About

NBNC’s 28 acres of fields, woods, and river offers opportunities for all ages to play, learn, and explore in nature!

Connecting People with the Natural World

North Branch Nature Center connects people with environmental education, natural history, and community science. More than 17,000 people visit NBNC to be in touch with the sights, sounds, and sensations of the natural world.

Our 28-acre preserve of forest and fields is nestled in a gentle bend of the North Branch of the Winooski River, just two miles from downtown Montpelier. NBNC is the delight in the eyes of children as they watch fireflies in a field. NBNC is a group of naturalists exploring the secrets of warblers and willows. And it's a quiet place to walk or ski, swim or sit, or simply relax beside the river. There is much to explore. Please join us.

NBNC News Watch

Name: Moose Tracking Hike and Bushwhack Adventure for Teens
Start: 2026-02-01T12:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-01T19:00:00-05:00
Location: North Branch Nature Center

Vermont Master Naturalist - Apply Now!

Vermont Master Naturalist - Winooski Headwaters Chapter - Accepting Applications!

If you are passionate about nature and live, work, or play in Central Vermont or within the upper Winooski watershed, then this three-weekend training in earth and life science is for you! Vermont Master Naturalists learn to interpret the layers of the local natural landscape, then apply that integrated training to long-term stewardship and ambassadorship of local natural areas. Applications accepted through January for the 2026 cohort. More Info

Homeschool and Afterschool with NBNC - Registration open

Explorers

For kids ages 6-12, our afterschool and homeschool programs offer opportunities for your child to learn and grow in connection with nature, under the expert leadership of NBNC's teacher-naturalists. More about Homeschool. More about Afterschool.

Adventures Afar with NBNC

Scarlet Macaw in Costa Rica

NBNC’s Adventures Afar promise life-changing encounters with the world's most enchanting creatures and places. Space still available on our 2026 trips to Brazil and Costa Rica! More Info.

Our Land Acknowledgement

North Branch Nature Center acknowledges that we reside upon the traditional and unceded home of the Western Abenaki People. These lands and waters have been a site of meeting and exchange among Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. North Branch Nature Center honors, recognizes and respects the Abenaki as the traditional stewards of this landscape. We strive to respect and protect this land, while continually honoring the legacy of Vermont’s Indigenous People, the Abenaki People of the Dawn.