WELCOME TO THE BALTIMORE WOODS NATURE CENTER

Baltimore Woods Nature Center is a not-for-profit place-based nature education organization. Our mission is to connect people with nature, both from the headquarters on 180 acres of land in Marcellus, NY, and from satellite programs in urban areas.

Support Nature in the City

Make a donation and help us bring hands-on/minds-on natural science learning to K-6th grade Syracuse City school children.  Learn More about Nature in the City, its impact on student learning and the CNY sponsors who support this STEM initiative.

Sweetheart Snowshoe

Bring your valentine for a romantic, lantern-lit snowshoe for two through the evening woods.Discover romantic notes along the trail and share quiet moments outdoors. Then, warm up indoors with hot drinks and decadent desserts. Read more…

It’s Time to Get Wild…

at Winter Break Camp! February 21-24. Fun-packed days of discovery and adventure for kids ages 5-12! $45/child/day. Before and after care are available. Choose one day or all four! Read more…

FAQs

In the 19th century, most of the 180 + acres that we now know as Baltimore Woods Nature Preserve was working farmland. At that time, the majority of farmers in this area marketed their cattle in New York City. It seems that one of those farmers, however, had a falling out with his NYC middlemen and decided to send HIS cattle to market in Baltimore instead. As a result, he purchased and worked a piece of property located close to the railroad line that went to Baltimore. In fact, remnants of that now-defunct train line can still be found on the east side of Lee Mulroy Road. It’s funny which names “stick” sometimes: the feisty farmer’s former lands and the brook that meanders through them now carry not his name, but the exotic and evocative name of distant “Baltimore.”

Naturalist, author, educator and artist John A. Weeks started his career as a wildlife biologist for the DEC in Syracuse, later joining the faculty of SUNY Oswego. John was the second executive director at Centers for Nature Education (then known as “Onondaga Nature Centers”), during which time he helped establish both Beaver Lake and Cayuga Nature Centers. While at SUNY Oswego, John helped found the Rice Creek Field Station and also served as director of the Rogers Environmental Center and Sterling Nature Center. Local public radio listeners may recognize John’s voice from his weekly radio broadcast on WRVO, The Nature of Things. Currently, John continues to volunteer his time at Baltimore Woods.

No! Land at Baltimore Woods is owned by two private, not-for-profit organizations: the Central New York Land Trust (CNYLT) and Baltimore Woods Nature Center. Except for the land that the Interpretive Center sits on, Baltimore Woods does not own any of Baltimore Woods, but maintains and manages the land on behalf of CNYLT. The costs of keeping Baltimore Woods open to the public year round are met by memberships, summer and vacation camps, public and group programs, foundation grants, and individual and business donations.

Unfortunately, Baltimore Woods does not allow pets.  We love all animals, including dogs! However, some of our wildlife views dogs as predators and would leave our property. As a nature center, we want to provide a natural environment for wildlife AND a place where people can experience all the elements of nature.  So please bring your family and friends for a hike at Baltimore Woods, and later, when you get home,  give your dog a nice walk, too!

Program Calendar

View Baltimore Wood’s extensive program calendar
Click Here