About Us

NBNC reminds us how incredible life is outdoors, and reinforces a natural urge to be better stewards of our environment. This center has an incredible way of allowing both children and adults to rediscover themselves in nature, while at the same time learning how we can best live, thrive and preserve this land.

— Kristin Cantu

NBNC is a vital hub for outdoor learning and recreation in Vermont

Serving 17,000 people annually, our floodplain forest and fields, nestled in a gentle bend of the North Branch of the Winooski River, offer year-round opportunities for walking, skiing, swimming, and quiet reflection just two miles from downtown Montpelier. Through a wide array of programs, we encourage people of all ages to engage with the natural world, fostering powerful personal connections that inspire a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.

— Rachel Carson