Carleton College Cowling Arboretum

Carleton College Cowling Arboretum is an 800-acre nature reserve featuring diverse habitats including forests, prairie patches, and wetlands along the Cannon River. The grounds combine wooded areas with open meadows and wet areas that together create a varied natural and learning environment.

The preserve was established in the 1920s by Donald J. Cowling and Professor Harvey E. Stork as an educational and recreation area. Both men recognized early on that the landscape should be maintained for teaching and scientific study.

The grounds offer students and researchers a place to observe ecosystems and understand nature directly through hands-on experience. The open meadows and wooded sections show how different plant species naturally coexist in the region.

The site is open from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM with roughly 10 miles of trails suitable for different skill levels. The paved paths in the upper section allow easy movement for visitors with limited mobility.

The grounds serve as a protected game refuge where native Minnesota trees thrive alongside species from other regions. Visitors can observe how these different plants coexist and create a stable ecosystem together.