Santa Ysabel Nature Center

The Santa Ysabel Nature Center is the gateway to the larger Santa Ysabel Preserve, offering a mix of educational exhibits and extensive outdoor recreation opportunities. Here are some key details about the place: The Nature Center Facility Sustainable Design: The center is a 6,000-square-foot facility that has achieved LEED Gold certification and is designed to be a Zero Net Energy building. Exhibits and Education: It features interpretive and educational exhibits, interactive displays, and an information desk to help visitors learn about the local ecology, natural, and cultural history of the area. Amenities: The center includes restrooms, a water refilling station, and a state-of-the-art community room and kitchen that can host events for up to 99 people. Outdoor Features: The site c

This interactive center is a place where anyone can learn a little or a lot about the history and geography of this area. They have invaluable color handouts on insectd and animals that call this region home. The displays of the center are modern and will hava you wondering if you are outside, but you are in there. There are two rooms of displays. There is a trail to hike on where people can enjoy beautiful vistas that combine hills, old oaks, and pastures. In addition you can have a picnic and rest your feet after a long walk. There is a small outdoor amphiteater. The people are friendly and very helpful. You can spend a few good hours perusing through the center's displays or going on a good hike. This is a good place to walk off all the calories gained after a lunch and piece of apple

We stop at Farmhouse 78 for breakfast and Dudley Bakery for pies before our trek. This is a moderate hike with about 1.5 miles of hills going up hill. The rest is a loop 3.7 miles approximately around the mountain with lots of nature. Mostly cows and calf’s. See my pictures of the lake or pond we found backside of the mountain. Great hike for families and dogs!

Awesome area. Walked into the visitor center and was greeted by Chris, one of the rangers. He was very informative without being overbearing or anything. They had a small museum/display area. The park has some decent trails. Just watch out for cow pies. The trails seem pretty well marked. There are some powerlines running through and part of the park has hwy 79 in view, but they didn't seem distracting.

So beautiful and quiet. Love the displays and education components. The nature play area was fun for my daughter.