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Carpenter Nature Center
Contact Information
Carpenter St Croix Valley Nature Center
12805 St Croix TrHastings, MN 55033 - link opens in new tab.
Located 1 mi north of intersection of Co Rd 21 and Hwy 10. Carpenter Nature Center is on the St. Croix River almost due west of Prescott, WI.
Get Directions - link opens in new tab.About
Open 7 days a week, 8am-4:30pm, offers several miles of hiking trails thru 425 acres along the scenic St Croix River, excellent opportunities for bird and nature watching in a variety of habitats- restored prairie, deep ravines, river bluffs, pine and deciduous forest. Admission is free, small fee for programs. Environmentally friendly apple orchard on site offers apples for sale in season. Year-round recreation and environmental education opportunities.
Dates
Year round except Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter and Thanksgiving. Buildings: 8:00am-4:30pm daily; trails: 8am-4:30pm daily.Rates
Free parking. Free admission. Program charges vary. Donations of $2.00/person are strongly encouraged.
Green Practices
Carpenter Nature Center was fortunate to receive a Dakota County Community POWER (Partners of Waste Education and Reduction) grant in the fall of 2006 to convert its 22 year-old Apple Blossom Races into a Zero Waste Event.
- Eco-friendly landscape/facility design
- Eco-friendly purchasing practices
- Energy efficiency/conservation
- Waste reduction/reuse/recycling
- Water conservation/wastewater management plan
Attraction Attributes
- Can accommodate groups of 45 or more
Mentioned In
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Follow the Mississippi River's 600-plus-mile journey across Minnesota on the Great River Road