Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
Black bear, mountain lion, river otter, raptors, bobcat, and woodland exhibits emphasize native habitats and conservation.
Artwork inspired by Abbott Handerson Thayer
A forest trail introduces live New Hampshire wildlife through ecology. Black bear, mountain lion, river otter, raptors, bobcat, and woodland exhibits emphasize native habitats and conservation. What distinguishes it locally is the close relationship among forest exhibit trail, river otter habitat, and raptor aviaries, each carrying a different part of the story.
Read each animal’s individual history, then compare enclosure design with the surrounding forest. The trail is seasonal and outdoors; hills, weather, animal choice, and program schedules affect visibility. The payoff comes from noticing how raptor aviaries changes the reading of river otter habitat, especially after the main attraction has made its first impression.
- Founded
- 1966
- Focus
- Native wildlife
- Trail
- About three-quarters mile
Quick guide
- Start with
- Read each animal’s individual history, then compare enclosure design with the surrounding forest.
- Look closely at
- Pause at river otter habitat before moving to raptor aviaries, where the site’s larger story becomes easier to read.
Know before you go
- Start with
- Read each animal’s individual history, then compare enclosure design with the surrounding forest.
- Look closely at
- Pause at river otter habitat before moving to raptor aviaries, where the site’s larger story becomes easier to read.
- Connect the story
- Use the forest trail to connect each nonreleasable animal with its native habitat, behavior, and wider conservation pressures.
- Plan around
- Review hours, admission, parking, and access together before planning Squam Lakes Natural Science Center; each addresses a different practical constraint.
Good to know
The trail is seasonal and outdoors; hills, weather, animal choice, and program schedules affect visibility.
Notice these
- forest exhibit trail
- river otter habitat
- raptor aviaries