Experience the beauty of birds up close as you try your hand at trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds.

Frosty snowflakes whirl and twirl through the air to cover the earth in a blanket of white. Join a naturalist for some Frosty Fun! Story, art and an outdoor hike await you and your 2-3 year old! Advance registration requested.

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

Bust the myths about these amazing and misunderstood mammals when you take an up close look at a bat specimen to learn about their unique bones, ears, and wings! Dress up and craft a bat to test their special talents like flying and echolocation!

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

Due to extreme cold weather conditions. 

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

Look at me!, shouts the beautiful red of a male cardinal. Join a Quarry Hill naturalist to learn about this showy bird and it's bright color. Story, art and an outdoor bird hike await you and your 2-3 year old! Pre-registration requested.

Experience the beauty of birds up close as you try your hand at trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds.

Look at me!, shouts the beautiful red of a male cardinal. Join a Quarry Hill naturalist to learn about this showy bird and it's bright color. Story, art and an outdoor bird hike await you and your 2-3 year old! Pre-registration requested.

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.

Great, screech, barred, and snowy - owls are awesome! Meet our resident saw-whet owl, create your own 'owl pellet' and learn a few owl calls during this hoot of a class for 2-5 year olds and a grown up.

Join licensed falconer Kirk Payne and his Red tailed Hawk, to learn about the ancient sport of falconry.  After some indoor pictures, a discussion, and if the weather and hawk are willing, we’ll walk to some nearby public hunting lands for a falconry demonstration in the field.

Rescued and unable to live in the wild, our Saw-whet owl will tell you all about herself and why she 'gives a hoot' about living at Quarry Hill. She may even share a bit about other owls in her owl community.

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.

Fins, scales and fish tales. Join a Quarry Hill naturalist to learn about these underwater creatures through story, art, a walk to the frozen pond, and a chance to feed the fish in the Quarry Hill aquarium. Advance registration requested.

Experience the beauty of birds up close as you try your hand at trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds.

Fins, scales and fish tales. Join a Quarry Hill naturalist to learn about these underwater creatures through story, art, a walk to the frozen pond, and a chance to feed the fish in the Quarry Hill aquarium. Advance registration requested.

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.

Turtles, dinosaurs, snakes and Ostrich - so many animals lay eggs and no two are the same! Compare eggs and create your own egg during this 'egg-citing' experience. Story, art and an outdoor hike await you and your 2-5 year old! Advance registration requested.

There are seven native Minnesota snake species at the nature center. From flexible jaws to smelling with their tongue, snakes are charming! Slither in and coil up while a naturalist introduces you to a variety of snakes and their scaly goodness.

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, investigators, 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, investigators, 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, investigators, photographers - read on to see which camp is designed especially for your age group.

Bring your sweet tooth and discover the natural sugars of MN maple trees.Learn how maple syrup is harvested and made and then head outside for a tapping and collecting demonstration. 

Wiggly and wonderful, earthworms hide in the ground without making a sound. Discover what amazing ways earthworms help other plants and animals.

Experience the beauty of birds up close as you try your hand at trapping, netting, banding and releasing birds.

Wiggly and wonderful, earthworms hide in the ground without making a sound. Discover what amazing ways earthworms help other plants and animals.

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.

Nature's colors are returning after a long white and brown winter! Come and learn what nature's colors mean and head outdoors in search of the beautiful rainbow of colors springing up all around.

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.

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.  

Fitting with this year's EarthFest theme Build Better, Build Green we welcome the community to tour our new green built Prairie House education building.
Seated in the heart of the park, this new classroom was designed to embrace green elements such as solar energy, a pellet fuel furnace, thermal mass floors, a dual flue chimney for chimney swifts and more. 

Jeff Feece, owner and landscape designer at Jeff Feece Designs, will give a presentation on how to build a better, greener garden by using native plants to landscape for butterflies and their pollinator friends.

Join us to celebrate the 18th birthday of our American Kestrel, Horus.18 is just the start of adulthood for a human, but for a kestrel it is ancient! 

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.

So many animal babies arrive in the spring! Can they walk or swim at birth? Do they look like a grown up animal? Join in for some animal baby show and tell and a short hike to search for animal babies in the park.

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

Join us for a Weed Warrior introduction session and the fight to take back our parks and our woodlands. Invasive species like garlic mustard and buckthorn are threatening to choke out native plants and wildflowers and the animal diversity will soon follow. We need your help!

