Carrie Murray Nature Center
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Carrie Murray Nature Center offers a unique combination of hands-on nature education, an indoor play area for kids, and extensive hiking trails within Leakin Park. Its core value proposition lies in its aviary for rescued birds of prey (including hawks, a bald eagle, and a turkey vulture) and the exceptional, personalized care these animals receive from a highly knowledgeable staff. The center provides borrowable educational gear and hosts engaging events, making it ideal for families seeking educational outdoor experiences combined with indoor respite options.
Key Highlights
- ✓Aviary features rescued birds of prey: hawks, a bald eagle, and a turkey vulture.
- ✓Exceptional animal care program for rescued birds, including enrichment rooms, individualized care, and stress-minimizing training (e.g., turkey vulture trained for independent crating).
- ✓Knowledgeable and caring staff, specifically mentioning Kirby Pitchford (Lead Animal Care Naturalist) for detailed animal information and educational interactions.
- ✓Offers educational events.
- ✓Indoor play area specifically for children.
- ✓Binoculars and nature guides available to borrow.
- ✓Designated indoor room with AC for eating lunch or resting.
- ✓Wheelchair accessible path from parking (implied) to the nature center and a short walk to see birds.
- ✓Integration with Leakin Park, offering hiking opportunities like the 1.5-mile, hilly wetlands trail.
- ✓Hosts external programs, such as a 'learn to ride' program with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks.
Standout Features
- ⭐Rescued birds of prey in the aviary.
- ⭐Highly dedicated and knowledgeable animal care staff.
- ⭐Educational events and borrowable nature gear (binoculars, guides).
- ⭐Indoor play area for kids.
- ⭐Air-conditioned room for breaks and eating lunch.
- ⭐Wheelchair accessible route to the main building and a short bird-viewing walk.
- ⭐Public bathrooms and water fountain (when center is open).
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Crucially, check the Nature Center's exact operating hours before visiting,** especially if you plan to access indoor facilities, borrow gear, or obtain trail maps.
- →If hiking, be prepared to explore without a map or research trails (like the 1.5-mile, hilly wetlands trail) in advance.
- →Consider contacting Kirby Pitchford (Lead Animal Care Naturalist) with specific animal-related questions for in-depth information.
- →Look for additional programs offered by partner organizations like Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, as these may utilize the center's outdoor spaces.
- →If you have mobility challenges, the accessible path to the nature center and a short bird-viewing walk are viable options.
- →Bring your own snacks and drinks, particularly if you plan to hike or visit when the center's indoor facilities are closed.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Nature Center building has very limited and inconsistent operating hours; it was closed during one visit.
- ⚠No trail maps were seen outside the center when it was closed, making trail navigation challenging for first-time visitors.
- ⚠The wetlands trail, while clear, has 'thorny brush' in a few spots that needs trimming.
- ⚠Views of the aviary birds can be somewhat obstructed due to two layers of fencing.
- ⚠No indoor facilities (bathrooms, AC room, indoor play) are available when the Nature Center building is closed; only an outhouse was noted outside.
Price & Value
No specific pricing information was mentioned in the reviews, suggesting general access to the park and potentially the nature center may be free or low-cost. The value derived from educational programs, well-cared-for rescued animals, and borrowable gear appears high given no stated entry fees. Potential hidden costs might include unmentioned program fees or purchasing food/drinks if not brought.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •Wheelchair accessible path to the nature center building.
- •A short, manageable walk from the center to see birds is suitable for individuals using walkers or with limited mobility.
- •An air-conditioned room is available for resting and eating lunch inside the center.
- •Note: While the center itself has some accessibility, not all hiking trails are guaranteed to be fully accessible (the wetlands trail is described as having hills).
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Reviewers indicate an AC room is available for eating lunch when the Nature Center is open.
- •It is advisable to bring your own food and water, especially if planning to hike or visit when the indoor facilities are closed (an outhouse is available outside, but no indoor options).
- •No explicit policy on outside food/drink was mentioned, implying it is generally permissible, particularly for outdoor consumption.
🚗Parking Info
- •Parking is implied to be available given the facility's location within a park, and the mention of wheelchair access 'to the nature center'. However, no specific details on the number of spots, cost, or ease of parking were provided in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Not explicitly mentioned in the reviews. The absence of complaints about crowds suggests it may not be excessively busy, but specific peak times are unknown.
🛡️Safety Features
- •The aviary birds are secured behind two layers of fencing.
- •Trails are described as 'pretty clear path' in general, though some thorny brush was noted on the wetlands trail.
