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Welcome
The Nature Center at Butler Corner is a place where children and adults can come, walk, listen to birds and pine trees sing, breathe in the fresh air, and discover all that nature has to offer in the outdoors of Southwest Colorado. With a least three bio-regions, from semi-desert with sage brush, foothills with gamble oak, and mountains with Ponderosa pine, and a combination of all three, there is a diverse amount of animals and vegetation to come discover and learn to conserve and enjoy without disturbing habitats.

The ranch, located just outside the town of Dolores in Southwest Colorado, is just an hour away from Mesa VerdeNationalPark.The Nature Center at Butler Corner, has been in the Butler family for more than 90 years. W.L. and Mary Butler raised twelve children on the land, then after World War II, Paul and Marjorie Butler raised four children in the same place -a wonderful place for children to grow, to discover wildlife, to respect and care for nature, and become stewards of the land. 


We offer yearly memberships for individuals or families. Otherwise, the entrance fee is $5 per person or $10 per family. We also have Nature Center memorabilia for sale. You can visit the Weaver's Studio where we offer weaving and felting lessons and sell yarn, fiber, and woven items.
 

Contact Us Now!

LOCATION
20503 Road 31 Dolores, CO 81323

The Nature Center at Butler Corner has hosted more than 2000 visitors, from as far away as France, Finland, Japan, the Philippines, Canada, and from 21 states in the USA. Our visitors have represented groups includ-ing the Farmington Writers Group, Sleeping Ute Mountain Chapter of the NSDAR, Cortez Garden Club, Family Reunions, Senior Citizen Artists, Summit Ridge Womens Club, several Boy Scout Troops, and many 
classrooms from local school districts.

After teaching school for 31 years and being a children's librarian at the Dolores Public Library for twelve years, Miss Kathie  founded The Nature Center at Butler Corner.

Welcome Center

We have a beautiful, brand new Welcome Center where classes, organizations, and clubs are welcome to come use our meeting room. We also have computers for patrons to use, and a library filled with books to satisfy everyone. There is even a reading loft above the children's section!

Rentals

The NCBC Welcome Center is available for groups or organizations to rent.
The NCBC park is available for rent for birthday parties and other functions.
Please call 970-882-4593 for prices and availability.



HOMESCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM MEETING FOR PARENTS

5/8/2025 12:25:00 PM BY Kathie

 

The Nature Center at Butler Corner in partnership with The Alpine International Preparatory Academy will host a meeting of our outdoor education program for parents of returning students as well as new enrollees and anyone interested in the program on Tuesday, May 20th at 3:00. We’ll meet at The Nature Center at Butler Corner, 20503 Road 31, three miles north of Dolores.

The Outdoor Education Program is four homeschoolers in grades K through 6. We will begin classes for the 2025-2026 school year on August 26 and will continue every Tuesday until the end of May 2026 with appropriate holidays throughout the year in sync with the public school calendars.

Our school mainly meets outdoors learning about the flora and fauna of the area as well as many other outdoor topics. We hike some, we do crafts, learn carving, weaving, hopefully archery, wilderness skills and animal husbandry.

We have a library, a weaving studio, alpaca barn, goats, chickens, geese, a gazebo, castle in the oaks, forts, and an old-fashioned school house.

Our staff is caring and knowledgable.

We are funded by the Alpine International Preparatory Academy out of Colorado Springs. 

For more information call 970-882-4593

 



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