Gainesville - Elachee Nature Science Center

Elachee Nature Science Center provides quality environmental education programs in the form of school field trips for students as well as workshops, camps, and events for the general public. Elachee's sprawling campus, located in North Georgia, consists of a woodland refuge and an interactive museum that will excite and educate visitors of all ages. Elachee also serves as the resource manager of the Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve, a 1,500-acre woodland which surrounds the Center, one of the largest green space areas in North Georgia.

This large protected area with diverse habitats provides an ideal outdoor classroom, plant and animal sanctuary, and variety of scenic hiking trails. Each year over 35,000 students from more than 35 school systems and an additional 30,000 visitors enjoy Elachee's educational programs and hands-on learning experiences.

Visitors can tour three discovery areas that explore astronomy, local archaeological history, and a display of live amphibians, reptiles, and hawks. A visit may include stops at our rain garden and compost demonstration sites, nature shop, a picnic, or a hike on any of the 13 miles of trails through the Nature Preserve.