Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center, Nature education center in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota
The Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center was a nature education facility spanning approximately 280 acres of woodland, marsh, lake, bog, and grassland. The property featured more than 9 miles of trails for exploration and wildlife observation.
The center was founded in 1967 as Minnesota's first private nature facility and was operated by the Science Museum of Minnesota. The facility closed in 2019, ending more than 50 years of environmental education in the region.
The center offered free learning programs for schools and visitor groups, sharing nature history and ecology through hands-on experience. People came here to discover the variety of native species and understand how different habitats connect with each other.
The center was located in a rural setting with direct access to its trails, where visitors could explore freely at their own pace. The grounds were accessible year-round, with each season offering different observation opportunities and activities.
The property hosted a protected population of Blanding's turtles, a rare species with special habitat needs. The center received the highest ecological designation from Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
