Group Tours
Groups may request their own tour of the Leopold Shack and Farm and/or the Leopold Center anytime during the year that we’re open to the public. Tours of the Shack are best scheduled from April through October due to weather, and the recommended age level for our tours is 14 years and older.
Reservations for group tours are required, and are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Group tour requests must be received at least 10 days before your desired tour date, and confirmed by foundation staff. All group tour reservations must meet our minimum tour fee of $100.
Please fill out our reservation form to reserve your tour:
Group Size
Our group tours accommodate up to 40 participants at a time. Groups of up to 80 may be accommodated in a single day with morning and afternoon tour times. If your group is smaller than 10 people, we ask that you consider joining one of our guided, public tours. Groups of fewer than 10 people may request a group tour so long as minimum group tour fee of $100 is met. Contact with any questions or concerns about your group size and schedule.
Tour Options
Guided Shack Tour (1.5 to 2 hours)
Learn about the history and philosophy of Aldo Leopold, walk through the landscapes that inspired A Sand County Almanac, and see the famous Shack where one of our nation’s first attempts at land restoration was launched.
Guided Leopold Center Tour (1 hour)
Learn how energy-efficient design, alternative energy technologies, and the use of local materials earned the Leopold Center its rating as one of the “greenest” buildings in the country and the world.
Combined Tour: Shack and Center (2.5 to 3 hours)
See how the thread of Leopold’s land ethic weaves together the historic Shack and the modern Leopold Center.
Tour Dates and Times
Reservations for group tours are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that group tour requests must be received at least 10 days before your desired tour date, and confirmed by foundation staff.
Picking a Date
Groups can tour the Leopold Shack and Farm and/or the Leopold Center anytime during the year that we’re open to the public. Tours of the Shack are best scheduled from April through October due to weather.
Please note that Saturdays during the school year are very popular for scheduling tours and are booked on a first-come, first served basis. If you are planning to schedule a tour in the spring or fall, especially on a Saturday, please send us your request as far in advance as possible! Tour slots during these seasons fill up as early as one to two months in advance.
Unfortunately, we cannot schedule group tours on Sundays.
Picking a Time
We can start a group tour as early as 9:00 am, and programs can end as late as 5:00 pm. Many groups combine a visit to the Aldo Leopold Foundation with one to the International Crane Foundation. Driving time between the two centers is about 10 minutes.
Group Tour Rates
- All group tour reservations must meet our minimum tour fee of $100.
- Students (middle school, high school): $5 per person, with chaperones and teachers included at no charge
- College students: $8 per person, with chaperones and teachers included at no charge
- Seniors (over the age of 62): $8 per person
- Adults: $10 per person
School Groups: Did you know teachers can apply for help with bus funding through Nature Net Express, a program offered by Nature Net? Nature Net is a not-for-profit environmental learning network comprised of sixteen area nature centers, museums, gardens, and parks offering experiential, place-based environmental education to the schoolchildren, teachers, and families of South Central Wisconsin. Click here to learn more!
Tour Cancellations
Tours take place rain or shine! If you need to cancel your reservation, please provide us with as much advance notice as possible.
Everyone should be prepared to spend the entire tour outdoors. Please encourage members of your group to dress for the weather: wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes, raincoats, jackets, hats, and gloves. See our visitor policies for more information on making your tour safe and enjoyable for all participants.
Ready to book? Please use our form.