Hidden Pond Nature Center — Attraction in Burke

A sweet little gem for the littles to enjoy. The Hidden Pond playground is fenced-in so you don't need to worry about the littles wandering too far off. Within the playground, there is a small rock climbing wall, a small log-like tunnel, and swings that can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities (plus a baby-and-me swing).

The Nature Center houses some of their small creatures (reptiles) and allow you to inspect them close up while they stay in their respective containers. There are even a few nature related activities that kids can participate in such as puzzles and coloring. Sometimes there are classes and such but we haven't had the chance to take advantage of them. You could also borrow their binoculars to take around the pond.

We've walked the path around the pond but one side is pretty steep and can be a little challenging to walk (especially if you're handicapped or using a stroller), however, the other end of the path has a ramp. There is even a dirt path you can take to explore more of their nature trail.

Lots of picnic tables (and a shelter) allow you to take your leisure when visiting Hidden Pond. There are public restrooms but they are only located inside the Nature Center, which can be a bit of an inconvenience when they are closed on certain...

This is my favorite nature center because of the pond. The relatively new playground is just a bonus! There is also a picnic area. The pond itself is very special. I love coming here with my kids in the Spring to walk slowly around and find all kinds of animals. We nearly always see at least one large snapping turtle… once there were 5 swimming near the floating dock! People must feed them. In fact, if you stand out there for a while a bunch of curious turtles will start swimming closer to get a closer look! There are sometimes baby snappies in the shallow area hiding in the mud. 100% guaranteed to see turtles. There are also frogs, snakes, and other pond critters. My favorite is later in the Spring when the tadpoles turn into baby toadlets! There are so many it’s hard to walk without stepping on them. They’ll even post signs to watch out for the toadlets (so definitely watch out for the toadlets). They’re like little bugs!

In sum: A perfect outing for the kids is to go here, do the nature walk around the small pond, go inside the nature center to see some snakes and other animals, and finish up at the playground. Easiest way to kill 2 hours, and...

Great for a kid friendly, easy and free outing for the little one and bigger kids too (and parents!)! We had fun checking out the various reptiles from snakes to snapping turtles. The animals have been very active both times when we were there, which was exciting for everyone. On our second visit, the resident snapping turtle was out for a walk with one of the staff, who are super friendly and knowledgeable. The short walk to the pond is very pretty and stroller friendly too. I knocked off one star just because the playground equipment was pretty dirty/muddy so it was hard to let my crawling little dude explore as much as he wanted too. But it has a couple of pretty cool play structures for all ages...