JAY C. HORMEL NATURE CENTER

What's Happening:

Summer Class registration online! 
click here to view all classes 

Applications for  year long intern: Click here 

Upcoming Events
  • Home
  • About
    • Education Programs
    • FAQ/Rules
    • Trail Map
    • History
    • Staff
    • Nature Center Gifts
    • Canoe & Kayak Rental
    • Injured/Abandoned Animals
    • 50th Anniversary
  • Programs & Events
    • Upcoming Programs and Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • Summer Classes
    • Trail Access Tours
    • Nature Play Afternoons
    • Senior Specials
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Friends of the Hormel Nature Center
    • Kevin Dammen Mentorship Program
    • Employment
  • Facility Rental
  • Sola Fide Observatory
  • Resources
    • Scavenger Hunts
    • Nature Notes
    • What's New In Nature?
    • Rain Garden
    • Pollinator Garden
    • Gravel Bed Tree Nursery
    • Sustainable Tips
    • Night Sky Viewing Guide
    • Environmental Education Resources

What we Offer

​The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center features over 500 acres of prairie, forests, and wetlands. Keep eyes and ears open for many kinds of wildlife as you explore the 9+ miles of trails! {Map PDF} 
Click to expand each section and learn more about what we offer at the Nature Center: 

Interpretive Center ​
Fun and interactive exhibits with live animals, touch tables, puzzles and games, a play area, and more! Learn about the local history, the wildlife, and the story of the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center.










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School programs
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Hands-on environmental education programs are offered to preschool through high school students. The staff is willing to adapt to your specific curriculum needs.

To learn more about our school programs and to contact scheduling staff please {click here}
​Summer adventure classes
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When school is out, learning at the Nature Center is anything but over! Course offerings throughout the summer provide students of all ages opportunities to learn about everything from water conservation to the migration of the monarch butterfly.
Check out our summer class offerings {here}

Free Programs
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Generous community support allows the Nature Center to provide world-class programs to the general public at no cost to participants. Check the Upcoming Programs & Events page or the Calendar of Events to see what's coming up!
Equipment Rental ​
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During the summer, visitors can rent canoes and kayaks for use on the pond and Dobbins Creek! Exploring on the water is a great way to experience the Nature Center and to see wildlife you might miss while walking the trails. When the snow arrives, the Nature Center rents cross-country ski equipment as well as snowshoes.
Sola Fide Observatory​
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See the objects in our solar system and beyond through a 16-inch reflector telescope. Staff offer viewing opportunities twice a month on Saturday evenings. Visit our Sola Fide page for dates and times. 
Action track chairs 
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Exciting News! We have 3 brand new track chairs that will allow our visitors in need the ability to access all of our trails easily. The Action Track Chairs are easy to use and Nature Center staff will give you a tutorial on how to use them.
These track chairs can be reserved for 2 hours for free! Walk-ins are welcome but reservations are preferred. 

Reserve Here
Volunteering
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The Hormel Nature Center has a variety of volunteer opportunities, from working the front desk to pulling invasive species outside. We have a variety of different time-frames to choose from. If you are interested in learning more visit our Volunteer Page or visit The United Way of Mower County volunteer calendar to browse and sign up for our volunteer events. 

Friends of the Hormel Nature Center

Thank you to our renewing and new members of the Friends of the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center! Interested in joining the Friends?​​

Join or Renew for 2022 friends MEMBERSHIP

Join/Renew
Reoccurring Payment Options
Interested in supporting us through membership? Please use the button on the left to join the Friends of the Hormel Nature Center or to renew your membership.
New in 2022, choose to continue your membership with monthly, semi-annual, or annual donations. 
Donate
None of the Nature Center’s programming would be possible without the community’s continued support! Please use the button on the left to make a donation to the Friends of the Hormel Nature Center.
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Spring/Summer Events

Looking for more information on what is coming up at the nature center? Check out all the details for what programs and classes we will be offering on our Programs & Events page! 

Interpretive Center Hours:
Monday thru Saturday:
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00-5:00 p.m.
(Closed City of Austin holidays)
​​

Trail Hours:
6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. daily
Trail Map
Learn more about the
Nature Center through our

About page, see upcoming events on the Programs & Events page, or click the calendar below!
calendar of events
spring/summer newsletter
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Contact                                                   
Jay C. Hormel Nature Center
1304 21st St NE
Austin, MN 55912
Phone: (507) 437-7519
Email: info@hormelnaturecenter.org

Fax: (507) 396-2903
Follow Us                                               
​​Download the Spring/Summer Newsletter
  • View the Trail Map
"In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught."  — Baba Dioum
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  • Home
  • About
    • Education Programs
    • FAQ/Rules
    • Trail Map
    • History
    • Staff
    • Nature Center Gifts
    • Canoe & Kayak Rental
    • Injured/Abandoned Animals
    • 50th Anniversary
  • Programs & Events
    • Upcoming Programs and Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • Summer Classes
    • Trail Access Tours
    • Nature Play Afternoons
    • Senior Specials
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Friends of the Hormel Nature Center
    • Kevin Dammen Mentorship Program
    • Employment
  • Facility Rental
  • Sola Fide Observatory
  • Resources
    • Scavenger Hunts
    • Nature Notes
    • What's New In Nature?
    • Rain Garden
    • Pollinator Garden
    • Gravel Bed Tree Nursery
    • Sustainable Tips
    • Night Sky Viewing Guide
    • Environmental Education Resources