Nature's Living Room
What is a third place? Your first place is where you live, your second is where you work or go to school, and your third place is a separate social environment that you frequent and connect with others. Think of us as Nature's Living Room or your third place. A warm, welcoming, and inclusive environment to come and connect to nature or others in a way that is right for you.
Whether you want to meet up with friends, attend a program, or enjoy at your own pace, we are a great spot to work, play, and relax.
- WiFi
- Comfy seating & cafe-style seating
- Fireplace
- Free coffee, tea, and snacks
- Board games
- Musical instruments to jam
- Kids' area with activities and sensory activities
- Books
Disclaimer: Sounds of joy, fun, and life will be heard!
Accessibility
The Nature Place works hand-in-hand with the community to embolden access to nature for everyone.
Click the link to find general information on getting to our location and ways in which we are working to provide access and eliminate existing barriers.
- Access our Location
- Access Inside the Facility
- Access Programs & Services
- Access Information
- View our Inclusivity Assessment
- Provide Feedback
Native Gardens
The Nature Place is surrounded by eight native gardens containing a multitude of native species, habitats, and educational opportunities.
Click the below link to find out more, including:
- Map of the gardens
- Volunteer in the gardens
- What are native plants?
- Pollinator Parade children's book
- Featured native plant of the week
- Native garden resources
- And more!
Produce Garden
The Nature Place has a large fenced-in produce garden along the hiking trail, centered between the building and the big red barn.
The produce garden's primary use is education. The garden is used for teaching about the importance of sustainable gardening practices and fostering an appreciation for growing your own food. It is a playground of experimenting and hands-on learning for our AmeriCorps service members who tend to it. The garden is a fun place for community members to wander around to view different types of gardening practices on display.
Produce grown in the garden provides food for our program participants, staff, volunteers, and animal ambassadors. Free produce is also frequently available to community members in the "Free Produce Bin" located outside of the garden, to the right of the entrance. The bin is first come, first serve, typically filled Monday-Friday mornings during growing season.
Feel free to come in and have a look around! Please only take from the free produce bin and do not harvest anything yourself. If you see a staff member out in the garden, be sure to ask them your garden questions or get a garden tour!
Animal Ambassadors
Our animal ambassadors team includes live reptiles, fish, and invertebrates. They provide hands-on experiences and learning opportunities for program participants and visitors.
Ways to Interact
- Attend our programs, many of which include opportunities to learn about, touch, and sometimes even hold them!
- Invite our Critter Mobile to your event, organization, program, or care facility
- Visit our animal ambassadors in the Discovery Room and the hallway outside of it, during public open hours. Please keep in mind that access to the Discovery Room may be restricted at times due to programming and room usage.
Thank you to Xcel Energy for providing grant funding to help us provide an exceptional standard of care, keeping our animal ambassadors safe and healthy.
Art Gallery
The Gallery at The Nature Place displays 5-7 art pieces from a different local artist every 4 months.
Visitors may view artwork in the La Crosse Room during public open hours. Please keep in mind that access to the La Crosse Room may be restricted at times due to programming and room usage.
Click below to read our Call to Artists and how to apply to display your artwork!
Gear Check-out
- We have 4 different Explorer Kits available for free check-out to explore on your own: Birding, sweep netting (terrestrial insects), dip netting (aquatic insects), and trash clean-up kits.
- A Drift Cycle bike share station is available on the sidewalk between our building and parking lot. It is an easy-to-use, affordable bike rental program. Get your first ride FREE when you use the promo code 57WLZ7!
- In wintertime, we have a Little Free Sled Library right outside our main entrance. Grab a sled, have some fun, return when done! Brought to you in partnership with Hike it Baby. We are always accepting sled donations to keep it stocked.
- We typically have outerwear free to borrow while you are out exploring. Our largest selection is during the wintertime (hats, mittens, jacket, etc.). Available clothing is hanging on the wall in the west entryway. Ask a staff person if you have trouble locating it; this spot often doubles as an additional storage space.
Outdoor Recreation
The Nature Place borders the beautiful 1,077 acre La Crosse River Marsh, containing a network of trails featuring scenic views of the marsh and surrounding bluffs. The Marsh Trails connect with several other trail systems, making The Nature Place the perfect starting point for adventures big and small in every season.
La Crosse River Marsh
- The Marsh Trails offer several accessible paved options (see map)
- Great for hiking, biking, and rollerblading
- Canoe, kayak, and fishing access
Beyond the Marsh
- Head west on the Marsh Trails all the way to Riverside Park on the Mississippi River
- Head east on the Wood Duck trail to connect to the Hixon Forest trail system, taking you to the top of the bluff and many more miles of trail great for hiking, trail running, mountain biking, and cross country skiing.
- Head north on the Grand Crossing trail to connect with the State Bike Trail where you can bike all the way to Trempealeau in the north or Reedsburg to the east.
Resources
- Outdoor Recreation Alliance. Provides great information on local trails.
- Drift Cycle Bike Share. No bike? No problem! Drift Cycle bike share is an easy-to-use, affordable bike rental program and we have a station right outside our building.
- Outdoor Connection. Equipment Rental Center at UW-La Crosse right across the street from Myrick Park. Not just for students; completely available to the public!
- Little Free Sled Library. Available right outside our main entrance for sledding on the Myrick Park hill.
Myrick Park
The Nature Place is located in Myrick Park, a city park operated by La Crosse Parks, Recreation, and Forestry. The Park has so much to offer, including open green space, prairie, shaded-tree covered areas, and many amenities.
- Kids Coulee Playground, a state-of-the-art playground that includes a multi-level wooden play structure, amphitheater, zipline, climbing structures, and more. Built by over 3,700 volunteers in 1994 and received a $900,000 renovation completed in 2024.
- Karen's Classroom, a limestone amphitheater/outdoor classroom used to educate community members about the importance of the La Crosse River Marsh ecosystem, named after Karen Ringstom, an avid member of Friends of the Marsh. Includes wheelchair accessible spotting scope.
- Shelters, Gun Club & Main Shelters available to rent through the city
- Antidonts Statue, an abstract painted aluminum sculpture of a boy and his dog done by Luis Arata, at park entrance
- Blue Heron Statue, part of the “Herons of La Crosse” public art project organized by the Pump House Regional Art Center in 2008. Each statue is crafted by local artists with the idea of celebrating art and community. Located on the north-facing patio outside The Nature Place.
- Indigenous Burial Mounds, created by the ancestors of the Ho-Chunk, circa 700-1100 AD
- Dog Park, Small, fenced-in dog park near the trailhead off of East Avenue N.
- Tree Memorials
- Drinking Fountains
- Bathrooms
Download Things to Do List
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Click below to download the extensive list as a 1 page flyer.
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