Open House - come anytime for a few minutes or stay for awhile. Experience the beauty of birds up close as you observe netting, banding and releasing winter birds.

More Winter Break Programs and Activities below. Join us!

Wear snow gear and boots and bring a small shovel if you have one. Come anytime and stay for a few minutes or stay for awhile. No snow? We’ll learn all about some of Quarry Hill’s favorite critters with a few rounds of
Animal Bingo (indoors).

Dress for a MN winter and learn about all the best winter survival tactics when you play an outdoor game on our life-sized game board in the woods. Players earn points by answering questions and moving through 10 short trails. Will you earn enough points to ‘survive’ like a true Minnesotan?

Chickadees, juncos, nuthatches, and more, Quarry Hill's backyard is full of songbirds. This class is all about birds, spend time with a naturalist observing the birds, meet and release a live bird, build a felt bird and make a pine cone feeder to take home.  

Enjoy a Sunday afternoon 'for the birds'! Experience the beauty of birds up close when you observe trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds.

Chickadees, juncos, nuthatches, and more, Quarry Hill's backyard is full of songbirds. This class is all about birds, spend time with a naturalist observing the birds, meet and release a live bird, build a felt bird and make a pine cone feeder to take home.  

Quarry Hill Park was formerly the grounds of the Rochester State Hospital. Learn about some of the Park's historic structures before a short hike to tour the sandstone storage cave, carved in 1882.

Color and sounds abound as songbirds flutter by. Practice observation, meet a live bird, and make a feeder to take home for your backyard birds. For kids ages 2-5 and an accompanying grown up.

Owls have many adaptations for their life in the forest. Totally silent flight, sharp talons, and large eyes set forward make them stealthy hunters. Learn all about these impressive predatory adaptations and the owl species that live in Minnesota. 

If you can walk, you can snowshoe! And snowshoeing can be a great winter blues buster. Come learn about the history of snowshoes and their construction, and then strap on a pair for some guided practice.

Quarry Hill Park was formerly the grounds of the Rochester State Hospital. Learn about some of the Park's historic structures before a short hike to tour the sandstone storage cave, carved in 1882.

Celebrate Minnesota’s sparkling season and beautiful winter landscape. Enjoy an evening skiing by candlelight and the glow of the moon.

Can you spot a white tail against the white winter landscape? Learn all about deer and their special winter adaptations and then go on a short walk to look for signs of deer in the woods. 

Join us for breakfast with the birds. Experience the beauty of the birds up close when you join our naturalist in trapping, banding, and releasing songbirds. Learn about the amazing adaptations these birds have to survive MN winter outside as you enjoy a bagel or muffin, fruit, and a beverage inside. 

Enjoy a Sunday afternoon 'for the birds'! Experience the beauty of birds up close when you observe trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds.

Can you spot a white tail against the white winter landscape? Learn all about deer and their special winter adaptations and then go on a short walk to look for signs of deer in the woods. 

Bring the whole family to our Prairie House for a fireside reading of the children's classic Owl Moon followed by an owl encounter and a 30 minute hike. 

Get ready to experience snow like you never have before!

Enjoy the sparkling winter landscape on a candlelit trail. Bring your sweetheart or come with friends for an enjoyable evening in nature.

How fast? Which way? How big? Tracks can tell us many things about animals. Adventure outdoors to practice your tracking skills after a fun matching animals to tracks game. For kids ages 2-5 accompanied by a grown up.

Huddle together, slow down, stock up on food and use 'antifreeze' - animals use some amazing adaptations to survive the winter weather! Join a naturalist and discover how animals get through the long, cold, snowy months of winter.

Quarry Hill Park was formerly the grounds of the Rochester State Hospital. Learn about some of the Park's historic structures before a short hike to tour the sandstone storage cave, carved in 1882.

What signs do animals leave behind to help us identify who they are? Scat and Tracks are two things that can help us get to know who our animal neighbors are at Quarry Hill Park. 

Enjoy a Sunday afternoon 'for the birds'! Experience the beauty of birds up close when you observe trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds.

Quarry Hill Park was formerly the grounds of the Rochester State Hospital. Learn about some of the Park's historic structures before a short hike to tour the sandstone storage cave, carved in 1882.

Spring is on it’s way and warm air comes on the wings of the wind! Can you feel the wind? See it? Catch it? Kids ages 2-5 will enjoy game time with a parachute, making a windy craft in this, and an outdoor adventure.  

Quarry Hill Park was formerly the grounds of the Rochester State Hospital. Learn about some of the Park's historic structures before a short hike to tour the sandstone storage cave, carved in 1882.

No homework required during this three-day mini camp for grades K-6. Spend your days off enjoying some good-natured fun with a Quarry Hill naturalist discovering the many signs of spring emerging in the park. Explorers, birders, photographers - read on to see which camp is designed especially for your age group.

