Our grounds, trails and playground are open daily from dawn to dusk.
Address
873 Boston Post Road
Rye, NY 10580
Directions
Hours
Office
September - May:
Monday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
June - August:
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Grounds
Open Daily Dawn Until Dusk
Contact
914.967.5150
info@ryenaturecenter.org
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Guests of all ages can have fun at the Rye Nature Center! Check out the many features of our beautiful grounds, which are open daily from dawn until dusk for all to enjoy, or learn more about our programs and activities.
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Parking is available in the lot at the top of our driveway or along the Parsons ruins.
Driveway entrance to Nature Center is located across from the exit of Rye Presbyterian Church on Boston Post Road.
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Parking and admission to the Rye Nature Center are free! Memberships and donations allow us to stay open to the public from dawn to dusk. There is a donation bird located by the welcome kiosk near the parking lot if you would like to make a donation. Donations can also be made online.
All contributions support FRNC’s Nature Access Fund initiatives, educational programs, and conservation efforts.
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Bikes are not allowed on the trails. However, we encourage green transportation, so if you bike to the Rye Nature Center you can leave your bicycle at the bike rack by the welcome kiosk.
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Dogs are not allowed on the Rye Nature Center grounds. We are rehabilitating sensitive wildlife that cannot be disturbed.
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Our restrooms are located in our mains building and accessible during our office hours.
Monday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Sept - May)
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (June - Aug)
explore the grounds
The Quarry
Located by the Bunny and Ridgetop trails, this quarry was once mined for quartz to make wrist watches. Be on the look out for the quarry’s three main minerals: quartz (white and clear), mica (shiny and reflective), and feldspar (salmony and tan). You can also find straight, unnatural-looking lines along the rocks––that’s where miners drilled in to blast the quarry.
the overlook
Located along the Deer Trail, the Overlook offers a bird’s eye view of the RNC grounds. Take a break on a bench and look out over the forest! You can see part of the Small Pond, and if you’re lucky, you might see a family of deer passing through.
the ponds
The Rye Nature Center has two ponds on its grounds: Nanderwhere Pond and the Small Pond. Both are great places to look for frogs, and the Small Pond is also home to many interesting dragonflies. If you approach Nanderwhere Pond quietly, you might might be able to see one of the bull frogs along the edge of the pond, or turtles sunning themselves on logs.
the ruins
When the Parsons family estate burned down in 1942, the stone chimneys and outer walls stayed standing. These walls are still here today, and the signs around the Ruins are a great opportunity to learn about local history. The grounds around the Ruins were once a manicured garden, but in the decades since the fire, the forest has reclaimed the land with amazing speed.
the sugar shed
The Sugar Shed is where FRNC demonstrates the process of making maple syrup. Sap is collected from maple trees on the grounds, and in early spring, the sap is boiled into syrup.
stem course
Learn through experience at our Con Edison STEM Course and playground. Read about topics like equilibrium, earthquakes, and honeybees on the signs along the path, and then put your knowledge to the test on the educational obstacle course.
fun for all ages
+ 2-4 years old
Start your little one with their first nature experiences at My Naturalist and Me (previously known as Mommy/Daddy and Me).
+ 3.5 - 5 years old
Once children are 3.5 years old, they become eligible for many of our drop-off programs at FRNC. The most popular at this age is our Forest Preschool program. Also age appropriate are our Vacation Camps, School's Out Workshops, June Bugs program, and summer camp.
+ 5 - 10 years old
After starting elementary school, children continue to participate with our vacation camps, School's Out Workshops, and summer ecology camp. Our weekly after school clubs offer exciting themes to help explore the forest!
+ 11 - 13 years old
After entering 6th grade, children can take part in our Naturalists-In-Training group (or NIT) within our summer ecology camp. This group participates in weekly field trips and spends one late night a week at the nature center for a campfire cookout!
+ 13 - 16 years old
Students entering 8th-10th grade have an exciting opportunity to join our Paddle Adventure Camp. This camp was designed to share the joys of kayaking and hiking the throughout Westchester and the lower Hudson Valley.
+ 14 - 15 years old
You might be too old to be a camper, but not a volunteer. The nature center is always looking for volunteers who are 14 and above. At 14 years old, children are eligible to become an animal care volunteer, grounds and forest volunteer or an education program volunteer. Once children are 15 years old, they can join our summer camp volunteer team.
+ 16 - 17 years old
Many of our superb camp volunteers are later offered a summer job as a summer camp counselor during their time off from school. We also have many high school interns who help within the garden, on the grounds, and with our education programs from April - June each year as part of their high school requirements. For aspiring biology/science students, the nature center can host their research projects or use their help in one of our own.
+ 18 years old & up
The opportunities continue even after you turn 18. You may lead a group of your own as a group leader in our summer camp. Or you can bring the kids, grandkids, nephews, or nieces with you to one of our public and family programs on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Make sure to check our publsic program page to see if we are hosting any seasonal talks, past topics include flooding and coyotes. Don't forget, the nature center is always looking for volunteers!
Plan a birthday
Host your child’s next birthday party in “green” fashion. The Rye Nature Center offers birthday parties that are eco-friendly, educational and of course a lot of fun! RNC promotes parties with a green twist.