Plan Your Visit

Visiting the Harris Center

The Harris Center does not have a museum or exhibits, but we do have beautiful grounds, a vibrant pollinator garden, and miles of trails to explore. Some of our trails leave directly from the Harris Center; others require a short drive to a nearby trailhead. Bathrooms are available in the Harris Center building for hikers to use during regular office hours. From May through October, an accessible portalet is also available in the parking lot near the pollinator garden.

Hours

The Harris Center building is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and for various evening and weekend events, as listed in our calendar. Our trails are always open, but our offices are closed on the following holidays: Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday following Thanksgiving, and the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Accessibility

• Two accessible parking spots are designated close to the Harris Center building. However, the parking area is unpaved and approx. 30 feet from the boardwalk leading to the front door.
• There are push-button door openers in the entranceway to the building, and on the door to the wheelchair-accessible restroom on the first floor.
• Restrooms are gender-neutral, and have grab bars.
• From May through October, an accessible portalet is also available in the parking lot near the pollinator garden.
• In warmer weather, there is a wooden bench with armrests on the front deck of the Harris Center building, which has a view of our bird feeding station.
• Assistive listening devices (hearing loops) are available for use during events in the Babbitt Room.
• Manual wheelchairs are available for use in the building and on the front deck.
• An all-terrain wheelchair is available for use on our grounds and nearby rail trails.

Note: Although the first floor of the Harris Center building is wheelchair-accessible, the grounds are currently not accessible without the use of an all-terrain wheelchair. We are working to change this, and will update this site as accessibility improvements are made.

For more information or to request additional accommodations, please contact Miles at (603) 525-3394 or by email.

Groups

If you’d like to visit our building, grounds, or trails with a group of 10 or more, please contact us at (603) 525-3394 at least two weeks in advance to make sure we can accommodate you.

Address & Directions

Harris Center for Conservation Education
83 King’s Highway
Hancock, NH 03449

From Concord

• Take Route 89 North to Route 9 West towards Hillsboro.
• In Hillsboro, take 202 South towards Peterborough and through Antrim.
• About 3 miles south of Antrim village, turn right onto Route 137.
• Follow Route 137 into Hancock, where it intersects with Main Street.
• Bear right on Main Street (Route 123), and follow it past the church and post office on your right.
• Follow Route 123 for 2.1 miles from the flagpole in the center of town.
• Turn left onto Hunt’s Pond Road, and follow the directions below from Route 123.

From Keene

• Take Route 9 East past Nelson.
• Turn right on Route 123 East towards Hancock.
• Follow Route 123 about 5 miles to Hunt’s Pond Road.
• Turn right onto Hunt’s Pond Road, and follow the directions below from Route 123.

From Peterborough

• Take Route 202 North past ConVal High School towards Hancock.
• 4 miles beyond ConVal, turn left onto Route 123 towards Hancock.
• At the stop sign in Hancock, turn left onto Main Street.
• Continue straight on Main Street (still Route 123) past the church and post office on your right.
• Follow Route 123 for 2.1 miles from the flagpole in the center of town.
• Turn left onto Hunt’s Pond Road, and follow the directions below from Route 123.

From Route 123 in Hancock

• Turn from Route 123 onto Hunt’s Pond Road.
• Follow Hunt’s Pond Road for about 0.4 mile, then turn left onto King’s Highway.
• Follow King’s Highway for 0.6 mile, and the Harris Center will be on your left.