Westwood Hills Nature Center

Pretty large park area, with a nice 2+ mile hike. Surprisingly, there are some hills to hike up too in there if you care to. The Nature Center seems to offer a lot of great activities with children, but I didn’t look into that.

The nature themed playground was so fun and had equipment for all ages. My little one enjoyed watching the airplanes go by every few minutes while he played. Head inside for the nature center to see live reptiles and fish, dress in animal costumes, and interact with the exhibit. Friendly staff and clean environment. Will come back again!

I like it. Despite the fact that it’s surrounded by human development, it still has a very wild and natural place. I’ve seen deer regularly as well as hawks flying high above. The boardwalk around the lake is particularly lovely. Bring boots if it’s been raining or in the spring. You’ll likely encounter some mud before getting to the boardwalk.

I love this place. 🥰 I used to live nearby and I loved to run and walk. The floating boardwalks make for am immersive and peaceful experience. There are a few different sets of stairs going to picnic areas etc ... Sometimes I to like to run up and down as part of my workout. But, in general, there are a gazillion places to sit and chill... It's so great to watch the sunset. I've never actually taken advantage of the nature better itself but I feel like I should make an effort to do so soon. Also, no pets allowed on the premise or the trails... FYI.

This place has a great little play park, a very nice and fairly new nature center with lots of learning, and a walking trail around the lake that makes this a go to spot for me.

So many beautiful walking paths, super fun and interactive education center, and a playground! Lots of fun for everyone. Plus you get to see some real wildlife, too! Two times I have been and seen real deer not too far from the walking paths. If you are looking for a place to be able to spend a few hours walking around and enjoying nature I cannot recommend this place enough

Great experience. Stroller friendly, awesome playground park for small children. Very pleasant !

Beautiful place with lots of walking trails, a floating boardwalk, docks and benches

I love this nature center. I always see wildlife when I visit. They have a beautiful boardwalk to go around the lake as well as some trails through the woods. Tons of birds, including woodpeckers, and turkey. I also have always spotted a deer or two when I visit. There is also snow shoe rental available in the winter which is extra fun. Heads up that there are no dogs allowed.

I came here recently for a toddler birthday party, so I was in the "center", and did not see much "nature". The facility itself reflects a lot of investment in the larger parks around the county with an upgraded or new structure for events and meetings. The place is quite nice and has lots of natural light. After the party, the after party was at the little playground in front of the building. The playground did the job, and all of the kids seemed to enjoy it. The one gripe I had with the place is that parking is a bit tight and you can't really park down the street and walk it.

Westwood is so beautiful and has a lot of unique aspects to it's trails. There are staircases, wooden paths, streams, and wildlife around every turn. The terrain is flat and there are options to walk different lengths. Unfortunately, the nature center was closed in the evening so I did not get a chance to check it out. There is a large parking lot which makes it easy to park before entering the park.

I have the fondest of memories going to the this nature center as a child. It has since been remodeled and the updated center is beautiful and great for the whole family. The naturalists are ver knowledgeable and always their to help. The trails are cool and my kids love to look for turtles in the pond and for wild turkeys and other critters in the woods. They also have a very cool nature-themed playground. This is for sure a great place to visit!

Beautiful nature area. I was there with an Urban Sketching group and enjoyed the many wild flowers. While I was sketching, a turkey strutted past me. How cool. Inside, there are large meeting rooms and a wonderfully put together hands on educational area. With all the large windows, even inside feels like outside. Staff was helpful and there was ample parking. I did see a sign that said 'no pets'.

What a fun experience for a wide age range! My 18-month-old loved traveling on the paths, playing at the playground, exploring the interactive building and its animals, and seeing the Trail of Small Wonders fairy houses (limited seasonal feature). My 5-10 year old niece & nephews enjoyed it, too! I wish more of the paths were paved just so my stroller could roll more easily, but it was a blast!

This is an absolutely amazing Natire Center. I love the walking paths out back, it is great to see nature thriving in the cities. When visiting I always see some sort of wildlife from turtles, deer, snakes, and birds ranging from songbirds to turkey! In addition to the trails, they have a great event and educational space. Inside they have some native species with information about them. Plus there is a playground for little ones and plenty of parking! It is a great area to learn and recreate, just don't bring your pets as they aren't allowed.

I have been here twice and found things to do both times. They have an amazing outdoor hiking trail and good size playground for the little ones outside. There are a few animals to see on the inside like snakes, frogs and other small ones like that. Both times I have been here the staff has never said a word to us unless we directly went to them to ask a question. I wish there was more to do and see inside. You can look at everything in less than 5 mins.

I recently visited the Westwood Hills Nature Center and was so impressed! This is a great place to bring kiddos, go on a walk, have a private event, and learn a lot. This space is free to the general public and has pretty good hours for a public facility. Highly recommend checking out for those nature lovers!

In the 1960s (yes, I am that old;-) I attended day camp here during the summers between grades in Elementary School. I recall feeling as though I was in the midst of a large, untamed woods. The grounds seemed huge to me. Now, despite the close proximity of urban sprawl it feels to me like a quiet oasis. I can wander the paths and contemplate things with little distraction. Over the years I have been in the actual center itself. My early memories are a bit hazy but the newer structure appears well designed and has some intriguing exhibits and classes. Plenty of free parking. Check the Website for specific hours (they vary seasonally). As others have observed, a true gem in the metro.

