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Nature reserve · Indiana

Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center

Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center from directly overhead

Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center is a nature reserve in Indiana, at a modelled elevation of 273 m. Sand Hill stands 328 m to the northeast, 20 miles off. The nearest named place is Memorial Park, a park 0.5 miles away. The Indiana Lincoln Highway Byway passes 1.8 miles off. 12 named summits stand within 25 miles.

Nature preserve and environmental learning center run by Goshen College

The record

What the record says

Built
1980
Visiting

What to expect

Operated by
Goshen College

Official site

Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates41.31896, -85.52243

Overlooks nearby

Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Parks
  • Memorial Park: 0.5 mi
  • Wolflake Park: 1.8 mi
  • Wolflake Baseball Park: 2.0 mi
  • Pioneer Trails Camp: 5.6 mi
  • Kimmell Park: 5.7 mi
Historic sites: 34
Nature reserves: 20
Attractions: 15
  • The Dixie Historic Sternwheel Paddleboat Tour: 8.9 mi
  • The Haunted Jail: 11.4 mi
  • M101: 17.0 mi
  • M3 Light Tank: 18.3 mi
  • DeBrands Chocolate: 23.4 mi
Museums: 15
  • Whitley County Ag Museum: 11.0 mi
  • Whitley County Historical Museum: 11.2 mi
  • Whitley County Fire Museum: 11.6 mi
  • Churubusco History Center: 12.1 mi
  • Mid-America Windmill Museum: 16.9 mi
Peaks: 12
Gardens: 12
  • Nature American Garden: 10.7 mi
  • Indiana Giving Gardens: 11.9 mi
  • The Gardens of Central Park: 18.0 mi
  • Culinary Garden: 19.1 mi
  • Fidler Pond Garden: 23.0 mi
Picnic sites: 10
Artworks: 9
Beaches: 5
  • Blue Lake Public Access Site: 10.2 mi
  • Dallas Lake Beach: 16.6 mi
  • Pike Lake Beach: 17.3 mi
  • Fitzgeald Beach: 22.4 mi
  • Westlakes Beach: 22.7 mi
Rest areas: 1
  • Auburn Rest Area Northbound: 22.7 mi
On the horizon

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Sand HillNE 49°328 m20.5 mi
Knob HillNNE 21°316 m24.6 mi
Diamond HillN 360°312 m8.7 mi
Baby MountainNE 55°309 m17.3 mi
Buzzard HillWNW 303°300 m18.4 mi
Dunham HillWSW 252°292 m10.3 mi
The KnobsN 357°292 m11.6 mi
Mt. PumpkinNNW 327°287 m24.7 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:4619:1819:54
June solstice06:1020:3821:20
September equinox07:3019:0519:41
December solstice08:0516:3217:17

Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F242838506069737164534130
Precip in2.32.32.84.14.14.23.84.23.33.13.12.6

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Northern Indiana WFO, 10 mi away.

Wildlife nearby
  • Painted Turtle23 obs
  • Monarch21 obs
  • swamp milkweed21 obs
  • Wood Frog20 obs
  • Virginia Springbeauty19 obs
  • pale-spiked lobelia19 obs
  • tall bellflower19 obs
  • Common Garter Snake18 obs

Research-grade iNaturalist community observations within 3 km — what people have recorded, not a species inventory.

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOfficial site

OpenStreetMap element way/535863196

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