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Bear Branch Nature Center facts for kids

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Bear Branch Nature Center
Entrance to Bear Branch Nature Center visitor center.jpg
Type Nature Center
Location 300 John Owings Road
Westminster, Maryland
Area 4,000 sq ft (370 m2)
Created 1993
Operated by Carroll County, Maryland
Hiking trails 5 miles (8.0 km)
Parking On-site lot
Other information exhibits, live animals, observatory, planetarium
Website ccgovernment.carr.org

The Bear Branch Nature Center is a fun place to learn about nature. It is located in Carroll County, Maryland, near Westminster. This center helps kids and families discover local plants and animals.

You can explore many things at the nature center. There are exhibits that teach you about the local wildlife. You can also find an outdoor water play area and a special Discovery Room for children. The center is home to many live animals. These include an eagle, hawks, owls, snakes, salamanders, turtles, frogs, and toads. It even has a planetarium and an observatory for looking at the stars!

The nature center is part of Carroll County Recreation & Parks. It is right next to the Hashawha Environmental Center. Hashawha is a place where sixth-grade students from Carroll County can attend an outdoor school program.

Together, these two centers cover about 320 acres of land. They have more than five miles of trails for hiking and exploring. You can also see a restored 19th-century cabin, a lake, and a pond. The area also provides access to Bear Branch and Big Pipe Creek.

Exploring the History of Bear Branch

The land for the Bear Branch Nature Center was bought in 1972. This was many years before the center was built. The name "Hashawha" comes from a Native American word. It means "old fields."

The Hashawha Windmill Tower

Hashawha Windmill
The "Hashawha Tower," a windmill at Hashawha Environmental Center, Carroll County, Maryland.

The Hashawha Tower is a tall windmill located at the Hashawha Environmental Center. It stands about 10 meters (35 feet) high. This windmill was given to the center as a gift. It is an interesting feature to see when you visit.

Images for kids

  • Butterflies on display at Bear Branch Nature Center

    Butterflies on display in the Exhibit Hall

  • Bear on display (Bear Branch Nature Center, 2010)

    Bear exhibit

  • Lake Hashawha

    Lake Hashawha

  • Hashawha-Bear Branch Residence

    View of the caretaker's residence

  • Bear Branch Nature Center southwest exhibit room

    View of the Exhibit Hall

  • Bear Branch Nature Center Beehives

    Bee hives on the property

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