I went for the annual maple syrup weekend and enjoyed the visit. It is definitely more of a child-oriented place, but if that's what you're looking for it seems like a great place for outdoor education with indoor exhibits and classrooms plus a good-sized outdoor area with a pond and some forest. read more

Beautiful and scenic location that's absolutely perfect for letting my toddler run off some extra steam before bedtime. We haven't gotten to try the indoor aspects yet because their hours are pretty tight, but my boyfriend grew up going there every weekend and says it's more than 5 stars! We will definitely be here often this summer! read more

Great nature center, and nature area with trails around the prairie and marshy area. We enjoyed playing with all the stuff in the lobby, and also the cool stuff they had in the silo areas. My daughter enjoyed pretending to be a weathergirl. Had a close encounter with a woodchuck/groundhog/whistlepig whatever your preferred name is. Enjoyed walking around the marshy areas. Nice intro to Wisconsin wildlife. read more

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What a great spot. A lovely facility with neat trails through a variety of natural areas. It also is connected to the Edna Taylor Conservation Area so that makes the outdoor space feel even bigger, right in the heart of Monona. The staff is friendly and enthusiastic, doing a very nice job hosting birthday parties, making it really enjoyable for a group of kids. Yes, a nature-themed birthday party, what could be better! They also host a ton of other events and programs, it's worth taking a peek at their website to see stuff for kids (i.e., summer camps or nature days when school is closed) and events for the general community (adults can have fun in nature too!) A well-kept facility and park, definitely worth stopping by. No dogs allowed, don't be sad. read more

We love the ALNC! This marvelous facility is one of the BEST things about living in Madison. Even with all of our excellent child-friendly establishments, the ALNC stands out. It's a little gem of a preserve featuring prairie, wetland, woods, & savanna. The land slopes giving beautiful views, and the pond has little piers for accessibility. It borders two other small preserves - Monona's Frost Woods which features un-groomed trails winding up a wooded hill topped by First nations mounds, and The Edna Taylor Conservation Area which has well-groomed trails connecting the Nature Center to the back of Glendale Elementary's very nice playground. The landscape and quality of habitat here is superb especially considering it's surrounded by development. There is a re-built replica cabin like the one Aldo Leopold (beloved local environmental science pioneer who coined the term "Habitat Restoration") Truly a special place. To make it even better, the staff are genuinely wonderful people. They have a gorgeous green-built lodge type building where you can enjoy some educational opportunities as a drop-in, a planned field trip with a group, take part in a seasonal celebration, or just sit on a bench and watch the wildlife. They have a wide range of excellent kids' classes ranging from toddler activities with parents to drop-off day camp where older kids get REAL science and nature education in an immersive hand-on environment. The kids get what I consider to be an ideal balance of fun play stuff (free play outdoors, tree climbing, silly games, coloring), creative activity (crafts with natural materials, building forts, make-believe) and serious education (dissecting owl pellets, tracking animals, testing pond water) my girl comes home from the ALNC tuckered out from loads of outdoor time (often quite muddy too, which is fun for her) delighted by the day's fun activities and the staff's warm & supportive care, and full of real knowledge not just "trivia". They get tons of outdoor time every day, rain or shine, which is so great! In a perfect world, she could attend school here full time - it's one of the only things in the world she likes better than spending the day at a park or the Children's Museum - and it's educational. Enriching, Enlightening, Enjoyable, Affordable: Amazing! read more

Aldo Leopold Nature Center - Child up a tree @ the ALNC - Hiking Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

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What a treasure, right on the edge of town. My daughter went to camp there and they engaged the kids in lots of fun activities. The snacks weren't the healthiest, but the staff were knowledgeable and good with kids. We also went to their fall festival and my kids had a blast. The activities are fun, yet educational. The nature preserve is open and free for all. read more

My son often enjoys "wonder bugs," with informative programming and interactive activities in a positive learning environment

Love the trails, love the educational space. Beautiful building. Education staff is rocking!

I visited the Aldo LeopoId Nature Center in Monona, WI yesterday, 09-06-14. What a joyful experience. It wasn't just the exposure of communing with nature, which was an unbelievable surprise, but I ended up spending hours both inside and out learning about its richness and beauty, not to mention discovering all the educational opportunities. If you're from the greater Madison area or perhaps just visiting - this is a 5-star experience in my book. And if you have kids or grand-kids - be sure to bring them along. They will LOVE it. read more

Just finished hiking this. Very peaceful with tons of birds chirping. 70 percent shaded. Easy parking and friendly staff. Clean bathrooms. read more

Phenomenal experience for the whole family! It's amazing because you're right in the midst of an urban setting but the prairie is native and the setting is stunning. My daughter loved seeing the turtles floating on logs and the rabbits hopping along the trails. We became a member on our first visit. It's a great organization to support. read more

I recently had my wedding at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center. It was very wonderful, in spite of the weather being a little chillier than anticipated! Duncan was a great help in coordinating the setup of the room we rented, as well as maintaining the soundtracks that we played. He was very accommodating - we visited the center to go over additional details at least three separate times before the wedding. One of the best parts I think is that revenue from rentals goes towards their children's environmental education programs! read more

My son went there on a class field trip. Friendly and passionate staff. Great place to learn about nature and for "planting the seed" of protecting/respecting the environment. read more