Get out and explore at GCV&M!
The Genesee Country Nature Center is a fantastic place to explore the flora and fauna of the Genesee Valley Region. Take a hike on a nature trail, learn from a resident naturalist, meet animals up close and personal, and so much more.
The trails at GCV&M are open whenever the Museum is open. The Nature Center building can be accessed on weekends and during special events during open hours.
The Nature Center is Evolving!
You can help us create new exhibits and interactive stations, deepen and develop nature-based programming, and connect with all areas of the Museum. Join the Evolution by visiting often, sharing your experiences and feedback with Nature Center staff, and donating today (please indicate NC Renovation in the honoree line of your donation).
Nature Trails
The grounds of Genesee Country Village & Museum encompass hundreds of acres of woodlands, meadows, old fields, geologic formations, ponds, streams, and five miles of themed nature trails to explore natural history and the area’s flora and fauna.
Nature Trails are available with general admission anytime the Museum is open.
The Sugar House
Did you know? Genesee Country Nature Center includes a working sugar house, where sap is collected from the Sugar Bush on our grounds and turned into real NY maple syrup! While the best time to visit the Sugar House using all your senses is February and March, GCV&M Naturalists are happy to share the space whenever the Nature Center is open.
Centering Diversity
GCV&M acknowledges that, in modern years, outdoor spaces have remained largely segregated due to economic access, overt racism, micro-aggressions, and redlining, which has alienated People of Color from parks, green spaces, and even tree-lined streets; but People of Color have historically and continue to have deep relationships with land.
The Nature Center is committed to learning and telling stories that center the relationship of all people to the natural world; addressing erasure of Black and Indigenous individuals and communities in outdoor spaces; and joining in the growing movements providing access and celebrating diversity in the outdoors. Learn more about the history of segregation in outdoor spaces and one current, exciting movement in the birding world! As birds are renamed for their characteristics, we hope you’ll join GCV&M naturalists and educators in learning these new names and celebrating the birds and the birding world’s embrace of diversity and inclusion.
Explore Membership!
The benefits of GCV&M Membership include admission to the Nature Center and trails! Membership provides a wide range of experiences that pays for itself after just a few walks in the woods or conversations with a naturalist and includes members-only programs such as hikes guided by the Director of the Nature Center. Plus, your support allows the Museum to continue our educational and preservation efforts.
Interested in access to our Oatka Creek property for hiking, outdoor dining, and fishing? Consider joining GCV&M’s Founder’s Circle!
Lend a Hand
Genesee Country Nature Center’s native gardens, trails, and bird feeders and habitats require many hands for upkeep. Interested in volunteering as an individual, family, or group one time or on a regular basis? The trail to volunteering begins with the link below.