Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary

I had a very unfortunate interaction with the gentleman in charge of this nature center where he was unprofessional toward me, as a potential volunteer. I brought a young man with me to also volunteer and the gentleman in charge of the nature center discriminated against this young man for a disability he has. I did call and speak with the gentleman after I calmed the young man down and took him home. I explained how he treated us and that I wanted to send the board of directors an email detailing this incident. He was rude over the phone but did give me the email address, which was directed to the nature center, where he would be the one receiving it. I have not heard back from anyone on the board, so I will be reaching out again. This is not the first time this gentleman has had complaints about how he has treated people. Sadly, I will no longer be recommending this nature center until he is no longer working there.

We visited the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary this weekend. I want to make clear that we ended up taking hiking paths that were not paved by mistake. There’s a lack of clear and visible signage, the trails aren’t well marked, and this lead to we three adults and two kids taking a hiking trail we might not have chosen if we had known all the trail options. We did donate and purchase from the gift shop because I believe in their commitment and vision out there. I agree with others who stated the trails were overgrown. I believe they probably have difficulty keeping up with such a huge amount of work to be done and sadly it shows. I’m honestly just kind of “meh” about this one. I really wanted to like it and ended up feeling disappointed.

We had a great time visiting! We were given a map for the trails and were able to find our way around with our three small children in tow. We had a great time playing in the creek, the scenery is just beautiful. We felt like we found a sliver of treasure in Liberty! It could use a little upkeep with trimming some paths to make them more distinguishable. The gift shop and dinosaur exhibit were available to see too, we can’t wait to go back!

I really liked this place. Really was more natural in some parts than others. I tend to walk most trails barefoot, and the more natural the better. There was two sections blocked off with a sign. Then one other section was completely overgrown and impassable. I spent a few hours here. I look forward to coming back and exploring it again. I didn't visit the shop. Then there isn't much for restrooms here, and has limited space for parking.

The trails were unkempt, but the gentleman working was happy to explain the trails. The worst part of this place is the animal exhibit, remarkably dirty with too-small cages. I felt sorry for the animals. The tunnel and creek were kind of cool, but not enough to warrant coming back. I appreciate what they're trying to do here, but they may be overestimating their abilities.