Nature Center Nights

Join the Highlands Nature Center on Tuesday nights between June 4 and August 6 to explore the wonders of the Botanical Garden after-hours. Join Naturalists to search for slimy salamanders, use bat detectors to listen out for bats, and even meet a few birds of prey!

Please bring a flashlight with you for these adventures and note that these programs are weather-dependent.

R𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱. 𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 see the registration link(s) below each program. Registration for each program will open 2 weeks prior to the program’s start date.

These programs are FREE and made possible by the Highlands Biological Foundation. Donations are appreciated.

2024 Programs

Salamander Meander (HBF Members Only)

Dates: May 31
Time: 9 – 10 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

Kick off Highlands Nature Center’s summer season with a nighttime search for our secretive salamander friends!

Owls: Masters of the Night

Dates: June 11
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

These mysterious birds of prey are seldom seen due to their elusive and nocturnal lifestyle. Meet some live owls and learn about their fascinating lives and unique adaptations.

This program features Carlton Burke of Carolina Mountain Naturalists.

A Buggy Evening

Dates: July 2
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

Experience bugs + insects in a whole new light – moonlight! Learn about the unique and beautiful world of nocturnal insects and then search for fireflies, moths, and more in the Botanical Garden.

Eyes That Shine Back

Dates: July 16
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

Experience the night like never before by learning to recognize the eyeshine of different animals and see who we encounter out on the trail.

What Bat is That?

Dates: July 30 (FULL)
Time: 8:15 – 9:15 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

Stretch your wings and tune into the sounds of the many special bats of the Highlands area! Join our Naturalists on a walk through the Botanical Garden to watch them in flight.

Feelin' Froggy

Dates: June 4
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

Become familiar with our frog friends! Learn to identify frogs and toads by sign and by sound, and join educators in the Botanical Garden to search for local amphibians.

Spider Search

Dates: June 18
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

Spiders are more active at night, so we’ll adjust to their nighttime schedule as we search for their shiny eyes out on our trails.

Salamander Meander

Dates: July 9
Time: 9 – 10 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

Join our Naturalists on a nighttime search for our secretive salamander friends.

Amazing Moths

Dates: July 23
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 PM PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

To celebrate International Moth Week we’ll put up some moth lights to meet and learn more about the amazing moths who live here.

Hunters in the Sky

Dates: August 6 (REGISTER)
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 PM Ages: All ages welcome
Cost: FREE

Birds of Prey are fascinating, but are sometimes misperceived due to their predatory instincts. Meet some live raptors and learn about their day to day struggle to survive in our constantly changing world.