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Nature Centers in the Finger Lakes

Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum

443 Coleman Ave.

Elmira, NY 14903

607-732-6060

Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum in Elmira, New York, USA.

Location

Tanglewood Nature Center & Musuem is located in a hilly section of Chemung County in the Town of Big Flats just west of the City of Elmira.

General

The nature center offers a wide variety of programs and activities, including guided and self-guided hikes, cross-county skiing and snowshoeing. The nature center offers animal exhibits, a 40-person meeting room, nature library, and gift shop. Dog are not allowed anywhere on the property.

Hiking

The trails are well used and fairly well marked, but you should bring a copy of the map with you to make sure you don't get confused. There is no water along the way, so it would be wise to bring something to drink, especially on hot days. Most of the trails are well shaded with few bugs.

GLEASON MEADOWS

A 172-acre tract with 2 ponds The Chemung River from the Frenchman's Bluff trail at Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum near Elmira, New York, USA. owned by Tanglewood, Gleason Meadows allows visitors to experience and enjoy native plants, insects, and birds in season. trail map

FRENCHMAN'S BLUFF

Owned by The Nature Conservancy, this 290-acre tract borders Gleason Meadows and is connected to it by a series of trails. It includes a variety of woodland habitats and a steep bluff overlooking the Chemung River. It is about 3 mi./4.8 km. to and from the bluff, which is at about 1575 ft./480 m. trail map

TANGLEWOOD FOREST

This 16-acre tract of mature evergreen plantation is leased from the Elmira Water Board. If offers an outdoor amphitheater, interpretive signs, a trail for the visually impaired, and an interpretative center.

PERSONIUS WOODS

A 50-acre tract of mixed woods leased from the Elmira Water Board and bisected by Hoffman Creek, Personius Woods is great for outdoor photography. Hiking trails allow visitors to enjoy everything the woods has to offer. trail map

Biking

Biking is not allowed on the Tanglewood property. The roads in the area are paved but have no shoulders. They are very hilly. You need to be a good hill biker to manage them.

Wildlife

This area is well populated with all types of wildlife, including black bears. Chipmunks are particularly abundant in the woods and are easy to see. The woods are full of birds, but in the summer they can be high up and hard to see. There is a resident mockingbird near the building, who is very good at mimicking all kinds of birds.