Bear Branch Nature Center

Bear Branch Nature Center is a nature center in Carroll County, Maryland near Westminster. It features interpretive exhibits about local plants and animals, an outdoor water feature and play area, a Discovery Room for children, an observation beehive, live animals including an eagle, hawks, owls, snakes, salamanders, turtles, frogs, and toads, a planetarium and observatory. The center is a facility of Carroll County Recreation & Parks.

Bear Branch Nature Center
TypeNature Center
Location300 John Owings Road
Westminster, Maryland
Coordinates39°38′39″N 76°59′26″W
Area4,000 sq ft (370 m2)
Created1993
Operated byCarroll County, Maryland
Hiking trails5 miles (8.0 km)
ParkingOn-site lot
Other informationexhibits, live animals, observatory, planetarium
Websiteccgovernment.carr.org

The nature center is adjacent to Hashawha Environmental Center, a residential facility that is also operated by Carroll County Recreation & Parks. Hashawha Environmental Center is home to Carroll County Public Schools' Outdoor School, a residential environmental education program open to every sixth grade student in the county.

The two facilities are located on approximately 320 acres, with more than five miles of multi-use trails, a restored 19th century cabin, a lake, a pond, and access to both Bear Branch and Big Pipe Creek.[1]

History

In 1972, the county purchased the land on which Bear Branch Nature Center and Hashawha Environmental Center are built. The name "Hashawha" is a Native American word meaning "old fields."[2]

Hashawha Tower

The Hashawha Tower is a 10 m (35 ft) tall windmill donated to Hashawha Westminster, Maryland, located at Hashawha Environmental Center.

The "Hashawha Tower," a windmill at Hashawha Environmental Center, Carroll County, Maryland.
  • Butterflies on display in the Exhibit Hall
    Butterflies on display in the Exhibit Hall
  • Bear exhibit
    Bear exhibit
  • Lake Hashawha
    Lake Hashawha
  • View of the caretaker's residence
    View of the caretaker's residence
  • View of the Exhibit Hall
    View of the Exhibit Hall
  • Bee hives on the property
    Bee hives on the property

References
  1. Carroll County Department of Recreation & Parks: Hashawha/Bear Branch, "Carroll County Government - Department of Recreation and Parks". Archived from the original on 2010-04-03. Retrieved 2010-01-12., accessed 29 Aug 2014.
  2. A Bark in the Park: The 50 Best Places to Hike With Your Dog in the ... - Doug Gelbert - Google Boeken
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