Fountain Rock Nature Center in
Walkersville (MD)

I had no idea this place existed and I'm SO sad about it! It's so fun and the staff was so wonderful. What a fun experience!

A pleasant place for kids and adults. The young man at the nature center was great with our six year old granddaughter.

It was a Friday though so they weren't open. However, we had a great time with our granddaughter who is 3 years old. She had an opportunity to play in their playground and then we went to look for what there was there. We walked a little ways and saw some trails which we followed to a pond big pond which was very interesting for her as their word loss of turtles and fish in the water. We bought some food for $0.25 from them from their machines and we enjoyed feeding the fish and the turtles. There was a great blue heron sitting there very still and he let us come right up to him. Maybe 10 ft away? He didn't move at all. It's a great place for kids and for adults. Although our 3-year-old granddaughters not a hiker, we could have gone on a hike. We will take our t 8-year-old grandson next time and go on a hike with him. It's actually only open on Saturdays and Sundays. However, you don't need it to be open. Enjoy it.

There was a lot to see, but without a proper guide, the experience lacked depth and engagement. It’s important to note that school field trips often take place during the week, which can impact the overall atmosphere—exercise caution if visiting at that time. I recommend planning your visit on a weekend for a more enjoyable and immersive experience. That said, the grounds themselves were absolutely beautiful and well-maintained.

What a beautiful, peaceful spot just minutes from Frederick. The park is clean and well maintained. There's something for everyone, short trails along the quarry and stream, historic furnace site, playgrounds and picnic areas. It's pet friendly too. The spring trees and Blue bells are in bloom.

This is one of my favorite places to go birding. With the small, spring fed pond, the quarry, the many bird feeders and a well worn path through the woods, Fountain Rock is a wonderful bird sanctuary. I took my grandchildren, ages 4to 8, and they loved seeing the birds. They were thrilled to see a Belted Kingfisher for the first time. After a walk through the woods, they spent the next hour burning energy in the play area. I only wish the learning center was open. They would have loved the exhibits. Unfortunately, the building is only open on Saturday and Sunday. I highly recommend going here.

My first time at fountain rock Nature Center,and I was very impressed not only with the area and the playgrounds it’s just generally nice place to visit but also with the staff at the nature center. We were there for my granddaughter‘s 3rd birthday had a little gathering,a little show and tell at the nature center and the staff was so warm and welcoming, very informative interacted with the kids taught them about the mammals,the reptiles even brought out a few for them to look at and or pet,and then they got a bucket with some little tidbits in it for the squirrels and the turtles. The kids had a great time as well as some of the adults I might add..

Great place to take the kids. They have ponds you can feed the fish and turtles. They have a nature center that kids can explore when it is open. They also have a playground. Very cool spot, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

Neat Nature Center. We found a mud kitchen in the woods & an old Lime kiln. They had a quarry but was closed off, I believe, due to green algae in the water. I want to go back when we can venture to the water to see the turtles!

Swung by at random and was not disappointed. There is a historic limestone kiln on the grounds that operated until after WW2. The quarry from which the limestone was removed is now full of water. And many turtles that are habituated to being fed from the quarter machine at the Nature Center. Friendly, warm and informative staff. Interesting exhibits inside. Great place to bring kids.

We went for a Bears and Club class and it was really cool! You get to see the reptiles in their main building then walk around near the lake and forest to find the animal of the day. Lastly you get to do a little craft. Loved it all and highly recommend. We will be back!!

We had a wonderful time at the Fountain Rock Nature Center today. Nash and Dana, the staff, were amazing - knowledgeable and passionate. They took time to answer our questions and point out various interesting things on display. From inside the center I saw a woodpecker, a blue jay, a cardinal and a sparrow at their bird feeder. They have live animals in tanks - snakes, snapping turtles, frogs, toad,s a tarantula, a bearded dragon, bees, plus taxidermied animals and some pelts. It's very well worth a visit.

Beautiful and interesting natural features - the old quarry lake was fascinating (we saw some large snapping turtles and a bullfrog) and the lime kiln was something I'd never seen before. The beauty of it is that the center focuses on teaching children, and there's no admission fee. Nestled in Walkerville, this place is a find Note: last time I was there the access to the lake was blocked due to some chemical imbalance.

