Ogden Nature Center

The Ogden Nature Center is a small nature preserve right in the middle of Ogden. It is a peaceful, relaxing place to spend a morning or afternoon. As you walk into the nature center, you walk past lots of different birdhouses. They have a contest every year to add new houses to this area. Our boys love this part of the trip, and laugh at the creative birdhouses that are here.

These were our favorite birdhouses this year.

There is a small visitor center with a gift shop. There are stuffed birds on display, as well as a few live animals such as honeybees and a snake. Our boys like to sit and read a book, or put on their own puppet shows here. There are often different activities held in this room led by someone who works at the center. They were doing a scavenger hunt the day we were there.

A peaceful oasis near downtown Ogden.

Inside the visitor center

Outside of the visitor center are birds, mostly raptors, that have been rescued and are kept in the center. Our boys love seeing the eagles and hawks. They even have a cormorant and a pelican. After viewing the birds, you can pick any number of trails to wander through the open area of the Ogden Nature Center. Make sure to grab a map at the visitor center. Some trails walk through wooded areas, while others lead to blinds where you can look out on the water without the birds noticing you--as long as you're quiet. The longest hike takes you out to two tree houses for the kids to play in.

Playing on the treehouse--it's really built on that big tree.

The other tree house

One of the trails

There are many animals you can see at the Ogden Nature Center including fox, skunk, deer, and lots of birds. We haven't seen many of these animals. We always see deer and usually a few kinds of birds. This time there were turkeys wandering around the visitor center. They were amusing to watch because they thought their reflection was another turkey, so they got all puffed up and kept yelling at the window.

Turkeys fighting with window turkeys

One of the deer we saw.

One of the reasons we like the Ogden Nature Center is the variety of camps and activities they have throughout the year. This year we participated in the Family Camp and camped out next to the tree houses shown above. We got to wander around after hours and they provided s'mores and breakfast. Check their website for other camps, as well as concerts and activities that are fun for the family.

The Ogden Nature Center is located on 12th Street in Ogden. Admission prices are $4/adult, $2/child 2 and older.