So many animal babies arrive in the spring! Can they walk or swim at birth? Do they look like a grown up animal? Join in for some animal baby show and tell and a short hike to search for animal babies in the park.

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.

Vegetables, fruits, trees, plants, flowers, weeds, bugs and more - it's growing season! Discover what grows in the gardens around Quarry Hill and create your garden art.

'Open a can of worms' with a Quarry Hill Naturalist during this adventure into the wonderful world of worms. Learn about earthworms, worm compost and other decomposers.

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.

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.

Learn about little blue as we hike the blue bird trail, peek into a nest, meet Blue Bird Dave, and enjoy a sweet "tweet" treat. We'll also craft our own little blue bird.

Snores, lores and s’mores – that’s what makes a great camp out! We’ll go on a scavenger hunt, gather wood for a fire, set up camp & fuel up with a traditional s’more!

Meet at the pond pavilion for nature-themed stories, songs, puppets, rhymes and more presented by the Rochester Public Library.

(Held indoors at Quarry Hill Nature Center if there is inclement weather.)

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.

Connect with your inner Mighty Spidey sense! Find out what makes spiders so mighty – 8 legs, 8 eyes, the ability to spin webs and more. Meet our resident spider Rosy and roll out your own webby craft. “Wrap up” the morning with a spiderlicious snack!

The Nature Center Building is closed. The Park is open dawn to dusk

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

Get the Buzz on honey bees! Learn all about how the hive jives and perfect you waggle dance as we play pollinator. A sticky treat and an up-close encounter with our meadow observation hive will top this sweet class. 

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.

There is fungus among us. Join us as we explore the citizens of Toadstool Town! Create your own toadstool to take home, play mushroom games and sample some deliciously creative toadstools.

Meet at the pond pavilion for nature-themed stories, songs, puppets, rhymes and more presented by the Rochester Public Library.

(Held indoors at Quarry Hill Nature Center if there is inclement weather.)

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.

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

Some animals need special “Shell-ters” to keep them safe. Join us as we encounter turtles, snails and crayfish to learn why they are all at home in a shell. A shell-tacular snack and craft will round out our morning.

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.

In field and forest, we’ll go on a bug hunting adventure! Test your net skills, play buggy games, devour a buggy snack. We’ll learn all about what makes even the ‘bugliest’ bugs cool.

Meet at the pond pavilion for nature-themed stories, songs, puppets, rhymes and more presented by the Rochester Public Library.

(Held indoors at Quarry Hill Nature Center if there is inclement weather.)

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.

Learn all about these magical creatures through hands on activities. Visit the butterfly tent, tag & release a live monarch, crafts and an up close look at monarchs through a microscope.

Presentation about butterflies and monarch migration followed by monarch tagging and release. Hosted by Zumbro Valley Audubon Society.

Enjoy this annual event celebrating fall and all things uniquely Quarry Hill! Indoor activities include nature games, eco-friendly crafts and candle rolling, & outdoor activities include cave tours, canoeing, rock climbing, pumpkin decorating and more.
September 7 and 8 from 11 - 5pm. 

Enjoy this annual event celebrating fall and all things uniquely Quarry Hill! Indoor activities include nature games, eco-friendly crafts and candle rolling, & outdoor activities include cave tours, canoeing, rock climbing, pumpkin decorating and more.
September 7 and 8 from 11 - 5pm. 

Who lives with us at Quarry Hill Park? Tracks, webs, and other clues help us get to know the critters who share the forest, pond, and meadow with us. 

Meet at the pond pavilion for nature-themed stories, songs, puppets, rhymes and more presented by the Rochester Public Library.

(Held indoors at Quarry Hill Nature Center if there is inclement weather.)

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.

Monarchs fly thousands of miles each fall in search of warmer weather for the winter. Learn about their life cycle and their magical journey to Mexico. 

Join us on the Autumnal Equinox for an evening race under a canopy of fall colors! 
ONLINE Registration open through 9 AM Saturday. Only 50 spots remain for the Wild Child Dash - get yours today!
Run Wild 5K registration open through 9 am Saturday - no runner limit, but t-shirts are first come, first serve. 
 

