Maryland has some amazing nature centers, but none can compare to the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY. At this time, due to Covid, all visitors to the Center must make a reservation in advance. Tickets are $20 per adult, children 5-17 are $12 apiece, and kiddos 4 and under are free. We were fortunate enough to secure tickets for 10am, opening time. Once you are at the Center, there is no limit on how long you can stay. We brought a picnic lunch to eat at one of the tables in the picnic area. Visitors do have the option of purchasing a boxed lunch from the Waterside Cafe onsite, but it is easier, and cheaper, to just bring one.
After parking the car in the lot, we headed indoors to get our bearings. We were quickly impressed with how the Center has responded to Covid. This was not our first trip to the Center, and we discovered the exhibits are now set up to flow in one direction only, the Living River Trail. Hand sanitizing stations are everywhere, and many of the hands-on activities have been closed up or taken away. Masks indoors, regardless of vaccine status, were required.
We began following the Living River Trail through the building. The Center does an amazing job of presenting the flora and fauna of the Adirondack Park. My girls loved the machine that made clouds for them to run their hands through. Oh! Before I forget! You can download the Wild Center’s app, and there is an audio tour you can listen to while moving through the exhibits. I tried it, but was too busy wrangling kiddos whose curiosity led them in three different directions! All three girls made a beeline for the otters’ habitat when it came into view. Pebble, especially, was enthralled with these animals as they darted in and out of the water.
In addition to the otters, there were numerous tanks containing fish native to Adirondack waters, as well as turtles. There was also an exhibit containing live dermestid beetles. The point of this exhibit was to show the process of decomposition in the wild. It was amazing how swiftly, in a matter of days, these beetles could strip a dead snake down to its skeleton! Yes, a very gross exhibit, but still fascinating! I did not take a picture, you’re welcome! 🙂
One of the cool hands-on exhibits that remained was a keyboard. When certain notes on the keyboard were pressed, the sounds that came out were frog calls, bird song, insects, squirrels, etc. Pebble loved this, and stayed here a while pushing the keys…
Once we finished our indoor explorations, we headed outside. We didn’t get far before the mosquitoes discovered us, and we needed to generously spray ourselves with bug repellent. Never leave home without it in the Adirondacks! When we had thoroughly coated ourselves, we checked out Forest Music. It was a neat little walk, and I liked the music and the concept, but I wasn’t a fan of the sculptures.
Next, we took the boardwalk across part of the pond that backs up to the Center. As we worked our way around the outside of the building, we watched for birds and butterflies, and hunted for turtles and frogs. When we reached the otter play yard, we found a few otters chilling out in the enclosures.
Stormy had been studying the map as we left the otters, and asked to check out the Pines Play Area, a nature play space. In the Pine Play Space, there were logs to hop, wooden balance beams, a place to create fairy houses, and more.
When the girls had their fill of the play area, we took in the creature feature at the animal viewing area, and then took at look at a few of residents who call the center home. Pebble could have watched the ravens all day, they are such smart birds!
By this point in the day, the girls were verging on hangry, so we took a break for lunch. In the picnic area, there was an old pine tree that was perfect for climbing! Stormy also spotted a garter snake. After tummies were filled, we took the girls to what makes this nature center so unique! It is called the Wild Walk, a series of bridges that take you to the very treetops of the Adirondack forest.
Now do you see why this place is so amazing?! The girls could have played up here all day! As it was, we visited the spider’s web twice. Stormy and Rainbow kept jumping over the edge onto the web, and Pebble was right behind them!
To end our adventure, we hiked down the trail to the oxbow overlook on the Raquette River. There is a launch here, too, for canoes and kayaks.
We squeezed in as much as we could at the Wild Center, and the girls soaked it up! I cannot recommend this place enough if you are ever in this neck of the woods! Pebble was asleep in her car seat before we even left Tupper Lake. She only woke up when we stopped for ice cream at Custard’s Last Stand in Long Lake. Happy trails!
