Nature Places

Includes adult softball field, grills, lights, picnic facilities, play grounds, large recreation center, and water fountains.
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Four-acre outdoor learning experience at the Museum of Life and Science features a series of large-scale, interactive exhibits that express how wind influences the environment. Included with admission to the Museum of Life and Science.
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Take an unforgettable journey into the Late Cretaceous period along a half-mile forest path featuring life-sized dinosaur replicas and a fossil dig site. Included with admission to the Museum of Life and Science.
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The Doris Duke Center is an 18,000-sq.-ft. complex complementing the existing landscape of Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Features outdoor terrace, education wing and library, horticultural complex with two greenhouses, and special events hall available for rental.
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7,060-acre teaching and research forest of Duke University with a variety of ecosystems represented. Preserved for research and recreation since the 1930s. Hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, and picnics permitted; see website for regulations.
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A non-invasive research, education and conservation facility that houses the world's largest collection of lemurs outside of their native Madagascar. Guided walking tours are available year round by appointment..
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Ellerbe Creek is one of several watershed that cross Durham. From its headwater at Cole Mill Road until it empties into Falls Lake, it is being restored by the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association including several urban nature preserves with hiking trails and wetlands. It passes through or by many of Durham's visitor features including Bennett Place State Historic Site, Croasdale and Hillandale Golf Courses, Duke Homestead, the Ninth Street District and Duke East Campus and the Museum of Life and Science. Pearl Mill Preserve can be accessed just west of Markham and Rand Street. 17-Acre Wood Preserve can be accessed at Albany Street just south of Indian Trail. Glennstone Preserve can be accessed at off Glennstone Drive off Glenn Road (turn right on Glennstone Drive off Glen Road and park at the pagoda next to the Stormwater detention pond and look for the kiosk where there are trail maps).
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State park with five access areas in Durham and Orange counties. Enjoy bird-watching, canoeing/rafting, fishing, hiking, and picnic shelters within 3,900 acres of secluded wilderness along the banks of the Eno River.
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Preserved natural setting home to black bears, red wolves, and lemurs. Natural observation areas, 750-foot boardwalk, outdoor microscopes, and field cameras look into this dynamic natural landscape, its wildlife, plant life, and supporting habitats. Included with admission to the Museum of Life and Science.
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Established in 1929, this 2,450-acre forest has been managed by North Carolina State University as a teaching laboratory, where students learn to survey, measure, identify vegetation, perform water and soil tests and undertake the myriad other tasks that are part of every forester's job.
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Adjacent to Historic Stagville, Horton Grove Nature Preserve is in the process of restoring a native piedmont prairie for greater biodiversity and to encourage pollination. It will provide miles of outdoor trails and educational opportunities to the public free of charge; protect five miles of buffered streams for the drinking water quality of 500,000; and preserve mature wood forests for a vast number of plant and animal species habitat. The fifth, and largest, nature preserve by Triangle Land Conservancy, the Preserve will work closely with Stagville to create a comprehensive experience for visitors that explores the connection between the site's natural and cultural history.
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Five impoundment areas ranging from 50 to 2,000 acres providing habitats for waterfowl, including ducks and Canadian geese. Bird-watching (duck-hunting, Dec-Jan).
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Picnic area/shelters, hiking trails, primitive camping, bird-watching, and rockhounding. Park access is free; fee for camping, boating, and fishing.
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This 90-acre nature preserve is the site of a 19th century plantation which features an antebellum house and a cluster of farm buildings including a dairy, smokehouse, and slaves' quarters. Leigh Farm Park is also home to an 18-hole recreational and professional level disc golf course managed by the Durham Orange Recreational Disc Association.
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Three-story tropical butterfly conservatory, the largest on the East Coast, featuring exotic flowers and tropical plants in a rainforest area and stream garden. Insectarium has more than 25 live exotic species of insects and an extensive collection of mounted specimens from around the world. Included with admission to the Museum of Life and Science.
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"State-of-the-art, engaging indoor/outdoor science-technology center ranked as one of the top family-friendly museums in the Southeast. Includes Magic Wings Butterfly House, Explore the Wild, Catch the Wind, Dinosaur Trail, Into the Mist, and many more interactive exhibits." Group rates available. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Days.
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Uncover unusual wildflowers and unique rock formations on this 84-acre peninsula formed by the Eno River. Includes hiking trail; occasional guided tours by the NC Botanical Garden.
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Bird-watching, boating/sailing, boat launches, recreational activities, swimming, beaches, water skiing, windsurfing, as well as 115 tent & trailer campsites. See website for reservations and fees.
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55-acre gardens known as one of the premier public gardens in the U.S., with 200+ colorful plant varieties viewable from more than five miles of walkways and paths. Seasonal plantings and fruits and vegetables in the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden ensure that each visit is a new experience. Walking and trolley tours available; call for information.
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Located near the Golden Belt Arts Complex East of Downtown Durham with a small example garden adjacent to the Durham Farmer’s Market, South Eastern Efforts Developing Sustainable Spaces (SEEDS) has two non-profit community gardens tended by local residents. Includes composting facilities, outdoor classroom and art gallery, as well as cut flower, organic vegetable, and medicinal herb gardens. Available for special event rentals.
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Located along the Eno River, the park features a reconstructed 1778 working grist mill with cornmeal for sale, the historic McCown-Mangum House dating to the mid-1800s, the Hugh Mangum Museum of Photography, hiking trails, and amphitheater.
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