Fall is an excellent time to hunt mushrooms. Quarry Hill naturalist, Sammie, is an experienced forager and expert in mushroom identification. Join her for a short program about fall mushroom varieties and then set out on a guided hike in the park to hunt for wild mushrooms and other edibles.

The Nature Center building will be closed for staff development. 

The park is open dawn to dusk. 

The Nature Center building will be closed for staff development. 

The park is open dawn to dusk. 

The Nature Center is closed for staff development. 

The park is open dawn to dusk. 

Apples come in different shapes, colors, and sizes but all of them grow on trees. A favorite snack for humans, there are also animals that enjoy apples. Learn apples and  make cider with a traditional cider press. After sampling a bit of cider,  we'll share an apple treat with the animals - find out which ones when you join in the fun!

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

Apples come in different shapes, colors, and sizes but all of them grow on trees. A favorite snack for humans, there are also animals that enjoy apples. Learn apples and  make cider with a traditional cider press. After sampling a bit of cider,  we'll share an apple treat with the animals - find out which ones when you join in the fun!

Meet at the pond pavilion for nature-themed stories, songs, puppets, rhymes and more presented by the Rochester Public Library.

(Held indoors at Quarry Hill Nature Center if there is inclement weather.)

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.

October 18 & 19

Meet the nocturnal animals of Quarry Hill during this non-scary (and sometimes humorous!) family evening in the forest. On a guided hike of the woods and cave, you will encounter the "Creatures of the Night" costumed characters featuring a skunk, raccoon, owl, and bat each with a tale to tell about their night life. Refreshments follow the hike inside the Nature Center.

October 18 & 19

Meet the nocturnal animals of Quarry Hill during this non-scary (and sometimes humorous!) family evening in the forest. On a guided hike of the woods and cave, you will encounter the "Creatures of the Night" costumed characters featuring a skunk, raccoon, owl, and bat each with a tale to tell about their night life. Refreshments follow the hike inside the Nature Center.

Meet our wildest neighbors! The animal residents who live in Quarry Hill Park are amazing. Join us to bust the myths about an often misunderstood and feared mammal, Bats! Echolocation, keen sense of smell and the ability to eat 500 mosquitoes in an hour -  bats are amazing and beneficial! 

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.

Brrr...it's time for mittens, hats and coats to keep us warm. But, what do animals wear to keep them warm as colder temperatures roll in? Fur, feathers, and scales are natures way of keeping things toasty. Join us to learn how animals are naturally prepared for winter.

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

Brrr...it's time for mittens, hats and coats to keep us warm. But, what do animals wear to keep them warm as colder temperatures roll in? Fur, feathers, and scales are natures way of keeping things toasty. Join us to learn how animals are naturally prepared for winter.

Join in for family storytime with the Rochester Public Library staff at Quarry Hill Nature Center. 

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.

Some animals go to sleep for the winter season. Learn more about hibernation through story, art, and a special "bear hunt"!

Meet our wildest staff members! The animal residents at Quarry Hill are hardworking and with the help of a naturalist love to tell their story. Nine Minnesota species, but 13 scutes on each one; we are going "Totally Turtles" during this program all about these unique reptiles.

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.

Go nuts! Winter is coming - are the squirrels prepared? Guided by a Quarry Hill Naturalist, learn all about these nutty creatures.

Using an assortment of locally sourced evergreens, participants will learn to build a beautiful wreath that will last throughout the season.

Ten artists inspired by nature. You’ll see pottery, jewelry, paintings, photography, glass, woodworking and more. Admission is free and ten percent of all sales are donated to the Friends of Quarry Hill in support of nature education programs.
Meet the artists and hear how they have been inspired by nature to create their art.

Some trees are bare in the winter, some are evergreen. Do some trees hibernate in the winter? Join in to learn about trees through crafts, story and a short hike.

Join us to make your very own decorative wool ornaments. Work with a beautiful assortment of natural and dyed wool to learn the basics of wool felting. We will use natural materials like milkweed pods, acorns and more to create a variety of festive ornaments.

Ten artists inspired by nature. You’ll see pottery, jewelry, paintings, photography, glass, woodworking and more. Admission is free and ten percent of all sales are donated to the Friends of Quarry Hill in support of nature education programs.
Meet the artists and hear how they have been inspired by nature to create their art.

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

Using an assortment of locally sourced evergreens, participants will learn to build a beautiful wreath that will last throughout the season.