Spending time in nature is good for the soul. The sound of chirping birds, the wind through the trees, the rippling lull of a river — sometimes there's no greater remedy to the modern condition than simply getting outdoors.
As some of Georgia's most humble and precious treasures, nature centers exist to help protect and conserve local wildlife, educate and connect the public to the natural world around them and to serve as guardians so that future generations can experience the serenity, diversity and importance of these beautifully wild areas.
If you haven't visited one of these top Georgia nature centers yet, you're in for a real treat. From lush and loamy hiking trails to interactive science stations, you'll rediscover your love for nature while learning a little bit along the way.
Chattahoochee Nature Center
9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. 770-992-2055. www.chattnaturecenter.org.
Hours:
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, Noon-5 p.m.
Admission:
$10 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, $6 for children ages 3-12, free for CNC members and children ages 2 and under.
Located along the Chattahoochee River, this 127-acre nature center offers five wooded hiking trails, rehabilitated animal enclosures, canoeing and ziplining opportunities and The Nature Exchange, a unique exchange program to help people of all ages create their own nature study collection. Visitors can also take part in classes, camps and educational programs offered throughout the year. Green thumbs out there will love CNC's involvement to help restore and protect rare and endangered plant species in the area, and insect enthusiasts wait all year for The Butterfly Encounter, which takes place in the summer. Stop by the nature store on your way out, which sells native birdseed, t-shirts, toys and souvenirs to remember your visit.
Dunwoody Nature Center
5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody. 770-394-3322. www.dunwoodynature.org.
Hours:
Monday-Sunday, 7 a.m. to sundown.
Admission:
Free, memberships available, donations accepted.
Inspired to cultivate a love of nature and increase understanding of the environment, the Dunwoody Nature Center offers community and school programs, nature classes, camps, scouting events and The Milkweed Project, an effort to save the monarch butterfly. Visitors will also get a chance to participate in geocaching onsite, meander along two miles of wooded hiking trails, explore Wildcat Creek, climb all over the new playground with climbing towers and a giant rope swing, visit the beehives and much more.
Elachee Nature Science Center
Credit: Courtesy of Elachee Nature Science Center
Credit: Courtesy of Elachee Nature Science Center
2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976. www.elachee.org.
Hours:
Trails open daily at 7 a.m.
Visitors center, nature shop and exhibits:
March through November: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
December through February: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Admission:
$5 for adults, $3 for children ages 2-12, free for members and children under 2.
Tucked away inside the 1,440-acre Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve, you'll find the Elachee Nature Science Center, an education center designed to help protect green spaces and inspire environmental advocacy and a love of the natural world. Elachee's camps and accredited, STEAM-based classes are unparalleled and offer exploration and discovery opportunities by trained naturalists. Families can also enjoy seasonal nature-inspired programs offered throughout the year.
Autrey Mill Nature Preserve
Credit: Courtesy of Autrey Mill
Credit: Courtesy of Autrey Mill
9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek. 678-366-3511. www.autreymill.org.
Hours:
Preserve grounds: Daily from 8 a.m. to dusk.
Visitors center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, Noon-4 p.m.
Admission:
Free, memberships available, donations accepted.
With over two and a half miles of wooded hiking trails, scenic views, an overlook, picturesque bridges, ruins of a vintage mill and even a gold mine, you'll want to make Autrey Mill Nature Preserve your next nature pit stop. Take a hike along the new Warsaw Trail, check out the native ectotherm and outdoor animal exhibits, interact with ducks, rabbits, chickens and tortoises onsite and visit Heritage Village, a 46-acre reproduction of a heritage farm from around the 19th century.
Blue Heron Nature Preserve
4055 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta. 404-946-6394. www.bhnp.org.
Hours:
Daily, 6 a.m.-11 p.m.
Admission:
Free, memberships available, donations accepted.
Step out into nature without even leaving the city by visiting Blue Heron Nature Preserve. Throughout this 30-acre green space, you'll enjoy hiking trails through meadows, woodlands, wetlands and riparian habitats and interact with nature through outdoor education classes, field trips, homeschool classes, a living nature lab and more. Blue Heron also offers day camps, scouting opportunities, birthday parties and an Artist-in-Residence program.
