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    Retzer Nature Center

    4.8 (15 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Retzer Nature Center Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Retzer Nature Center

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    Sarah D.

    We come to Retzer every year for scarecrow lane with the kids. We came on a weekend this year and had to drive around the parking lot multiple times to find a parking spot because it was so busy. The kids loved looking at the scarecrows and had even more fun plan on the natural playground.

    Brenna H.

    This place is packed with fun! The longest hike is just over 2 miles, but there are shorter ones who just want a lite walk in the woods. The trails are well kept. Lots of different scenery to enjoy. Fun in every season!

    Path to the hill.
    Jonathan S.

    Trails, trails, trails. Haven't been for the events or the center but I have hiked the trails. Beautiful little streams run along side a number of them. Pathways are well maintained. And there is a wonderful hill that reaches up to the sky from which you can see the whole surrounding area. Perfect place to fly a kite or to go sledding in the winter, though I've never seen either actually taking place. Birds and deer seem common though I suspect with a trained eye one could probably glimpse much more of the local fauna. Trees are wonderful as is the marshland that much of the land is made up of. Probably can't get in much more than 2hrs of hiking here but its fairly varied so you'll feel like you covered much more ground then you actually have. Trails are not difficult at all but some of the boardwalks can get slippery. Not to be missed.

    Jen J.

    Beautiful place to go for a walk! We took a quick trip up to WI to do a family hike/walk and the place was just as wonderful as all of the reviews say. We have an infant and used as a carrier as the paths are not ideal for strollers.

    Native garden

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    11 months ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

    My husband and I had our wedding at this beautiful location. Our friends and family said it was the best reception!

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    15 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Incredible location for a quiet walk. Lots of great photography opportunities. I want to check out the planetarium next time!

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    14 years ago

    BEAUTIFUL fall color on the hiking trail.

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    11 years ago

    We love seeing the Coopers Hawk we donated to Retzer. Definitely worth visiting.

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    Ask the Community - Retzer Nature Center

    Review Highlights - Retzer Nature Center

    This is a well run/well funded nature center equipped with a Planetarium!!

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    Glacial Drumlin Trail - Malibu

    Glacial Drumlin Trail

    4.6(8 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    The Glacial Drumlin trail is a paved 50+ mile trail that runs between Cottage Grove and Fox River…read moreSanctuary in Waukesha. It's popularly utilized as a bicycle trail but there are walkers and joggers as well. We hopped on the trail here in Waukesha for an afternoon walk on Labor Day. There were plenty of cyclists out but they were all very polite about passing us (a quick "on your left" and a socially distant pass). The trail itself is paved and appears to be beautifully maintained. The views in some areas of the trail are lovely (and other areas a little industrial). If you're looking to get out of the house and maybe enjoy a little nature to boot, this is a great option. Get to it!

    News flash: I like something in waukesha county! This is…read moreprobably my favorite bike trail in the greater milwaukee area. Mind you, it comes at a price. Officially you have to have a state park sticker or come prepared with you 5 dollars to drop in little boxes along the trail for a day pass. I've taken the trail from waukesha (trailhead on college ave) almost to the end of the paved portion of the trail in dousman. You can go further to lake mills but its crushed limestone on that part. I can't put my finger on what I liked so much about this trail...the scenery was really pastoral and bucolic and the inclines weren't too bad. Just a really nice place to ride. The whole trip from waukesha to dousman is about 28 miles round trip. Mama Ds coffee etc spot is about 5 or 6 miles past the waukesha trailhead. See you on the trail!

    Photos
    Glacial Drumlin Trail
    Glacial Drumlin Trail
    Glacial Drumlin Trail - Trail map from Waukesha to Cottage Grove

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    Trail map from Waukesha to Cottage Grove

    Priedeman Park

    Priedeman Park

    4.0(2 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    Our family visited on a Sunday morning. The playground is quietly tucked within a neighborhood and…read moreit appears to be newly renovated. It has a rubbery surface and there are plenty of shades. Our two girls especially enjoyed the double-sided monkey bars, swirling slides, and rope apparatus. If we didn't have lunch plans, they could have easily stayed for over an hour.

    tl;dr An older neighborhood park with fenced baseball diamond, basketball court, park shelter with…read morebathrooms and drinking fountain, a large playground with rubber playing surface, and plenty of shade trees. I was looking to take my kiddo out before we headed into Sam's Club, and this park was nearby and seemed like a good stop. It was indeed! The playground is an all for one design, with no separate little kids side or big kids side, which is just fine. Variety is the key with this setup. For slides, there is one big enclosed twirl slide (my two year old loved this one), one three person slide, and a two person slide. For climbing into the playground, you can walk up the back of a crocodile, tackle the climbing wall, or take the variety of ladders, including one that goes into the middle of the roost. As well, there are two swings. One for toddlers, one for big kids. It's nothing crazy, it's not brand new, but it is well designed and maintained. Trees line the playground and basketball court, so there is plenty of shade. Parking is just on the street, no parking lot here. As well, the bathrooms are on the opposite end of the park from the playground, instead of centrally located. Other than that, the park is great for your traditional neighborhood park. We'll be back for sure.

    Photos
    Priedeman Park
    Priedeman Park
    Priedeman Park - Playground 2021

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    Playground 2021

    Rainbow Park - Garden behind the tennis courts, don't take anything, it actually belongs to the kids at walker

    Rainbow Park

    4.7(3 reviews)
    12.8 mi

    Big fan of this neighborhood park, not only are there two age appropriate jungle gyms but there's…read morealso a wading pool which is convenient if your little one needs to cool down in the summer months. I believe the wading pool is open 11-4 as long as weather permits. Almost don't want to review this park to keep it to myself!

    Rainbow park, times have changed. For those who did not know, let me tell you some history about…read morethat big hill you see. This place used to be landfill a long time ago and they filled the place up and now it's a park. As a little boy I used to come here a lot. It's a nice and quite little park. There's just a few swings and some sand to play in and of course, there is that kiddy pool for the summer. I probably pee'd in it, haha... Next to the soda machine used to be a pay phone, you know? The one that you put in one finger at a time and turned it in a circular motion. Ah, rotary phones were cool, not! Soda in that machine was 25 cents and they had a machine inside the building that made a cup of chicken broth soup, hot coco or, coffee. Yes, no Starbucks back then. In the summer you can expect to see men dressed up in uniforms playing baseball. You can also play tennis. They have two courts here. Hopefully the nets are new. The most fun is probably during the winter months when snow is on the hill. Take a sled, grease it down with left over lard from Christmas dinner and your in for a joy of a life time. As I said, the park is small, but it's cozy. Just because something is big, does not make it better. [Review #173]

    Photos
    Rainbow Park - Splashing in the wading pool

    Splashing in the wading pool

    Rainbow Park - Kiddie pool at Rainbow park, this small pool is free for little kids. It is about 1 foot deep, it is perfect for kids 1-3 in age

    Kiddie pool at Rainbow park, this small pool is free for little kids. It is about 1 foot deep, it is perfect for kids 1-3 in age

    Rainbow Park

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    Retzer Nature Center - parks - Updated September 2026

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