Wood Lake Nature Center

Wood Lake Nature Center is a 150-acre (0.61 km2) nature preserve within Richfield, Minnesota. In addition to Wood Lake, the park contains mixed lowland forest, cattail marsh and restored prairie habitats. Three miles of walking trails and boardwalks surround the lake as well as observation shelters, docks, a picnic area, and an outdoor amphitheater. The trails at Wood Lake are either paved or made with crushed limestone, making them widely accessible during summer months. There is an Interpretive Center in Wood Lake Nature Center staffed by naturalists who offer year round class for adults and children. According to the Wood Lake Nature Center's website, Wood Lake was once a recreational lake surrounded by homes. Most of the Wood Lakes's water drained during the 1950s, due in part to the effects of the construction of nearby Interstate 35W. The city of Richfield founded the Wood Lake Nature Center in 1971.