of all the staff at the nature center. You can tell they enjoy their jobs and excel in their care. They were able answer every question and concern. read more

This place is beautiful and very scenic. It's a great place to go for a quiet walk and get away from the hustle and bustle of the suburbs. With that said, why did I give this place 1 star? One of the 1st things I saw the incredibly small enclosures for the animals. The coyote barely had any room to pace around. After watching the poor animal pacing back and forth in the small cage for 15 minutes, I could not bare it anymore. It was literally heart-wrenching. I do understand that some of these animals are injured and would not be able to thrive in the wild. Also, these animals are most likely well-fed (based on pictures from other reviewers). However, no intelligent and social animal should be stuck is such small enclosure without socialization or freedom to roam. I have seen rats at zoos with more roaming space than the owl/eagle/coyote. read more

River Trail Nature Center - Rabbits probably have more room to roam in a backyard than this poor animal. - Parks Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

I am a fan. I can't say it's the best because of lack of nature centers I've seen to compare it too. Staff was very friendly and helpful. They have animals inside (snakes, turtles, a squirrel, etc) on one side and taxidermy animals on the other side. Outside they have a coyote, bald Eagle, some owls and more in cages. Seemed kinda of small for cages with the amount of land they have. Looking forward to going back on a weekend, when they feed the outdoor animals at 3:00. It was free, and you can make a donation if you wish. Went on one of the shorter trails. It was pretty and heard some birds, but didn't see them. Definitely saw mosquitoes. (Inside they have bug spray.) Not easy to get to by public transportation from my neighborhood. read more

I've been coming here for years. I've watched it grow and evolve, but it has always maintained it's coziness. It is a peaceful place to get away from it all and just enjoy nature. There is local wildlife to see, both captive and for the observant, along the trails and in the woods. There is an education center for kids to explore and learn. Just relax, breathe and enjoy! read more

River Trails, true to its name, has some great trails near the Des Plaines River. They aren't particularly challenging to hike, but you do get to see a nice variety of plants and (caged, rehabilitating) wildlife. Here, you can get about as close as you probably want to be to a wild fox or eagle. It's also nice for birdwatching--on one hike, we spotted three species of woodpeckers just on one tree. There are also events here pretty regularly. They range from child-friendly, family-oriented activities to more grown-up stuff that might put your tikes to sleep. The FPDCC actually has a TON of great programs pretty much every weekend, so if River Trails isn't a convenient location for you, check out the county web site to find something a little closer to home. I recommend that you bring your bug spray and sunglasses, plus sunscreen, for any hike. Especially if there's been a recent rain, some areas may be a bit swampy and mosquito-friendly. I hiked the trails with Fly Swotter and came out with just one bite, despite having gone through what looked like a swarm of thirsty little bloodsuckers. Based on the frantic itching of the people on the trail further ahead, not everyone was so lucky that day. Also note that the nature center itself is not necessarily open just because the trails aren't closed--for example, I believe the nature center is closed on Fridays. Check the web site or call ahead to make sure you don't show up with a carload of kids and no nature center staff to let them into the "fox den." read more

Want to see some local wildlife, walk a trail and still have time to do more things later? River Trail might be right for you. It's not an all-day trip like a zoo, but it's enough to do for about 2 hours. Right as you come in, you see signs about open food or drinks. No, they aren't being bossy, they are saying it for your own good. Just outside the parking area is an active beehive. The bees get attracted to those things. Same goes for strong perfumes. Anyway, don't worry about the bees. Enjoy the rest of the place. They have a few walking trails that are not too long. My 3 year old was able to handle the trails just fine. The main building has exhibits with some small animals and specimens on display. Kids love seeing turtles and birds. There's more animals outside too. Stop here for an interesting afternoon and still get home in time to play in the backyard or hit a mall later. read more

This is a great place to take the family! Very informative staff and great presentation on maple syrup making. Michelle was a big help in finding vegetarian friendly restaurants in the area! Thank you to the entire staff for a wonderful time! read more

I love this place but I hate how early it closes... I mean... it's nature there shouldn't really be a curfew. When you think about it if anything bad was going to happen in there whether there's a curfew or not it's gonna happen anyway..... Regardless I like to come here on some days off because it's closer to my house than the botanical gardens + I bring my dog on walks and he has a blast. I would recommend this place on a beautiful, blooming, summer day. Bring snacks it's a pretty long trail! :] read more

It's so cool that this little nature center is in the middle of bustling NW Suburbia, just off the North Des Plaines River Trail, and just south of the Milwaukee Rd. - River Road intersection in Northbrook. Frankly, I've only ever "arrived" here by mountain bike (because it's almost exactly 1-hours fast ride north of my home in Des Plaines), and didn't even know how to get here by car until the other day. So much is packed into a relatively small area, so it's pretty easy to cover in a short morning or afternoon. First off: "I know why the caged bird sings." It's because it happily thrives at the River Trail Nature Center with all it's differently-abled buddies. OK, what you'll notice is that all the birds are blind in one eye. Yep, they are brought to the preserve because they can't survive the wild with just one eye. But fortunately that means we get to observe them up close and learn about them! My fave and go-to dude (I'm making a gender assumption here) is the little Screech Owl, inside the center. My son loves the low, open Jacuzzi full of turtles. And there are live snakes and fish galore. Outside there are hives of bees, a fox, a skunk a bald eagle and a red-tailed hawk to gawk at, as well as many many groomed trails and signs galore so the suburban-slickers don't get lost. No, they don't sell food, but there are about 5-6 Adirondack chairs out back, overlooking a long lawn and the Des Plaines River. A great place to relax. Also the staff is really friendly and nice here. A little gem of a refuge in the middle of suburbia. read more

This nature center is great, and I'm sure that after it's expansion is will be even better. This nature center offers many walking paths near the DesPlains River. You are almost certain to see deer while walking around here. The staff here are extremely nice and friendly. If you go say hi to Charlie or some of the very knowledgable naturalists. They host workshops for kids and adults about different outdoor topics. Festivals here are very fun. They have a Maple Syrup Festival in the Spring and an Apple fest in the fall. The visitor's center is currently closed while it is being remodeled and expanded, but when I went before it was very cosy and interesting. They have some aquatic animals and snakes. Outdoors, you can see some creatures like a bald eagle, hawk, owls, fox and skunk who were all rescued and are being cared for here. It's a great way to see what some of these creatures look like. This place is great! read more

Was here today for the Maple Syrup Days festival. What a wonderful experience for adults and kids alike with free french toast and fresh maple syrup from their Sugar Maple Trees. They have an indoor nature center with local animals and plenty of educational material plus a kids play area as well. The staff is very knowledgeable and they have many educational events. Nice place for a 3 mile hike on trails covered with wood chips. Good place for a run in the woods or leisurely walk. read more

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This is a great facility. It's a really nice interpretive center with a clean and airy children's area that separates it from another family favorite, The Grove, just down the street. What this facility lacks in live animals it makes up for in the play area. But it's the 1:30 Sunday nature hike and 3:00 animal feeding - all free of charge, that are really special. Our guide, Susan, was informative though it wasn't clear why the forest is so much less plush than The Grove. There's almost no undergrowth. Not sure why. The guide who did the feeding was especially entertaining in an amusing way. He had scolded a mom earlier in the day while in the playroom because he said her kids were being too loud and I thought - Really? Cause they can get lots louder - thinking to myself, he is obviously in the wrong profession. So I was nervous when I saw he was going to be doing the feeding. Would my daughter annoy him? Alas, the feeding presentation he gave was not only very educational but also very funny. All is forgiven. I wil definitely be back to take advantage of this wonderful resource in our area. read more