RICHFIELD
COMMUNITY GUIDE 2025
A new chapter is beginning at Wood Lake Nature Center
A new chapter for Wood Lake Nature Center is now being written.
A regional resource for environmental education, wildlife observation and outdoor recreation for more than five decades, the nature preserve is located in the heart of the city and offers a quiet oasis from its urban surroundings. The 150- acre natural area features three miles of trails, plentiful wildlife, boardwalks and soon a new, modern interpretive center.
The central building will greet visitors as they enter the grounds, with exhibits and space for a variety of nature-focused classes aimed at children and adults. The nature center has hosted book clubs, birding hikes, archery, honey harvesting and dozens of classes and camps for children.
Providing plenty of space for visitors to stretch their legs, Wood Lake’ s outermost trail traces a 1.8-mile loop. Visitors can venture out to the preserve’ s network of trails on their own, taking advantage of the crushed limestone walking paths, groomed cross-country ski trails in winter and the iconic floating boardwalk.
Students from local schools begin visiting Wood Lake early in their academic careers. Richfield Public Schools students take trips to the nature center twice per year as part of their elementary school science curriculum. The longstanding partnership between the center and the Richfield School District dates back to 1971.
Now, about 72,000 people visit the preserve each year, while the Friends of Wood Lake advocacy group works to maintain and promote the resource.
After 50 years of usage, the city is constructing a new home for the nature center’ s staff and visitors at the park. Fifteen million dollars of state and federal funding has been dedicated to the new project, with a voter-approved local sales tax to fund the remainder of it.
The nature center is free to visit and includes many free programs and events throughout the year. To keep Wood Lake’ s natural beauty intact, visitors are asked to stay on the trails and refrain from picking plants, riding bikes or bringing their pets onto the grounds.
The trails will remain accessible and programming outdoors or at alternate sites will continue during the construction of the new visitor center.
Wood Lake Nature Center 6710 Lake Shore Drive tinyurl. com / RiWLNC 612-861-9365
Community Guide 2025 | RICHFIELD | 13