- •Staff are highly engaged in animal care, implying a generally well-managed facility, but no specific human safety features like first aid stations or monitored play areas were detailed.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Visiting when the Nature Center building is closed if you require indoor restrooms, AC, trail maps, access to the indoor play area, or borrowable gear.
- • If you expect extensive, clearly marked trails with comprehensive signage throughout the park (prepare for some independent exploration).
- • If you anticipate very close or completely unobstructed views of the aviary birds (due to double fencing).
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Mushroom City
Periodically throughout the year (past favorite)
Not specified
Special event.
The Seed Exchange
Periodically throughout the year (past favorite)
Not specified
Special event.
International Mud Day
Periodically throughout the year (past favorite)
Not specified
Special event.
BioBlitz
Periodically throughout the year (past favorite)
Not specified
Special event.
Pride Outside
Periodically throughout the year (past favorite)
Not specified
Special event.
Annual Earth Day Celebration
Periodically throughout the year (past favorite)
Not specified
Special event.
Holiday Programming (various)
Various holidays throughout the year
Many programs are free, others are affordable (no specific price given)
Holiday program favorites include: Winter Solstice, Holi, Spring Equinox, Pride, Summer Solstice, Love Day, Pumpkin Carving, Harvest Feast, Mother's Day Tea Party.
🍎Food Policy
- • Enjoy snacks/meals in the designated picnic areas.
- • Please take your trash with you.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Be considerate of how you move through the forest. Leave footprints. Take memories.
- • Beware of poison ivy.
- • Check yourself for ticks after hiking.
- • Dogs must be on a leash and owners must clean up after their pets.
- • Surface paths are not multi-use; refrain from biking or using motor bikes on these trails.
- • Refrain from the use of drones.
- • No hunting or trapping.
- • Fires are only permitted in designated fire pits and grill areas.
- • Do not smoke.
📅Booking Policy
- • Browse the catalog in CivicRec to register for programs.
Photos
What People Say
What's Great
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 4 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Fatima Black
10 months agoMy family and I had a great time. My mother used a walker so it is sometimes tough to do outdoor park activities. We were able to use the wheelchair to the nature center and have a short walk to see the birds. She had a lot of fun. They have a nice room with AC and we were able to eat lunch there after our mini hike.
Elizabeth Hazel
3 months agoSuch a great place to stop by when hiking at Leaken Park. They have animals, and indoor play area for kids, binoculars and nature guides to check out. Bathrooms and water fountain.
Deborah Montgomery
3 years agoThe nature center was not open when we went. It is currently open very limited hours. We knew there were trails here, but there was no map anywhere that we saw, so we just walked around until we found a trail. It would have been nice to know how long it was, or if it looped before we started. We hiked the wetlands trail. It was a good hike, probably about 1 1/2 miles to the end and back, with lots of hills. It was a pretty clear path, though in a few spots, the thorny brush needs to be cut back. Overall, it was a pretty hike through the woods. I am curious to find additional trails the next time we go. I would like to get there when the nature center is open to see if there is a map. There is a small aviary behind 2 fences. There is a turkey vulture, 2 red tailed hawks, and an owl. It was a little hard to see the birds through the fences. In all, it is a good place to hike. I will return and explore more. It did appear that there was an outhouse in front of the nature center, but there were no indoor facilities since inside was closed.
Rhonda Hammonds
11 months agoDidn’t go in for the nature center the last trip. But we were outside participating in the learn to ride program with Baltimore city recreation and parks.
Colleen
7 months agoAs a lover of nature centers, I can't recommend this one enough. They have awesome educational events, binoculars and other gear that can be borrowed, and are surrounded by beautiful trails with lots of birds. They have an aviary for rescued birds of prey like hawks, a bald eagle, and a turkey vulture. I wanted to learn more about the turkey vulture as I know they're social and he was alone. I emailed Kirby Pitchford, the Lead Animal Care Naturalist to ask. He responded the same day with a detailed email explaining that the bird doesn't like other turkey vultures, and blew me away with information on the level of care the animals receive. They have an enrichment room, and allow the turkey vulture, who doesn't like to be touched, to choose if he goes to the playroom and even walks himself down the hallway. He was also trained to enter his crate independently for vet appointments to minimize stress. I was grateful to learn that birds are all rescues who couldn't survive on their own and have an amazing quality of life. He also invited me to come to the nature center so he can show me around and teach me more about the animals. This is a beautiful center full of helpful information and caring staff.