Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary

02/24/2026

One Story Ends, Another Begins

Last weekend, for the final time, I drove up to take a few last photographs—both outside and inside the Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary.

During the estate sale over the past few weeks, I found myself making the trip each weekend, always leaving with just a few more small things. It was hard not to.

Mari wasn’t just a beautiful person—she created an incredible experience at the sanctuary. For nearly 20 years, she touched the lives of so many people. I am a better person from having known her.

I still think of Mari every day. And to be honest, I am still a bit angry.

But last weekend, standing in the building and in the flight room, I said a quiet goodbye and realized it’s time to let go.

Thank you my friend for so many fun and interesting times.

And now, we start. anew.

The new owners of the building plan to create a community-centered environment with their business. They’re good people, and I believe Mari would be happy with what’s going to happen there.

I purchased the business to protect the brand and to find a way to keep the vision and mission of Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary alive in some form.

Two years ago, alongside my main company, I launched SN1XR—a studio focused on creating games, data visualizations, and immersive worlds accessible through VR headsets or desktop devices.

Two weeks ago, we began the early stages of digitally modeling the sanctuary location. We’ve started experimenting with additional elements around the building and throughout the property. While the structure itself has not yet been constructed in the virtual space, the floor plan is already placed on the lot. You can see it there, along with a garden and greenhouse we’ve added to the site.

This is exciting

I’ll be reaching out to a few of you to visit our office in Bethlehem and help me recreate Mari’s programs. I have all of the materials.

It won’t be the exact same experience that once existed in Penn Forest.

It will be different.

And in many ways, it will be more expansive—because now we can create things that can be imagined, but never physically built.

I truly wish the new owners of the building the very best. I believe they will create something meaningful and special in their own way.

To everyone who encouraged and supported Mari over the years as she brought her dream to life—thank you.

I’ll continue sharing updates on her website, the page, and my own page as this new story unfolds.

Kurt Jackson

01/18/2026

Many of you are likely aware that I purchased the business assets of my best friend Mari Grubers Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary . I did not purchase the building.

Mari passed away in late August after a 3 month battle with brain cancer

Thank You all for the support and endorsement as the Sancuary spirit and Mari's spirit winter in the forest of Mexico and prepare for the flight back in the spring.

This will be an exciting mission driven journey. All of you are invited to come along on the metamorphoses and flight back

I will post later this weekend outlining our plans for how her vision for connecting adults and children to nature will live on featuring the lifecycle of the monarch butterfly.

But I need help.

In the assets purchase was of course the business web site. Mari had someone set it up. If any of your know who this was or or are that person could you contact me at [email protected]?

Sunday I will be outlining the plans for next chapter of Mari's Mission, Vision and new sanctuary experiance

Thank you all for supporting her over the years. She did it, and those of you that supported her did it. It was an incredible experience and journey. A special thank you to her dedicated and incredible staff.

Now we start anew.

Here is a hint as to where we will be moving the experience to:

"No walls will confine us"

This is going to be exciting

Thank you all especially my best friend for the last 20 years Mari the Butterfly Lady, you are so missed.

Best
Curtis Mark Jackson

08/29/2025

The staff of Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary tearfully inform you of the passing of our beloved founder/owner, Mari Gruber, on August 25, after a diagnosis of brain cancer a couple months ago.

We promised Mari that we would keep the sanctuary open for the season, which ends on Sunday, August 31st. We faithfully honor this promise.

We will post our memories and tributes afterward.

08/16/2025

APOLOGIES TO ALL OUR FRIENDS THAT MAY HAVE MADE PLANS TO JOIN US!

CANCELLED CANCELLED CANCELLED CANCELLED

WE ARE SORRY TO CANCEL THIS EVENT DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL.
WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US FOR THE OWL SHOW ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 24TH.

SUNDAY AUGUST 17th SUPER SUNDAY
LIVE BATS with our friends from CCEEC.
BATS Show : 5:15-6:15 pm
$8.00 per seat - Proceeds go to CCEEC and the Bear Mountain Sanctuary Foundation .
Reservations required.
Please call 570-325-4848

If you want to visit the Sanctuary in the afternoon , then stay for the LIVE BATS SHOW , let us know when you check in. We will give you a 50% discount on your admission to the building. If you are choosing this option, we ask that you arrive at 4:00 - 4:15 pm. You would need to make your reservations for the show in advance.

08/14/2025

Join us next Wednesday from 11am-noon for a special butterfly presentation by Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary at the Penn Kidder Library Center!

08/14/2025

SUNDAY AUGUST 17th SUPER SUNDAY
LIVE BATS with our friends from CCEEC.
BATS Show : 5:15-6:15 pm
$8.00 per seat - Proceeds go to CCEEC and the Bear Mountain Sanctuary Foundation .
Reservations required.
Please call 570-325-4848
If you want to visit the Sanctuary in the afternoon , then stay for the LIVE BATS SHOW , let us know when you check in. We will give you a 50% discount on your admission to the building. If you are choosing this option, we ask that you arrive at 4:00 - 4:15 pm. You would need to make your reservations for the show in advance.

08/12/2025

Still have some seats available! Call now to reserve yours!

SUNDAY AUGUST 17th SUPER SUNDAY
LIVE BATS with our friends from CCEEC.
BATS Show : 5:15-6:15 pm
$8.00 per seat - Proceeds go to CCEEC and the Bear Mountain Sanctuary Foundation .
Reservations required.
Please call 570-325-4848
If you want to visit the Sanctuary in the afternoon , then stay for the LIVE BATS SHOW , let us know when you check in. We will give you a 50% discount on your admission to the building. If you are choosing this option, we ask that you arrive at 4:00 - 4:15 pm. You would need to make your reservations for the show in advance.

08/11/2025

Monarchs take about a month to develop from egg to adult, meaning people who see eggs or larvae now could be seeing what will become the super generation of monarchs!

Monarchs that emerge in late summer enter reproductive diapause (do not reproduce) and begin to migrate, navigating to overwintering grounds that they've never been to before, sometimes over 2,000 miles away. East of the Rocky Mountains, that's typically the oyamel fir forests of central Mexico, while western monarchs head to sites along the California coast.

Then, after waiting out the winter, they're the ones that start the migration next year. They can live for up to nine months, much longer than the period of several weeks that the typical summer monarch will live.

08/11/2025

Join us this Sunday! Learn how cool and important bats are to us!

SUNDAY AUGUST 17th SUPER SUNDAY
LIVE BATS with our friends from CCEEC.
BATS Show : 5:15-6:15 pm
$8.00 per seat - Proceeds go to CCEEC and the Bear Mountain Sanctuary Foundation .
Reservations required.
Please call 570-325-4848
If you want to visit the Sanctuary in the afternoon , then stay for the LIVE BATS SHOW , let us know when you check in. We will give you a 50% discount on your admission to the building. If you are choosing this option, we ask that you arrive at 4:00 - 4:15 pm. You would need to make your reservations for the show in advance.