A big “bear-thday” party is coming up in Colorado Springs. 

That’s how Bear Creek Nature Center is billing an event Saturday ー a celebration for 50 years of environmental education and stewardship in the city’s southwest foothills. 

The nature center, said to be the first of its kind in Colorado, was born in 1976. It has ever since been a hub for field trips, youth camps and gatherings for people of all ages who connect with each other and with the natural world out the door: the melodious creek through cottonwoods and the oak-covered, grassy foothills beyond home to wildlife big and small. 

Inside, an exhibit showcasing lesser-seen creatures, “Life in the Shadows,” is debuting Saturday as part of the “bear-thday” festivities. Here’s more to know about the event and the nature center: 

Ways to celebrate

From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the nature center (245 Bear Creek Road), various groups including Colorado Springs Astronomical Society, Pikes Peak Beekeepers Association and Bear Creek Garden Association will be on hand, along with a food truck and arts and crafts stations. 

Pre-registration is required for a series of living history hikes starting at 10:30 a.m. A series of book readings start at 11 a.m. and naturalists will lead “insect sweeps” starting at 1 p.m. A ribbon cutting for “Life in the Shadows” is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. 

For the full lineup and more information, go to elpasoco.com/bcnc50.

More about the history 

The Solar Trails Center was renamed Bear Creek Nature Center in 1980. Programming, exhibits and trails steadily expanded until May 20, 2000. Early that morning, staff arrived to find the building on fire. An act of arson destroyed the nature center. 

It would be rebuilt by 2002, ahead of the recession posing another dark chapter. The Friends of El Paso County Nature Centers nonprofit is credited for keeping the lights on and doors open.

The nature center today

In 2025, the center tallied 12,772 participants of programs throughout the year. That was among 18,000 visitors in total who were counted, often greeted by some 350 volunteers who help with the day-to-day. Another number tracked last year: 117 reservations for Trailability hikes, in which people with disabilities are guided from the seat of a Terrain Hopper. Others with visual impairments are served by the innovative V.I.P. Trail.