A day at Powdermill Nature Reserve
It’s always exciting to discover a new outdoor resource for our family to explore, so I was thrilled to finally visit Powdermill Nature Reserve this fall. It did not disappoint! In fact, I kept wondering, “how have we never been here before?!”
Nestled in the Laurel Highlands between Ligonier and Donegal, and just about an hour outside of Pittsburgh, Powdermill is the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Environmental Research Center. The center is home to a field station and laboratory where researchers conduct long-term studies of populations native to Western Pennsylvania. While they do have opportunities to watch and learn from the researchers (more on that later) we visited to check out their FREE nature center and hiking trails!
With numerous indoor and outdoor activities available, your family could easily spend a whole day exploring Powdermill Nature Reserve! Here is an overview of what is available to help you plan your visit:
The Nature Center has animal displays, activities, books and more
When you enter the building, there is a large room immediately to your right, with nearly a dozen dioramas featuring animals native to Western Pennsylvania. Our kids loved getting up close with so mnay animals they usually can only see from a distance, if at all. Out in the main area, there are several tables set up with activities and coloring, which is a great opportunity for parents to explore! At the far end tucked against a large floor to ceiling window there is an adorable book nook filled entirely with nature-themed titles (my favorite kind!), and bean bag chairs for kids to sprawl out on.
One of our favorite spots to explore within the nature center was it’s natural water filtration system (dubbed the “Marsh Machine”) which recycles the building’s waste water through a natural filtration system. You can walk through this small greenhouse at the rear of the building and learn more about how the system works to recycle the facility’s water!
If you slow down to soak in everything there is to see, you could easily spend an hour just mulling around the nature center (increase that to 1.5 if you add on a snack time!)
Enjoy the woods along Powdermill Run on the many miles of family-friendly hiking trails
Did I mention the hiking trails yet? Just behind the Nature Center Powdermill has some of the most perfect hiking trails for families with young children. These trails are well marked, well maintained, and are mostly flat, winding thorugh the woods and along Powdermill Run before looping back. Exploring the trails is a great way to balance out your visit.
And that’s just the first half of this amazing facility…
Go behind the scenes with researchers at the Avian Research Facility
Located just down the road from the Nature Reserve, the scientists at Powdermill’s Avian Research Center conduct bird-banding and other research programs to help learn more about migration patterns and dangers to birds during their long journeys. During the spring and fall migrations, they hold Free Open House events where you can go behind-the-scenes with the researchers to learn more about how they capture and band the birds. While we were not able to visit this part of the center during our visit, it is at the top of our bucket list for 2024!
Events are scheduled year-round and are open to the public
The staff at Powdermill host events year round, including monthly family hikes, Christmas Bird Count, and more. To stay up to date on all of their events, visit Powdermill Nature Reserve Facebook Page.
Check the hours of operation before your visit, as they have shorter hours during winter
Powdermill is open Wednesday through Sunday during the warmer months, but has restricted hours of operation during the winter. Be sure to check the Powdermill Nature Reserve Website or call before your visit!
If you’re looking for a great family day trip close to Pittsburgh, you could easily spend an entire day exploring Powdermill. Given its location so many other fantastic spots in the Laurel Highlands, Powdermill would also be a great spot to include on a family weekend getaway itinerary.
We loved our visit to Powdermill and can’t wait to return for one of the Open House events in the spring!
Has your family visited Powdermill Nature Reserve yet? Tell us about your experience!