Westwood Hills Nature Center

Westwood Hills Nature Center Westwood Hills Nature Center is a 160-acre natural area featuring marsh, woods and restored prairie. The City of St.

In order to preserve Westwood's natural habitats, dogs and other pets are not allowed on the property. The Westwood Hills Nature Center is a unique, outdoor, multi-generational classroom in the middle of the city. Professionally trained naturalists lead a wide variety of fun, informational and hands-on environmental education and outdoor recreation programs. The preserve is beautiful throughout th

e seasons, showcasing the mosaic beauty that only nature can offer. The preserve provides habitat for many animals, so every venture will be a surprise. Walk through a variety of trails year-round and create your own natural history. Louis Park uses social media sites to provide two-way communication with the public about matters of public interest identified and raised by the city for discussion. Louis Park welcomes participation and comments that are on topic from the public on its social media sites. However, these sites are limited public forums limited to specific topics identified and raised by the city. City staff monitors these social media sites and the city reserves the right to hide posted content on St. Louis Park social media sites, including but not limited to the following:

•Posts and comments that contain obscene, indecent or profane language or pornographic images or links to obscene or pornographic content
•Direct threats
•Prejudiced or harmful comments that encourage discrimination or discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, s*x, age, religion, gender identity, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or s*xual orientation
•Solicitation, promotion or endorsement of specific commercial services, products or entities
•Links to any site or content posted by automatic software programs (i.e. “bots”)
•Posts and comments that advocate illegal activity
•Personally identifiable information or sensitive personal information that if released violates federal or state law
•Political statements that endorse or oppose political campaigns or candidates
•Information that could compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems
•Information that directly interferes or compromises ongoing investigations, public safety tactics or the safety of public safety officers
•Confidential or private information or data in violation of state or federal law
•Information that appears to violate the intellectual property right of the city or a third party under federal or state law
•Comments that are not directly related to the topic of the social media post to which the comment is responding. We also reserve the right to delete spam, posts that advocate illegal activity and posts that infringe on copyright. Please note: Comments expressed on the city’s social networking sites do not reflect the opinions or positions of the City of St. Louis Park, its employees or elected officials. The city’s following of a particular social networking user does not equal endorsement or support. In the event of an emergency, call 911 for a police, fire or EMS response. Louis Park cannot guarantee a timely emergency response to comments posted on social media sites.

Enjoy this month's story stroll Juntos Nos Reimos, We Laugh Alike by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand as you follow the trail to ...
06/09/2026

Enjoy this month's story stroll Juntos Nos Reimos, We Laugh Alike by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand as you follow the trail to the Westwood playground to see what new friends you might meet! Our June story stroll will be available until Tuesday, June 16th 📚Happy Reading!

Disfruta del paseo de este mes Juntos Nos Reimos, Nos Reimos igual de Carmen T. ¡Bernier-Grand mientras sigues el camino al patio de recreo Westwood para ver qué nuevos amigos podrías conocer! Nuestro paseo de historias de junio estará disponible hasta el martes, 16 de junio 📚¡Feliz lectura!

If summer is your season, welcome! Today, June 1, marks the beginning of what we call meteorological summer ☀️ This syst...
06/01/2026

If summer is your season, welcome! Today, June 1, marks the beginning of what we call meteorological summer ☀️ This system evenly divides the four seasons throughout our twelve-month calendar.

If spring is more your vibe, we have good news there, too – astronomical seasons assign the first day of summer to align with the summer solstice on June 21 📆

Either way, we're looking forward to warm weather adventures!

The interpretive center will be closed this Saturday, Sunday and Monday in observation of the Memorial Day holiday. Plea...
05/23/2026

The interpretive center will be closed this Saturday, Sunday and Monday in observation of the Memorial Day holiday. Please note that only the building will be closed - the trails, playground, bathrooms and parking lot will be open from sunrise to sunset.

If you're not sure which trail to explore first, we suggest you follow the turkeys 🦃

There’s room for everyone on the trails at Westwood! Come together for a walk in the woods as you read The Big Umbrella ...
05/06/2026

There’s room for everyone on the trails at Westwood! Come together for a walk in the woods as you read The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates ☂️ Our May story stroll will be available until Tuesday, May 12th. Happy Reading!

Why did the turtle cross the road? In the springtime, usually in search of a safe place to dig a nest and lay their eggs...
05/05/2026

Why did the turtle cross the road?

In the springtime, usually in search of a safe place to dig a nest and lay their eggs. Those shells may be strong, but they’re no match for car or bike tires, so we encourage you to give them a little help crossing roadways and sidewalks. Do your best to observe which direction the turtle is headed - if put back where they started our determined reptile friends will turn right back around and try again!

Itching to celebrate Earth Day with something special? Come to our free Pollinate the Park speaker event tonight at West...
04/22/2026

Itching to celebrate Earth Day with something special? Come to our free Pollinate the Park speaker event tonight at Westwood Hills Nature Center from 6 - 7:30 p.m.

You'll learn about the importance of pollinator habitats, how to enhance pollinator habitats on your property and how to promote urban natural landscapes to support biodiversity. Come early or stay after for a beautiful stroll along the nature center's trail on this beautiful evening!

Story Strolls are back at Westwood, just in time for Earth Day! Kick off your celebration with a walk along our trails a...
04/20/2026

Story Strolls are back at Westwood, just in time for Earth Day! Kick off your celebration with a walk along our trails as you read The Earth and I by Frank Asch 🌏 Our April story stroll will be available until Wednesday, April 29th. Happy Reading!

The interpretive center will be closed this Sunday, April 5 in observation of the Easter holiday. Please note that only ...
04/05/2026

The interpretive center will be closed this Sunday, April 5 in observation of the Easter holiday. Please note that only the building will be closed - the trails, playground, bathrooms and parking lot will be open from sunrise to sunset - the ducks invite you out for a weekend waddle!

It's a bittersweet day for all of us here at Westwood - after an incredible 40 (!) years with the City of St. Louis Park...
03/25/2026

It's a bittersweet day for all of us here at Westwood - after an incredible 40 (!) years with the City of St. Louis Park, Carrie is retiring!

Please join us in wishing her all the best, it just won't be the same without her 🩷

03/20/2026

It's maple syruping season! One of our naturalists, Greg, walks you through how it's done.

If you're at Westwood Hills Nature Center soon, keep an eye out for the buckets along the trail and check to see if the sap is running. You can also view our evaporator near the playground, which is where the sap is cooked down into syrup.

Have more questions about the maple syrup process? Stop inside and chat with a naturalist!

Address

8300 W Franklin Avenue
Saint Louis Park, MN
55426

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+19529242544

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