Area
Hashawha / Bear Branch Area
Hashawha and Bear Branch combine outdoor trails, wildlife interpretation and scheduled astronomy programs near Westminster.
Hashawha Environmental Center and Bear Branch Nature Center bring several kinds of outdoor learning together. The county describes a 320-acre setting with five miles of multiuse trails, a raptor enclosure, Lake Hashawha and the historic Martin Cabin. These features give visitors several starting points for exploring the landscape.
Inside the nature center
Bear Branch adds live animals, educational exhibits, an observation beehive and a discovery room. Its indoor hours differ from a general outdoor visit: the county lists Wednesday-through-Sunday opening, with Monday, Tuesday and holiday closures. Check the current schedule for the particular program or room you want to use.
Looking toward the night sky
The county’s planetarium and observatory information describes a small planetarium and the Blaine F. Roelke Memorial Observatory. Astronomy visits depend on scheduled programs and arrangements with staff; use the recreation program guide for current registration.
The visitor address is 300 John Owings Road, Westminster. Hashawha also supports outdoor-school and reserved residential group activities. Those facilities have separate arrangements from an ordinary nature-center visit, so select the program and destination before setting out.