Visit
...............................
The Aldo Leopold
Foundation
P.O.Box 77
Baraboo, WI 53913
608.355.0279
608.356.7309 fax
mail@aldoleopold.org
Public Tour Options
Note: all tour programs are free for members of the Aldo Leopold Foundation. Join now!
Self-Guided Visits
Available anytime during our public open hours, there are several self-guided tour options to explore the site on your own. Use this program guide to determine which option is best for you!
Basic Self-Guided Tours
Visitors can explore interpretive exhibits and signs throughout the Leopold Center that share basic information on both Aldo Leopold, and on green building features of the center. You can also view our photography exhibit "Changes in the Leopold Landscape: Photography Through Time," and watch two short welcome videos that give a nice overview of Leopold's history, life, and legacy. There is no charge for basic self-guided tours of the Leopold Center.
Advanced Self-Guided Tours
Are signs, exhibits and photos just scratching the surface of what you want to experience here? Do you want to get outdoors and walk the trails Leopold walked? Do you want to know what kinds of wood we used in different parts of the building, or hear more detailed information about the geothermal and solar systems? An advanced self-guided tour is for you! As a non-profit member supported organization, we do charge a modest admission fee for these tour options. Tour fees help fund the operation of our education program, and help to maintain and preserve the site.
All ages: $7 per person / Leopold Foundation Members and children age 10 or under: free
Self-Guided Shack Tours
Self-guided tours of the Shack are permitted from May through October, 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.
If you would like to visit the Shack on a self-guided tour between November and April, please contact our education staff to make a request. Typically snow cover prevents visitation for much of our off season.
*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.
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.
*There is a refundable $50 deposit for audio player rental. The fee is not processed as long as audio equipment is returned in good condition.
Guided Tours
Only offered on Saturdays, from Memorial Day through the end of October each year. Reservations for guided tours are recommended. Take a look at our calendar to help plan your visit, and then use our online form to make a reservation to attend. Guided tours are the only way to access and view the inside of the Leopold Shack.
Adults: $15 / Seniors (Age 62 or older): $10 / Children (Age 11-17): $8 / Children (Age 10 or under) and Aldo Leopold Foundation Members: freeIncludes admission to one or both of the two tours described below.
Guided Shack Tours
The land surrounding the Shack provides a living classroom for exploring dynamic ecological relationships and conservation history. Guided Shack tours last approximately two hours and are led by Aldo Leopold Foundation education staff. 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 required for guided tours. If you are coming in a group of 10 or more participants, we request that you schedule a separate tour date and time in advance.
** The 300 yard dirt driveway leading to the Shack itself is accessible by wheelchair, but the rest of the trails are not. Tour routes follow rustic trails which 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 the Aldo Leopold Shack and Farm.
Guided Leopold Center Tours
Walk through the highest LEED Platinum rated building in the United States with one of our tour guides to get in-depth information about how solar power, geothermal, and sustainable building materials help this facility produce more energy than it consumes. The Leopold Center replicates the respectful relationship to land demonstrated by Leopold at the Shack, but through the prism of the 21st century. Let this special place inspire you to explore what the term "land ethic" can mean for people today. Guided tours last about 1 hour. If you are coming in a group of 10 or more participants, we request that you schedule a separate tour date and time in advance.
Combined Tour
If you'd like to get the most out of your visit, come on the tour of both Shack and the Leopold Center, and learn how the thread of Leopold's land ethic ties both places together. Public tours are offered every Saturday from Memorial Day Weekend through the end of October each year. The Shack tour begins at 1:00pm, and the building tour begins at 3:00pm. If you attend both tours, the entire program goes from 1:00 - 4:15pm.