Teatown Lake Reservation
1600 Spring Valley Road
Ossining, NY 10562
(914) 762-2912, ext. 110
http://www.teatown.org/

With 470 acres of diverse and natural beauty, Teatown Lake is one of the largest nature preserves close to the city. Its 33 acre lake is surrounded by mixed hardwood forests, hemlock and laurel groves, grassy meadows, scenic hills, and lush wetlands. Perhaps one of the most beautiful features is a small island with an unmatched display of rare and native wildflowers.

Teatown is an important habitat for songbirds, waterfowl, and many other wild creatures. Bird watchers and photographers love to stroll the trails in the early morning hours. Hikers explore the rock cliffs of Hidden Valley and climb the "Back 40" hill for a spectacular ten mile view.

A very important part of its community, Teatown offers a wide range of activities, programs, and events for the enjoyment and education of individuals and families.

A free Raptor Education Program offered on weekends uses live hawks, owls and falcons to teach why raptors are so important to our environment and how we can help them. These birds are marvelous. Or learn how to Square Dance! Help plant Pumpkins, and return later to harvest yours! Learn about Reptiles from Around the World. Some programs are seasonal, and some require early registration with a small fee. All are fun, educational, and different. Above are but a few of the family programs.

School Programs are a specialty at Teatown. Classes in Pre-K through grade 6 can participate in programs like Discovery Walks, a program to introduce the younger set to the natural wonders of the local landscape; Preparing for Winter a program for Pre-K - 3 that hibernation, migration and other means that insects use to cope with the onslaught of winter; Birds of Prey, with live raptors to help tell their story, children in grades 3 - 5 will explore the fascinating world of raptors -- their specialized use of talons and beaks, wing design, principles of flight.

Again, this is a small sampling of the programs. They take place in Fall, Winter, and/or Spring, depending on the program.

With natural environments rapidly giving way to concrete, it's important for children to learn about such things, and there is no better place than Teatown for this purpose. Note: many programs meet the requirements for the NYS science curriculum for their grade level.

Outreach Programs are also available.