Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center

Come with us as we take a walk on the wild side at the Wild Center!

If you’re looking for a fun family-friendly activity, head over to Tupper Lake and explore what the Wild Center has to offer. Find new ways to connect with nature through experiences like Wild Walk, Climate Solutions, Forest Music, and Patrick Dougherty’s Stickwork. Plus, get to know some of the Adirondack animal ambassadors that call The Wild Center home.

This wasn’t my first visit to the Wild Center, but it was the longest and most extensive visit I’ve had there. They have so many great exhibits, you could truly make a weekend out of it.

With both indoor and outdoor exhibits, the Wild Center offers activities for all types of weather.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - entrance to the wild center
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - the great hall

To your right is where you can explore the Hall of the Adirondacks – 54,000 square feet of exhibits! Once in that section, you can either go left or right, as the inside exhibits loop around.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​

On this trip, we started inside. Upon walking inside you are greeted by huge windows that overlooks a pond and trees. 

To your left is a large gift shop where you can purchase souvenirs including hoodies, plush animals, toys, and more. There is also a concession area so you can grab a hotdog, pretzel, chips, and drinks.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - the gift shop
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - touch a cloud

They happened to be doing a special Plug In event when we visited that featured different crafts and activities throughout the center. In the lobby, they had a craft table set up where you could color and create a sun crown. After hanging out there for a few mintues, we headed to look at the exhibits. We were first greeted by a big tub where you can feel clouds!

We then headed for the Planet Adirondack exhibit. This dark room features a light-up spinning globe so you can watch the Earth come to life in an amazing display.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - Earth Exhibit
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - Fish
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - nature scene

You then move on to the Otters and Indoor Exhibit Living River Loop. This is a pretty good size exhibit where you can see and learn about turtles, fish, fungi, plants, and other wildlife. This is also where you can see my personal favorite, the otters! There are a lot of facts and information along the loop, and you could spend hours reading everything if you wanted to.

After watching the otter swim around and checking out the fish and turtles, we went into the Naturalist Cabinet – a room filled with fun interactive items. The room is lined with cabinets that are full of fossils, fungi, butterflies, and more. They also have a lot of books, puppets, and even a beekeeper outfit kids can try on. 

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - the Naturalist Cabinet
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - the crows

You can also access the outside Animal Viewing area from this room. You just head outside and you can see birds and a porcupine! From here, you can also look at the pond or take the 1/3-mile Pond Loop Trail. Those giant blue sunglasses act like a pair of eclipse glasses so you can look at the sun!

The crows will talk to you!

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - Giant Sunglasses

After listening to the crows talking, we headed back inside and went to the Climate Solutions area of the inside exhibits. According to the Wild Center’s website, “Climate Solutions is an interactive, in-depth exhibit that explores the people, technology, and social movements that are tackling climate change in New York’s Adirondacks region and beyond.” You can also view this exhibit virtually.

The exhibit includes an ADK Map Moss Wall, “flying” origami birds, and a Tinkering Studio where you can take apart broken electronics. This exhibit is another area where you could spend hours exploring and learning. 

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - Origami birds
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - Tinkering Studio
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - ADK Moss Wall
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - outside trail

The Stickwork is an area I had not visited before and was very excited to finally see it in person. It did not disappoint! It’s a large-scale branch sculpture done by Patrick Dougherty that you can walk through. During our visit, they also had a solar-powered silent disco by the Stickwork as part of the special Plug In event.

After prying the big kids away from the Tinkering Studio, we made our way outside and headed over to the Stickwork and Wild Walk areas.
From these trails, you can also meander through the forest to an Oxbow Overlook where you can take in the views of Raquetter River. We didn’t get to this area on this visit, but I have done it in the past, and if you have the time, it’s worth exploring!

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - stickwork - follow the wild center on social media
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - stickwork

We ended our visit by heading over to the Wild Walk. The Wild Walk is probably the first thing people think of (or visualize) when they think of The Wild Center. The Wild Walk is where you can “walk up a trail of bridges to the treetops of the Adirondack forest, visit a four-story twig tree house, swing on bridges, clamber over a spider’s web, or climb to the full-sized bald eagle’s nest at the highest point. The Wild Walk is stroller and wheelchair-accessible so everyone can enjoy the wonders. That being said, some parts you cannot access, like the top of the eagle’s nest. 

Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - the spider's web
Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Wild Center​ - The Eagle's Nest

Overall we had a great time at the Wild Center and we can’t wait to go back. The Wild Center is open year round and offers a very fun Wild Lights exhibit in the winter that we will absolutely be checking out this year!

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