Wood Lake Nature Center

We came on an unusually warm day in February. It was 62° and beautiful. I remember coming here as a child with my mother and enjoying the cat tails. Seeing my children get excited over them too was a lot of fun.
We really enjoyed walking across the bridge that spans the lake and circling around the park.
There are several benches to stop and rest if you get tired.
I loved seeing the big trees in the woods. There were many ducks and geese in the water.
There are porter potties in the parking lot if you need a restroom.
It was a fun walk down memory lane.

What a beautiful, peaceful place. We saw so much wildlife: muskrats, shrews, white swans, baby geese, painted turtles, and a variety of other birds.

Lovely lake with something very unique offerings- a boardwalk that traverses right over the center of the lake for gorgeous views, and a nature center with exhibits, outdoor seating, rentable spaces and more. This is not your run of the mill MN lake. They have put a lot of effort in to create something different than expectations. Definitely worth stopping by for a walk, run, picnic, or to check out the nature center.

Beautiful nature center. No ticket required for entry. Very well maintained. Plenty of parking onsite.
There is a hiking trail by the lake. You can spot turtles, water fowls and other birds during the hike.
The nature centre has a lot of local mn wildlife for educational purposes.
They also hold events such as “foraging class”. Such classes require pre-registration.

This place is beautiful, there was a lot of wildlife to see here. There's a small park on the trail as well for children . It was also nice and quiet, my kids enjoyed going for a walk here. The floating bridge was cool, we saw a huge snapping turtle by their. There was also a building that you can go into with some live animals, books, games, Information, bathrooms, and water fountains to refill on the go.

Such a neat place. Lots of birds on the lake amazing views and floating walkways. The ducks are tame and love just hanging out. So many different species of birds and turtles roaming around. Trails are well kept and beautiful walk around!

This is always a perfect walk...lots of trails, water, trees...easy walking paths. Just gorgeous and never crowded. They also have a nature center for people to learn especially children. Easy parking. Went 4/27 for the sunrise...updated my photos.. still 10/10

The interactive museum is really nice with lots of interesting exhibits. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The walking trails are well maintained with plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy nature. Be sure to wear good shoes, the longest trail is a pretty good hike. The picnic area has ample seating, good shade, and is well maintained.

Wonderful place to walk sometimes there's beavers, deer ,foxes. In the city but it feels like you're in the woods. They have a lot of activities for kids which is wonderful. I love walking here and meeting wonderful people is lots of beautiful birds and great place to take beautiful pictures.
They put a new bridge in across the water last year which is very nice and very safe.
Beautiful place to go enjoy.
It's great place to also go when it's very windy because the trees when the they are in bloom keeps the wind away.
In the summer also very beautiful saw turtles ducks with their babies.
Such a beautiful scenery.
☺ great for the sunsets.

One of my favorite places to walk to get a nature fix. Multiple habitats (woods, wetlands, and a bit of prairie), so many birds and turtles and frogs and wildflowers to see. Not overly secluded, but rarely crowded on the trails either.

When returning from an autumn adventure in south central Minnesota last year, I decided to stop at a place I hadn't been in over 20 years. Wood Lake Nature Center is just a stone's throw from downtown Richfield and I-35W, yet offers 150-acres of pristine cattail marshes, mixed lowland forest, and restored prairie with hiking trails and boardwalks. The perfect way to end a beautiful autumn day as the geese called out, telling me the weather was about to change.

Wood Lake is such a hidden in the middle of the city. It is such a treat to walk on unpaved trails just a step away from it all. The nature center is lovely. There are a couple of miles of trails with a surprising amount of wildlife.

This park is a real gem. A great place to enjoy nature. I saw several cool birds while there. The water has a ton of lily pads and so many native wildflowers.

This place is amazing! I went once in the evening in May and saw a ton of fireflies!! It was almost magical. On my most recent trip this fall, I visited the Nature Play Area and thought it was quite cute. Great place for people of all ages.

I love this place. Very peaceful and ideal for my meditation. If you come with kids have boots because it is muddy after all the rain we have had recently. Be aware some of the paths that go through the lake are full of water but it did not scare me. With kids it is different but it is an adventure for sure if you are up for it. Check with them for special events and bring a bottle of water. I am not into chemicals so I don't use bug spray but there are bugs. Yes it is nature so it has insects and amazing wildlife like birds, rabbits, tortoise, ducks, and all kinds of surprises. Enjoy

Very beautiful park with ample parking. The trails are very well connected and loop into each other. It's a really good place for birding. You can either stay on the paved trail or veer off into the softer trails. during the visit today, parts of the trail were blocked off due to flooding. The lakes in the middle are marvelous with a lot of wildlife. There is also a nice kids play area as well with big branches for the kids to make forts.

Love the quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Great lake to walk for the scenery, to read, draw, anything that takes you to a peaceful place, you'll find that here.

Beautiful, serene escape from urban life. Wood Lake is a wonderful place to take a walk, be in nature, and observe wildlife. We saw several ducks and even a muskrat yesterday. Due to high water levels, the boardwalk is currently closed til they can repair it, and the pathways are a bit muddy in some spots, but that’s to be expected. Highly recommend!

Beautiful!! My dad used to bring us here when we were kids, forgot how beautiful this place is!

I love this place! Great walking trails in all seasons. They do not allow dogs, fyi. Good chance to see birds and wildlife, though! And the lake/marsh is especially beautiful. The center offers snowshoe and cross country ski rentals in the winter, and the trails are well used (though not groomed). One way around the long trail on skis is 1.9 miles. They have a short loop too that is .3 miles. They center itself has educational materials and some classes and resources for groups. They do a haunted trail in October and have other events. Become a member for free rentals and entrance to events! Well worth it. Love this place, I go often.