Grand Opening of the Welcome Cabin at the Larry Gordon Outdoor Education Center at Camp Saratoga
Wilton Wildlife has been working to transform the old Boy Scout buildings and pathways at Camp Saratoga into a destination outdoor education campus honoring local community leader Larry Gordon. The Phase I part of the project, the renovation of the old Boy Scout Health Lodge into a Welcome Cabin, is now ready to be open to the public.
Wilton Wildlife will be hosting two public events to celebrate the opening, a ribbon cutting and a community open house.
On Friday, September 19, at 1:00 p.m., a ribbon-cutting ceremony, presented by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, will take place at the Welcome Cabin. To celebrate the occasion, Wilton Wildlife staff and Board of Directors, Town of Wilton staff and Board members, and project donors will be in attendance. All are welcome to participate and refreshments will be served.
To continue the festivities, on Saturday, September 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Open House Community Celebration for the Welcome Center will take place. The public is invited to join Wilton Wildlife for fun and refreshments in honor of the grand opening of the Welcome Cabin! Explore the exhibits, visit the educational gardens and speak with the Boy Scout who created them as his Eagle project, have a s’more around the bonfire while listening to live music, take part in a fall scavenger hunt to earn prizes, participate in conservation endeavors, and more!
During the Open House Community Celebration, fire tower volunteers will be staffing the Donald A. Collins memorial Fire Observer’s cabin along with the Historic Cornell Hill Fire Tower for visitors to get a unique view.
Following the Open House, join a Wilton Wildlife educator for a Monarch Butterfly Walk in partnership with the Saratoga Trail Alliance’s Trail Festival Day from 2:00 – 3:00 PM. To register for the walk please visit Saratoga Trails Alliance on Facebook.
Parking will be in parking Lot #1 at Camp Saratoga on Scout Road in Wilton. Take I-87 to Exit 16, turning east on to Ballard Road (from the south, take a right; from the north, take a left). Then take the first right on Edie Road. Continue for 1.1 miles and take the first left onto Scout Road until you reach Parking Lot #1 on the left side of the road.
Please note that this will be an indoor/outdoor event; please dress accordingly. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held fully indoors at the Welcome Cabin.
For more information about the Larry Gordon Outdoor Education Center, please call the Wilton Preserve office at 518-450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org. For up-to-date trail conditions or program information, please visit the website at www.wiltonpreserve.org. Wilton Wildlife’s mission is to provide environmental education and opportunities for outdoor recreation while supporting conservation of ecological systems and natural settings.