Wildlife Education Center

Wildlife Education
and Visitor Center

When planning a trip to Crex, be sure to include a stop at the Crex Meadows Wildlife Education Center first! From late March into early November, the Center is open seven days a week, weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm and on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sundays from 10:00am to 4:00 pm. November through March the center is open on weekdays when the Wisconsin DNR staff is here. Pamphlets and maps are always available from the rack outside the Center.

The Center opened to the public on April 13th, 2002 and was funded by monies raised by the Friends of Crex.

The Center is located at the junction of County Rd "D" and County Road "F". At the front of the building you will find a prairie garden with many of the prairie grasses and wildflowers found in the wildlife area. Many of the plants are labeled to help you with identification. This area was created and is maintained by Friends of Crex (FOC) volunteers. Also notice the brick walk with bricks purchased by donors to honor friends and family. Proceeds from the sale of these bricks were originally used to help build the Center and new funds are now put towards the Endowment Fund which was set up in 2003 as a source of perpetual funding for programs at the Center.

The grounds at the Center include a paved handicapped accessible walkway through prairie plantings. Check out the bird houses at the beginning of the walkway for nesting bluebirds and flickers. Behind the Center is a boardwalk and nature trail complete with interpretive signs and a raised platform overlooking a sedge meadow at the north end. The boardwalk was built in 2004 and goes over a pond constructed by the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited for educational use.

Inside the Center you will find a "History of Crex Meadows" exhibit including museum-quality artifacts, two Blue-ray DVDs featuring Crex Meadows and its wildlife, a habitat diorama, a replica of a 1930's era hunting shack complete with items that would be found in a hunting shack, mounts of ducks, owls, and other wildlife that may be found in the area, and handouts of maps and pamphlets about Crex Meadows. Staff and volunteers are available to answer your questions. Our Bog Shoe Gift Shop features field guides and wildlife-related books, natural landscaping gardening guides, children's books and toys, t-shirts and caps, and postcards.

Other facilities include staff offices, a 52-seat auditorium equipped with audio-visual booth, a kitchen and two large classrooms. These facilities are used by the Friends of Crex and the DNR, and are also occasionally available for group meetings and events. To reserve space at the visitor center, call 715-463-2739. Fees vary depending on the size of the group and the purpose of the activity.

At the Center we host:

wildlife seminars
field trips for area schools
opportunities for badge-earning for scout groups
a Wildlife Festival in October
special topic wildlife programs
wildlife and nature related movies
our annual benefit dinner
a photography contest
nature photography classes
tours of the wildlife areas

The fee per person for tours depends on the length of the tour and the number of staff needed per group. These tours are dependent on staff availability. Our wildlife biologist and interpretive naturalist also work with schools and youth groups. Please email information@crexmeadows.org or call (715) 463-2739 for more information.

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