Bear Creek Nature Center marks 50 years with free public 'Bear Day' celebration

Scott Anderson, host of the Beyond the Deis podcast, spoke with Mary Joe Lewis, supervisor of Bear Creek Nature Center, and Kylie Taylor, the center’s interpretive program specialist, about the nature center’s 50th anniversary and upcoming public celebrations.

The nature center opened in 1976 as the Solar Trail Center, Lewis said, and was the first nature center in Colorado. "It opened as the Solar Trail Center... and it had 18 solar panels on the roof," she said, adding that the center rapidly expanded to serve thousands of schoolchildren. Lewis recounted that in 2000 the building was destroyed in an arson fire; staff continued programs from trailers until the current building opened in 2002 after community fundraising and an appropriation of TABOR refunds.

Why it matters: the center operates as a county-run public resource for education and recreation, hosting school field trips, summer camps and free exhibits that county residents can use without charge. Lewis said the center’s mission centers on "education, community and public education," and emphasized the center’s role as a low-cost option for families and schools.

Staff described regular programming and an annual cycle of events. Taylor said summer includes five weeks of day camps (9 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday–Friday) and staff run field trips primarily in spring and fall. The 50th-anniversary event—branded as a birthday party on August 22—will be free and open to the public and include activities, living-history trail walks and exhibits recalling the center’s history.

The episode also highlighted the center’s partnerships that help sustain programming. Lewis noted the Friends of El Paso County Nature Centers, a supporting 501(c)(3), provides financial and volunteer support; "those 100% feed back into our nonprofit," she said, helping keep program fees low. The center’s staff also credited local groups such as the Pikes Peak Beekeeping Association for program support and sponsors who help fund the Bear Creek Bear Run fundraiser.

Practical details: the Bear Creek Nature Center and its exhibits are free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Visitors can check schedules and program listings at elpasoco.com/naturecenters.

The podcast closed with an invitation: Lewis urged listeners to attend the Bear Creek Nature Center 50th-anniversary birthday party on August 22, saying it will "be free to the public and we're going to have so many fun activities... paying homage to the past... and looking forward to the future."