No homework required during this three-day mini camp for grades K-6. Spend your days off enjoying some good-natured fun with a Quarry Hill naturalist discovering the many signs of spring emerging in the park. Explorers, birders, photographers - read on to see which camp is designed especially for your age group.

No homework required during this three-day mini camp for grades K-6. Spend your days off enjoying some good-natured fun with a Quarry Hill naturalist discovering the many signs of spring emerging in the park. Explorers, birders, photographers - read on to see which camp is designed especially for your age group.

Cheerilee, cheeriloo! Spring rains have washed away the winter snow and the Robins are back in search of their favorite food. Worms! Class time includes story, art, and a hike.

Enjoy a Sunday afternoon 'for the birds'! Experience the beauty of birds up close when you observe trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds.

Cheerilee, cheeriloo! Spring rains have washed away the winter snow and the Robins are back in search of their favorite food. Worms! Class time includes story, art, and a hike.

Quarry Hill Park was formerly the grounds of the Rochester State Hospital. Learn about some of the Park's historic structures before a short hike to tour the sandstone storage cave, carved in 1882.

Who do you think would like to live in a log? What could a Log be used for? Kids 2-5 will enjoy making a log collage, and acting out our story. We will also spend time adventuring outside to investigate the life in our logs here in the park. 

April 22 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Follow us on social media to be a local part of the  world's largest environmental movement. We will give you tips & tutorials on what you can do to make every day Earth Day!

Ribbit, croak, and sing. Our frogs have plenty to say about their lifestyle at Quarry Hill. We might even see some of their friends on a quick trip out to the pond.

Quarry Hill Park was formerly the grounds of the Rochester State Hospital. Learn about some of the Park's historic structures before a short hike to tour the sandstone storage cave, carved in 1882.

Pre-sale only, curbside pick up on May 1 or 2. Click read more for details.

A great way to bring a natural touch into your  backyard! Native plants are best adapted to the local climate and once established; seldom need watering, mulching, or protection from frost or continuous mowing. Native plants attract beautiful butterflies, beneficial insects & birds.  

Meet at Quarry Hill for a morning of foraging fun. Learn how to confidently identify and prepare a variety of common springtime edible plants and mushrooms. The class will begin with a light breakfast featuring foraged ingredients, followed by a lecture, and guided foray through the park.

Pre-sale only, curbside pick up on May 1 or 2. Click read more for details.

A great way to bring a natural touch into your  backyard! Native plants are best adapted to the local climate and once established; seldom need watering, mulching, or protection from frost or continuous mowing. Native plants attract beautiful butterflies, beneficial insects & birds.  

What does nature 'feel' like? Join a Quarry Hill naturalist to experience the sticky, scratchy, and slippery of the natural world. Bones, burs, bark, coral, animal fur and more, kids ages 2-5 will enjoy exploring nature through their sense of touch. A short hike, art activity and story are included in the class.

Bird Sunday at Quarry Hill will look a bit different for awhile, but we are not feeling blue at all! Spring has sprung and we have the 'nest best' thing in store for you - fly through weeks of observation of our bluebird nests with our naturalist, Carrie, in just a few minutes. It's a sneak-beak you wouldn't normally experience. 
 

What does nature 'feel' like? Join a Quarry Hill naturalist to experience the sticky, scratchy, and slippery of the natural world. Bones, burs, bark, coral, animal fur and more, kids ages 2-5 will enjoy exploring nature through their sense of touch. A short hike, art activity and story are included in the class.

We can't be together just yet, but this series is too good to keep on hold! Join naturalist, Jenna, for a reading of the children’s classic Under One Rock, and then our staff will take you out into their yards to discover worms, bugs, slugs and other ughs. We'll post to our YouTube channel where you can view at your leisure!
 

Springtime brings a symphony of sounds from out amphibian friends. This seasonal call of the wild is a delight for the ears as the male frogs and toads begin to serenade the females. Come join us as we learn all about Minnesota’s resident frogs and toads, their life cycle, distinct calls and features. Class will begin with a short presentation inside and then will head outside for a listening hike in search of the call of the wild! Participants should expect to hike up to a mile over some uneven terrain. Not suitable for strollers

If you've never been to the Quarry Hill Cave or you want a new perspective, now is your chance! Space is usually limited on our cave tours, but pull up a chair for the whole family to see a bit of the hidden history in Quarry Hill park on our You Tube Channel. 

Life around the pond is busy this time of year with frogs and toads leaping and peeping their way into summer. What makes frogs and toads different. Kids ages 2-5 will will learn this through live animal interacting, a Frog and Toad themed story and craft. We may even catch one on our hike around the pond! 

Turtles can be seen sunning on our pond and in the various waterways around our city. Our doors might be closed now, but you can still join Mr. Kirk for a check in with our resident turtles.  

