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    Beaver Meadow Nature Center

    4.6 (15 reviews)
    Closed • 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Snow shoeing
    Alex L.

    8 miles of trails, and in the winter - snow shoes to rent for only $5...staff that is wonderful and free maps for the taking, the Beaver Meadow Nature Center is an incredible hidden gem in Java, NY. I highly recommend taking a little trip out here in the winter, after we get a fair amount of snow and taking to the trails. They are open until 5pm on the weekends, so if you get in by 1-2pm you should have plenty of time to enjoy the wonders of nature. There's also a gift shop and they do a lot of educational activities with nearby schools and programs. On the way back after you've done enough hiking, you can make a pit stop in East Aurora for some tasty eats!

    Sam E.

    Beaver Meadow Nature Center, ~45 minutes from Buffalo proper, is the one of the sites of the 2021 WNY Winter Hiking Challenge. My co workers and I had a great time this weekend snow shoeing along the pond side and associated trails for a couple of hours. The employees were very friendly and helpful. They are easily able to accommodate large groups especially when you call ahead of time to reserve. The website has a map that is a bit difficult to visualize/zoom in but they have plenty of maps there. You may bring your own snow shoes, rent one for $5, or hike without any. Would love to return in the summer to check out the greenery!

    Maria B.

    This is a lovely nature preserve. I found it because I'm doing the western New York outside like a challenge, and this is one of the hikes. It's well marked it's got great easy parking, their maps posted all over the place, the pads are fairly well groomed, there's a lot of information about the local birds and animals you're fine here.

    Colleen O.

    What a great place to discover! Lots of trails well marked , we also spotted some birds and butterflies. Also the welcome center is open, friendly staff was on hand to answer any questions you may have. Lots of photo opportunities whether if you are an avid nature enthusiast or like the opportunity for a good selfie (me!) I'll be back come fall time to do another hike and explore!

    Eric D.

    I love this place and it's many numerous trails! There's a lot to see and experience at Beaver Meadows any time of year and the trees, animals, and the sound of the wind is always a wonderful experience here. I haven't had the opportunity to see the nature center yet but I can't wait for the world to reopen so I can experience that and many of the other events happening here. The trails are all fairly easy to navigate with some nice hills and numerous different landscapes to see. There is even a handicapped accessible trail off of the main road the preserve runs off of. The trails are very well marked and the property is larger than it looks. Bring your hiking boots and bug spray and don't forget some water!

    Hannah K.

    Had so much fun on a snowshoeing trip with a group of people at Beaver Meadow nature Center. The staff was very helpful and assisted us in anyway that they could. The nature center itself had multiple bird viewing areas with multiple other spaces that were very clean. Clean bathrooms. A day of tons of fun!

    Swing
    Brianna W.

    Overall I had a really good experience here. Hiking and exploring new parks is one of my favorite things to do in the summer. So I decided to embark on a journey to a new park. Beaver meadow is quite the place. There is such a variety of things to do here. From having lodging for small retreats for Girl Scouts, scouts or field trips, to playgrounds to hiking trails there really is so much to do. There is no doubt that it is catered toward young children, but there is definitely something for everyone to do. The park itself is the outside of a giant pond, from the namesake you can probably guess that the park had some beaver damns which was pretty cool to see. There are also about 15 hiking trails that are intertwined. The long trail, the longest trail is about 1.5 miles one way so you certainly can get your steps in here. There are also areas for picnicking if you're looking to spend some more time there! I would absolutely come back, my friend and I had a great time walking, building a fairy garden and spending time with unique animals. They also have plans to create tree houses and lots of other cool things.

    Snowy view of the center
    Rita J.

    This place is fantastic. Winter. Spring, summer, fall. There's always something going on. Today I went to the Maple harvest! Pancake breakfast, all you can eat for a small fee and demonstrations of how to tap the trees for the saps ,how to make Maple syrup snowshoe rental (I finally got to snowshoe today) That was the outside, inside the center had tons of kids activities- besides the pancakes there was face painting, a reptile room where you can hold a snake (I did!) face painting and crafts. Lots of little ones with happy faces today! They also have programs for adults. Like the dragonfly photography session coming in May, bring your camera! Owl prowls and more! Check out the website and make a day of it. Not into organized programs? Well there's a ton of trails, a pond and the cool nature center too. Did I mention the observatory? Oh well yeah, that....the Buffalo Astronomy Association runs it and they are usually set up during events, like this weekend's Maple Harvest weekend. Awesome experience to look up and see the sun through the very professional scopes.The observatory itself has a gigantic scope inside for viewing. The roof retracts and everything! The members of the BAA host public night the 1st Saturday of every month. Come at dusk and prepared to be amazed. It's very kid friendly so don't worry about that. If you have a old scope that you got for Christmas and don't know how to use they will be happy to help you set it up and get it going. All in all this in a nature lovers dream. It feels great to unplug and unwind.

