About
Aldo Leopold Nature Center Programs include activities such as Curious Critters Storytime, Baby Bugs, Wonder Bugs, Nature Beginnings, Nature Preschool, Nature School, After-School Programs, Summer Camps, Vacation Day Programs, and Scouts Programs. The program also offers environmental education programs, outdoor, hands-on childcare programs, field trips, Nature Everywhere, special events, and a self-guided tour using QR codes to learn how climate change affects native Wisconsin species. Families can also take part in storytime with fun stories, movement, and a hands-on activity, as well as Yoga Classes, Private Events, Weddings, Private Celebrations, Birthday Parties, Playspace Rental, and Yoga Classes from 6:45 am to 7:45 am.
• Schedule: The facility is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm and on weekends from 10am to 2pm, with hiking trails open daily from dawn until dusk.
• Price: Trails are free and open to the public, Trailside Backpacks are free to check out, and Curious Critters Storytime is a free, family-friendly event.
Aldo Leopold Nature Center Programs use nature trails through restored native prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats, which are open 365 days a year from dawn until dusk. Family Trailside Backpacks, interactive nature activities, and trail maps are available inside during regular hours, and Trailside Backpacks are free to check out. Curious Critters Storytime is scheduled on July 27 from 10:00 am to 10:45 am, and Yoga Classes are scheduled on July 28 and July 30 from 6:45 am to 7:45 am, with storytime held indoors and possibly outside if the weather is nice. The Aldo Leopold Nature Center is an independent, non-profit organization with programs rooted in nature throughout the year and emphasizes inclusion, diversity, equity, and access so that everyone can reap the benefits of spending time in nature.
The organization was established in 1994 and is led by President & Executive Director Betsy Parker, along with a leadership team that includes a Business Manager, Director of Development & Communications, Development & Communications Manager, Vice President & Nature Center Director, Education Manager, Camps Manager, Early Childhood Education Coordinator, Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool Director, Facilities Coordinator, Private Events Manager, Director of Land Management & Conservation, and Director of Community Engagement. Its mission states that it is rooted in nature and is leading the way to ensure all visitors have opportunities to connect with the natural world by offering positive and constructive programs that capture their interest, engage their senses, and teach them to appreciate the interconnectedness of all living things. The program acknowledges the First Nations that came before, specifically the Ho-Chunk Nation, on whose ancestral land the nature center sits, and notes that Curious Critters Storytime is sponsored by Monona Public Library as a free, family-friendly event that requires no registration.
Last updated July 26, 2026.
• Schedule: The facility is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm and on weekends from 10am to 2pm, with hiking trails open daily from dawn until dusk.
• Price: Trails are free and open to the public, Trailside Backpacks are free to check out, and Curious Critters Storytime is a free, family-friendly event.
Aldo Leopold Nature Center Programs use nature trails through restored native prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats, which are open 365 days a year from dawn until dusk. Family Trailside Backpacks, interactive nature activities, and trail maps are available inside during regular hours, and Trailside Backpacks are free to check out. Curious Critters Storytime is scheduled on July 27 from 10:00 am to 10:45 am, and Yoga Classes are scheduled on July 28 and July 30 from 6:45 am to 7:45 am, with storytime held indoors and possibly outside if the weather is nice. The Aldo Leopold Nature Center is an independent, non-profit organization with programs rooted in nature throughout the year and emphasizes inclusion, diversity, equity, and access so that everyone can reap the benefits of spending time in nature.
The organization was established in 1994 and is led by President & Executive Director Betsy Parker, along with a leadership team that includes a Business Manager, Director of Development & Communications, Development & Communications Manager, Vice President & Nature Center Director, Education Manager, Camps Manager, Early Childhood Education Coordinator, Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool Director, Facilities Coordinator, Private Events Manager, Director of Land Management & Conservation, and Director of Community Engagement. Its mission states that it is rooted in nature and is leading the way to ensure all visitors have opportunities to connect with the natural world by offering positive and constructive programs that capture their interest, engage their senses, and teach them to appreciate the interconnectedness of all living things. The program acknowledges the First Nations that came before, specifically the Ho-Chunk Nation, on whose ancestral land the nature center sits, and notes that Curious Critters Storytime is sponsored by Monona Public Library as a free, family-friendly event that requires no registration.
Last updated July 26, 2026.
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