There's a lot of hidden history in the Quarry Hill Park. Follow along with Travis as he visits some of the sites around the park that reveal the rich human history of what was formerly the Rochester State Hospital grounds. 

Who is that knock knocking in the woods? Downy, Hairy, Pileated, what makes these birds so special? We’ll use our eyes and ears as we search for woodpeckers in the park and their signature mark on trees. Then enjoy a snack suitable for “pecky” eaters. (Raindate: June 25)

Moles, worms, groundhogs, spiders, foxes and even owls find life is good when you are underground. Get the dirt on why these animals like to live underfoot when we go searching for their lairs. Dig up some good grub and leave class with your own underground detective funnel. (Raindate: July 23)

Summer is coming to an end and butterflies are abundant. Search high and low for fluttery butterflies that rise and glide on the breeze. Learn what makes each unique and beautiful. Spend time in the butterfly garden looking for young caterpillars, taste a butterfly snack and nature willing, take home your own caterpillar to raise and release. (Raindate August 6)

Did you know that flying dragons exist? They do! We call them dragonflies and they hatch right out of the water. Gather around the pond as we learn all about the lifecycle of the dragonfly. Snack & craft fit for a dragon. (Raindate: August 13)

Salute the salamander and learn all about this wet, wild and wonderful animal. Meet our live salamander and head into the woods in search of more “tigers”. A muddy craft and snack fit for a salamander will complete our adventure. (Raindate: Aug. 20)

Who is that knock knocking in the woods? Downy, Hairy, Pileated, what makes these birds so special? Use your eyes and ears as we search for woodpeckers in the park and their signature mark on trees. Then take home a snack suitable for “pecky” eaters. (Raindate: August 27)

Enjoy a Sunday afternoon 'for the birds'! Experience the beauty of birds up close when you observe trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds. Program has limited enrollment and takes place outdoors. Click read more for guidelines & additional registration information.

Fall is an excellent time to forage. Quarry Hill naturalist, Sammie, is an experienced forager. Join her for a guided hike in the park to hunt for wild edibles.

Program has limited enrollment. Click read more for guidelines & registration information.

Calling all junior paleontologists!  Come with us as we hunt for fossils in the rock quarry.  We'll learn all about what animals used to live in our ancient shallow seas.  Its finders keepers on this adventure, so be ready to take home a treasure and a snack that rocks! (Good shoes and water will be important for this class as we hike a mile on uneven terrain.) (Rain Date: September 17)

Early September is such an exciting time of the year as nature plays out its annual migration madness. While birds are probably our best known migrators they are not the only flighted friends who take to the skies and head south. Monarch butterflies are also embarking on their miraculous migration.

Join Quarry Hill naturalists as we learn more about the fall migration of both birds and monarchs and what are their migration motivators. Participate in real citizen science as we catch, tag and release birds moving through the park and nature willing release a tagged monarch bound for Mexico.  

Early September is such an exciting time of the year as nature plays out its annual migration madness. While birds are probably our best known migrators they are not the only flighted friends who take to the skies and head south. Monarch butterflies are also embarking on their miraculous migration.

Join Quarry Hill naturalists as we learn more about the fall migration of both birds and monarchs and what are their migration motivators. Participate in real citizen science as we catch, tag and release birds moving through the park and nature willing release a tagged monarch bound for Mexico.  

Hike with a naturalist to learn how to identify and use local plants in a variety of health boosting natural products you can make at home. Participants will harvest herbs to use in making their very own herbal vinegar, oxymel and tea. This course takes place entirely outdoors and is limited to 8 participants. 

Early September is such an exciting time of the year as nature plays out its annual migration madness. While birds are probably our best known migrators they are not the only flighted friends who take to the skies and head south. Monarch butterflies are also embarking on their miraculous migration.

Join Quarry Hill naturalists as we learn more about the fall migration of both birds and monarchs and what are their migration motivators. Participate in real citizen science as we catch, tag and release birds moving through the park and nature willing release a tagged monarch bound for Mexico.  

Early September is such an exciting time of the year as nature plays out its annual migration madness. While birds are probably our best known migrators they are not the only flighted friends who take to the skies and head south. Monarch butterflies are also embarking on their miraculous migration.

Join Quarry Hill naturalists as we learn more about the fall migration of both birds and monarchs and what are their migration motivators. Participate in real citizen science as we catch, tag and release birds moving through the park and nature willing release a tagged monarch bound for Mexico.  

Insect are preparing for winter - some are migrating, some are packing pollen, some are laying next springs eggs. Grab a net to catch and release some of these incredible critters to study up close.
Program includes 30 minutes inside the Nature Center Exploration Hall.

Program has limited enrollment. Click read more for guidelines & registration information.