These 'Nature Centers' they have out here are pretty nice, but since we're talking about an affluent suburb, you can appreciate the nicely manicured nature. I stopped here before work and saw the crew of workers/volunteers doing their part. It makes a difference when you take in the woods, gazebos and lakes. Highly recommended!

So, honestly, I came here for a nature walk with a child & only got as far as the new playground & inside of the nature center (which is more than okay). The 3.5 year old girl loved the "nature playground" especially the "big mountain slide" and the "tree" that she could "climb". A big plus was the waterworks area, as well as the sand play area. She loved both. Luckily the nature center opened at noon, so it was a good time to visit the clean restrooms and view the animals in the center. The only drawback (and there's nothing that WHNC could enforce), is the female parents letting the kids run amok while on their phones or chatting with the other "important" moms.

What a wonderful nature sanctuary in St Louis Park. There are so many great things to call out about this space and their trails but I'd first like to start with : FREE EV parking!! That's right, charge your vehicle while hiking! Ok, now onto the trails/picnic area/playground...great playground for little to medium sized kids to play/learn/explore...with bathrooms!! Trails are clearly marked and scenic. The center itself has snakes, frogs and other creatures to learn about. My 4 year olds can easily spend an hour inside. Couple of things to note that they offer but I have not taken part in: 1) rental for parties 2) nature classes/camps

I saw a sign for the wildlife center on my way to and from lunch yesterday. I had to check it out. I did call to see if there was a fee and was surprised that there wasn't one. The trails are well maintained and there's plenty of ways to venture off. The only gripe is seeing and hearing the freeway cars and the large amount of planes. When I was enjoying the nature sounds and watching the red headed woodpeckers, the noise definitely made you realize, we are still in the city ladies and gentleman. I loved it though. I would love to go back when there's events to enjoy and preferably not a birthday party going on. Lots of great places to sit and walk. It wasn't crowded at all like most other places are. It's a hidden gem for sure. Shhh don't tell anyone about this place ;).

Hidden gem. Beautiful !! Weird hours though so be sure to check before you go. Saturday doesn't open til noon!

I was absolutely thrilled, that something so massive and gives a brilliant feeling of being in the woods and nature, is right in the middle of the city. I felt like I was miles and miles and miles outside of the city. This is not at all like a Lake Calhoun - and we should be grateful that its not. This is a wooded-marshland, and a real quiet getaway. You won't have the swarm of bikes and rollerbladers flying by you. You're not surrounded by houses and apartments...no constant stream of cars... it's all trees, marshes and a massive pond. This is such a blessing to our city.

For 2 years I drove by the sign that said, "Westwood Hills Nature Center -Turn Right" until one day I finally had to know what it was all about and took the right turn as the sign had been begging me to do for so long. It's a surprising little burst of nature right there on the S side of 394 in St. Louis Park. There's a little park pavillion, some swings and whatnot, and a trail that winds around Westwood Lake (which I had admittedly never heard of). The trail around the lake is only about 1 1/2 miles long and feels appropriately nature-y at parts, with wild turkeys that scare the daylights out of me and geese that do not like to share the path, but then there's a weird stretch where you're walking right next to the sound wall on 394 and become suddenly aware that cars are whizzing by just a few yards from where you are. It's nice enough, but it's certainly no Lake Calhoun/Harriet/Isles.

Beautiful secluded nature preserve in the city. Big pond/small lake with a trail all the way around for walking or running. Lots of wildlife (esp. deer and turkeys). They offer a wide range of affordable programming.

My kids have gone to birthday parties and school field trips here as well as participating in the summer program. It's very fun to learn about the local animals and to make apple cider. There is very nice playground equipment and a nice path through the woods.

Please get better signage! When we were on our way out, somebody pointed at my dog and said dogs weren't allowed, and threatened to call the police. We apologized, and said we were on our way out and would not bring him again. We had not seen any signs! We looked on our way out. There were only two small signs that we saw, and we did not see them at the entrance. This could've been avoided with proper signs! That being said, the nature was fantastic and I will be returning again, obviously without the dog.

Very nice nature center; a special spot in SLP; suddenly you feel like you are deep in the woods

I am a bit apprehensive about writing about this place because it is kind of a Wonderful little hidden paradise. Being a bird nerd nature lover I don't think this place can be topped. So many different areas to see different things. I have spent many many hours walking the trails. Great staff and programs for the kids. A nice little gem shhhhhh!

This nature center is great for kids, but better for the under 8 age range. It is better to go during an event, which they have many of. I recommend it a lot!

Great place! A beautiful lake with hiking trails with birding wildlife viewing, nature programs for whole family! Great new pond by the building is amazing!

This place is wonderful! Tucked in, hidden in the city of St Louis Park. The nature is beautiful, the landscaping is purposeful and great for a little exploring and excercise.

I really like the park except they have some issues. This winter if you plan to go bring trekking or ski poles, someone unwisely decided it was a good thing to drive the tractors on the foot paths on the hills turning them into skating rinks. They are also doing a lot of cutting and a section of the boardwalk around the lake has been out of service 6 to 9 months.