    Ryan H.

    I started going to Beaver Meadow in early 2015, and it remains one of my favorite places in WNY. I hadn't been there during the day until last year, and I didn't realize what I was missing. I mainly used the property to take photos of the Milky Way galactic center at night. The Buffalo Astronomical Association has a small observatory there, and the skies are insanely dark. I've been all over the country taking night photos, and aside from some parts of the Utah and California deserts, this spot still remains one of the darkest spots I've been to. The trails for day hiking are absolutely incredible. Trails cross the main roads and head into the deep forests and bogs. Multiple kettle bogs and ponds are on the property as well. Lots of rare trees, bushes, and flowers also make up the beauty of Beaver Meadow.

    Dirt...the best thing around here.

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    Ask the Community - Beaver Meadow Nature Center

    Review Highlights - Beaver Meadow Nature Center

    “Came here for the second time this past weekend for an Owl Prowl with Tom Herr.”

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    Buffalo Elite Ninja

    Buffalo Elite Ninja

    (14 reviews)

    Ms Kaia was the on duty ninja and she was very helpful with my son. She taught him numerous methods…read moreto work the obstacles. I really like how the place is set up. Lots of obstacles with mats to protect you when you fall. I highly recommend joining or just signing up for free play. It's literally fun for the whole family. We will be back for sure.

    It's a decent amount of fun for kids, but I would say the vast majority of the obstacles are geared…read moretowards older kids. My 5 / 6 year old, despite being fairly athletic, wasn't able to do at least half of them due to the need to stretch far, be taller, etc. If you go on a super slow open gym time, there's usually plenty of employees working who are willing to help... but I did find that some of them really have no idea how to interact with smaller kids. (one was using phrases like "Gravitational pull" and "momentum" when trying to explain things to a 4 year old... ehhhhhhhh) Also, CAN WE PLEASE GET A CHANGING TABLE HERE? For heaven's sakes, it's the middle of winter and no one wants to change a poopy diaper on the floor of a bathroom. It's a KIDS' GYM. That means parents are bringing their families here --- please be 100% family friendly and put a couple changing tables in the bathrooms. Please please please. I wouldn't pay full price, but with a Groupon it's a nice day out of the house when you're stuck inside during winter. Oh, also, BRING YOUR OWN POWDER. Because sweaty little kid hands + hanging obstacles = blisters and ripped open palms. Take my word on it.

    Byrncliff Golf Resort & Banquets - bbq ribs at Byrncliff Restaurant

    Byrncliff Golf Resort & Banquets

    (37 reviews)

    $$

    After a long day of swimming, no one wanted to cook. So we made dinner reservations at Byrncliff…read more We definitely didn't need to make reservations on this particular Friday evening, as the dining room was wide open. We were seated at a table overlooking the beautiful golf course. Such a beautiful sight at sunset! For me Friday night can only mean one thing, and that is a beer battered fish fry with French fries. My fish fry was delicious, but the french fries were ice cold. The waitress very graciously replaced them with steaming hot fresh french fries. My husband ordered the turkey gravy mashed potatoes plate. It looked wonderful. He thoroughly enjoyed his dinner.

    We hosted a Rehearsal Dinner at Byrncliff this past Sunday. The experience from my initial inquiry…read moreto the evening's end was excellent! The attention to detail that Joe Dee their Sales Manager/Events Coordinator demonstrated was top notch. His easy going persona, coupled with his apparent expertise made the planning process seamless. Due to travel considerations, we had to adjust our headcount at the last minute. Joe took this in stride and coordinated a lovely evening without mention or concern. The grounds are lovely, the building is quaint, and the menu is broad and varied. We chose plated dinners and our guests raved about the quality and presentation of their choices. in short, the food was delicious! We chose to have our cocktail hour in the main bar. There we were tended to by Bert. He was fun, knowledgeable, and very attentive to our guests. We have been dealing with several vendors during the engagement, shower, rehearsal, and wedding process. Bryncliff proved to be one of the best to work with. Not to mention that the cost of the event was very affordable! No nickel and diming nonsense. Thank you to Joe and his team for a very successful and memorable evening!

    Beaver Meadow Nature Center - hiking - Updated September 2026

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