We enjoyed feeding the fish and eventually the painted turtles came. They were slow but did get some of the food. Learning how they produced aggregate and lime on the site was amazing. Even though the nature center was closing the staff was extremely friendly and gave us paper towel to carry the fish food to the quarry.

Fountain Rock Park: A peaceful nature escape in Frederick County, Maryland. Off the beaten path, the nature center offers several short trails, pond, butterfly garden, playground, picnic area, an old quarry, kilns, quarry, community park and open fields. It is truly a relaxing and peaceful nature escape. Visitor Center staff were very warm and friendly. There were turtles, snakes, and more.

Wonderful little park and nature center. The nature center is small but packed with animals and the park is compact but super fun. Definitely buy some turtle food at the nature center then walk over to the quarry boardwalk. You'll see tons of fish and turtles swim up to you for treats.

I LOVE Fountain Rock!!! It's a phenomenal place to commune with nature and get back into your body. There is a very cool nature center to walk through. They offer all kinds of classes and nature experiences - our first experience there was also our first Forest Bathing (or Forest Therapy) encounter with Monica. Monica also works in the nature center there and is a lovely and peaceful human being. These days we take our chairs and find a cozy spot to rest in the environment. It also features a quarry with a lake. Tons of turtles, fish, and other wildlife to watch for hours on end. Park Rangers come to close the gaits at sunset (you can google so you know how much time you have). They, very kindly, provide well-maintained indoor bathrooms with the same hours as the park.

We were invited to a birthday party that was being held at the nature center. What a beautiful little find! I've lived in this area while and had no idea it was even there. Look it up! They have a nature center with a few animals and lots of info on the nature in our area. There's a shelter house and a play area. We are looking forward to going back on our own.

This was a hit with my kids, ages 2 and 4. We liked the playground and the indoor space, which is just one room but has a lot of animals to see (frogs, turtles and other reptiles) and is free to visit. Their favorite part was feeding the turtles and fish in the quarry! The fish food is only 25 cents for a handful.

This is a very nice park with lots of turtles and wildlife. We visited during the week so unfortunately the nature center wasn't open to explore but we still had lots of fun walking the trails and checking out the quarry. It is obvious the park is well maintained.

This park is smaller than I thought but it has so much to do and see. It's great for kids and dogs. There is a picnic shelter, a playground, a pond for fishing, 3 houses and a visitor's center that I didn't check out. I really like walking the boardwalk along the quarry. Spotted a couple turtles, several ducks and an animal that I'm not sure if it's alive or dead. Only it's back was exposed to the water surface, and I'm not sure if it's sleeping in the water with no oxygen?? Or dead but it's nit bloated. The back reminded me of looked like a beaver ?. The kilns were interesting. It is fascinating how much work people used to put into making limestone. We walked to the back to get a view of the top of the kilns. The trails are behind the kilns and they can get a little confusing. I had Mapmywalk app on which helped me find my way back. I found the walkersville community park and walked the paved trail there. The railroad tracks and the creek is along the community park. If I'm nearby, I would come here again. We walked about 1.89 miles.

Amazing place, visitors center has a lot of very interesting items and is extremely kid friendly. Park has an amazing history and you can walk trails which go on forever or let the kids play in the play areas. Take a walk around the Quarry and relax.

This is a little piece of jewell just nestled off the main highway. Great place to relax, take a nice walk, see turtles and other wildlife, explore, go fishing, let the kids play on the playground, etc.

Wonderful place! Lots of turtles and well-maintained trails.

Nice little park, with a cool history. Snapping turtles, butterflies and dragonflies, galore!

Wonderful park and fun place to visit. The quarry and surrounding grounds are beautiful.

Stop by the main building ... the ladies inside were friendly and offered up a lot of good info about the snakes, turtles, and everything else. They'll get something out of a cage if you want to touch an animal. Go outside for a hike and visit the nearby kilns or walk along the rim of the quarry. Plenty of trails to keep you busy. Nice outside kids playground too. Highly recommended. Plenty of parking. About 5 minutes from rt15 just north of Frederick.