Westmoreland Sanctuary — Attraction in Town of Bedford

Came here for a birthday party and the kids had a blast. I had no idea what to expect but it was really a nice experience. They have a building that serves as sort of a zoo-seum, with some live animals as well as some taxidermied, along with some historical artifacts and information, spread over two floors. The kids were guided by a conservationist named Steve who was super kind to the kids and walked them through the nature preserve to catch (and release) fish and frogs with a net, observe insect wildlife in various gestational stages and explore the surrounding area. The kids came back thrilled as the parents joined them in the beautiful main large cabin for food, music and recapping. It was really a novel experience and I’m glad that we were invited as I had no idea about this tucked-away gem. I’ll be looking to see what other types of activities/events they do in the future. It was really a great place to...

Our family has gone here many times over the past several years. They have lovely trails that are not super easy but also doable by kids of just about any age. The trails are quite short, interconnect for lots of options, and cover quite varied terrain. There is some elevation changes, a small pond, various kinds of habitats, etc.

I think several different organizations maintain different gardens, habitats, and such. There's a great museum and nature center there (quite small) showing lots of the animals in the region (pictures, taxidermy, and a bunch of live animals too!). The sanctuary also runs all number of great educational programs. School field trips work great here. You can book birthday parties here which are lots of fun. And I'm sure there's more I haven't experienced yet or remembered...

Went on a Tuesday afternoon, were a few cars in the lot but only saw one other person on the trail. Took the 0.5 mile Easy Loop, was a lovely little hike to the pond which has some benches and a dock, water was frozen over but melted on the surface. The entrance to the trail was a bit confusing, you can follow the road to the right past the sanctuary or for the easy loop just head to the left through a fenced area with some gates (could use some maintenance). However, the trails are well marked. Also, the trails could be a bit better maintained with several branches in the way. Was also quite slippery with all the wet leaves but no fault there. Would definitely recommend as a nice hike just a few minutes off I-684 (tho you do hear the rumble of cars but it’s definitely quieter...