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P.O.Box 77
Baraboo, WI 53913
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Tour Options
Note: all tour programs are free for members of the Aldo Leopold Foundation. Join now!
The Leopold Shack and Farm
This is our most popular tour offering! The land surrounding the Shack was the chief inspiration for the essays in A Sand County Almanac, and continues to provide a living classroom for exploring dynamic ecological relationships and conservation history. You may explore the Shack on either a guided or self-guided tour. (Note, during heavy snow cover the Shack site is not accessible)
Guided Shack tours last approximately two hours and are led by knowledgable guides. Come hear stories about the incredible land restoration initiated here by Aldo Leopold and his family, visit the inside of the famous Shack, and stroll along restored prairie, woods and river trails with our guide. Reservations are recommended.
Guided Shack Tour Schedule
Guided Shack tours are only offered on Saturday afternoons at 1:00pm, beginning the Saturday before Memorial Day and continuing through the end of October each year. For groups of 10 or more, you may schedule your own tour time on other days, during our open hours. Please note that on some Saturdays, public tours are not available due to other special events. Take a look at our tour registration form to see this year's schedule of guided tours, and then make a reservation to attend. Guided tours are the only way to access and view the inside of the Leopold Shack. Can't make it on a Saturday? Self-guided tours are available anytime we are open. Have a crowd? You can schedule a guided tour of the Shack for a group at other times too.
Guided Public Shack tour fees:
Adults: $15 / Seniors (Age 62 or older): $10 / Children (Age 11-17): $8 / Children (Age 10 or under) and Aldo Leopold Foundation Members: free.
Self-Guided Shack Tours
Self-guided tours of the Shack are permitted during all months without significant snow cover, during our public open hours. Self-guided visitors will explore the site with a brochure that includes a trail map, historic photos of the land, and background information on Aldo Leopold’s history and legacy. The trail loop at the property is approximately one mile in length. A side trail leads to the banks of the Wisconsin River through beautiful floodplain forest, where bald eagles, cranes, and other wildlife are frequently spotted. The Shack itself is shuttered and locked during self-guided tours.
Self-guided Shack tour schedule:
Self-guided Shack tours are available anytime during our open hours. You may want to call ahead if you are visiting on a weekend or around a holiday- sometimes Shack access is closed for special
events or due to weather.
Self-guided Shack tour fees:
All ages: $7 per person / Aldo Leopold Foundation Members and children age 10 or under: free
The Leopold Center Green Building
Self-Guided Tour of the Leopold Center Green Building
This 42 minute audio tour takes you from room to room in the Leopold Center, describing in detail all of the design techniques, alternative energy technologies, and green building materials that we used to make the Leopold Center one of the greenest buildings in the nation, and a 21st century reflection of Aldo Leopold’s land ethic. Education staff will show you how to operate the mp3 player, and give you a map and guide to accompany the recording. This tour was made possible by a grant from the National Association for Interpretation, Region 5.
Leopold Center Audio Tour Fees and Schedule:
The audio tour is available anytime during our open hours. The cost to rent an mp3 player is $7 per person. If you are an Aldo Leopold Foundation member, or if you have already paid admission to any other guided or self-guided tour option, there is no charge for the audio tour.
Guided Leopold Center tours are offered for groups of 10 or more by appointment.
Visitation policies
Private Property. The Aldo Leopold Shack and Farm is not open for recreational use, and visitors may only access the property on a formal guided or self-guided tour. Visitors must always check in at the Leopold Center first for permission to access the Shack.
Dogs. We're sorry, pets are not permitted at the Shack property. You may hike with your dog on leash on the Leopold Center trails.
Accessibility. The 300 yard dirt driveway leading to the Shack itself is accessible by wheelchair, but the rest of the trails are not. Tour routes and hiking trails may have occasional obstacles such as tree stumps, exposed roots, or downed branches.The Aldo Leopold Foundation assumes no responsibility for any injury and/or accident to a person or persons while visiting our property.
Respect. Smoking, use of alcoholic beverages or illegal substances, and littering are prohibited.
Water. Please stay out of the Wisconsin River. Currents are extremely dangerous and the bottom constantly shifts, creating dropoffs. Swimming is strictly prohibited.