Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center

09/30/2026

Fall colors, rock climbing, and plenty of adventure!

We're so grateful for our long-time partnership with Friends School of Minnesota and their continued commitment to the Outdoor School experience. Their 7th & 8th graders making the most of their time at Wolf Ridge--exploring, challenging themselves and learning together.

Thanks for being part of the Wolf Ridge community!

09/24/2026

15+ years of learning, exploring, discovering—and making memories at Wolf Ridge!

We’re grateful for our long-standing partnership with Manvel Public School and for the opportunity to welcome their students year after year.

And these photos? They capture exactly what we love about Outdoor School: curiosity, connection, adventure, and a whole lot of smiles.

Thank you, Manvel Public School, for being part of the Wolf Ridge community for more than 15 years!

09/15/2026

A New Cohort. A New Year of Learning. 🌲

There's a special energy on campus each fall when our newest graduate naturalists arrive.

This year, 17 graduate students joined the Wolf Ridge Naturalist Training Program. After several weeks of intensive fall training, they completed the first phase of their program on September 4.

Over the coming year, they'll spend their days outside—teaching students and exploring the ecosystems of Wolf Ridge. They'll also earn 12 graduate credits and a Master's certificate as they grow as educators, naturalists, and leaders.

From training to the classroom—or onto the trail—we're excited to see where this year takes them.

Welcome to Wolf Ridge, 2026-27 Naturalist Cohort!

Learn more about the Naturalist Training Program: https://wolf-ridge.org/programs/educators/naturalist/

09/10/2026

🧭Why Outdoor School Matters

Because some things can't be learned from a textbook.

At Wolf Ridge, students step into a living laboratory of learning. They explore forests, wetlands, and Lake Superior. They work together. They discover things they've never seen before.

And sometimes, they experience something as simple — and as extraordinary — as seeing the Northern Lights or the Milky Way illuminate the sky for the first time.

These experiences connect young people to the land, to one another and to their own sense of possibility.

As our former executive director reflects in this video, that connection can become something much bigger.

That's why we believe every student deserves the opportunity to experience Outdoor School.

👉Watch the video and see why we do what we do. Discover why Outdoor School matters: https://wolf-ridge.org/outdoor-school/

09/03/2026

Every Student. Every School. Outdoor School.

A new cohort of Naturalists is settled in, and campus is once again buzzing as we prepare for the first school groups to arrive one week from today.

🌲Last year, nearly 10,000 students and educators experienced learning that comes to life in nature at Wolf Ridge.

🌲This year, our commitment remains clear: Every student deserves the opportunity to experience Outdoor School.

That's why we continue to work on removing the barriers that can stand in the way. Funding support is available to help with tuition, transportation, and even teacher stipends!

Thanks to the support of our generous funding partners, we can once again make this level of support possible.

Space is limited — but we want to help make Wolf Ridge possible for your students.

Parents and educators: reach out and let's find a way to get your students to Wolf Ridge. 👉Learn more about Outdoor School at: https://wolf-ridge.org/outdoor-school-for-all/

Wolf Ridge expands access to Outdoor School for All in Minnesota—connecting students to nature through immersive learning and social-emotional growth.

09/02/2026

🍂The migration happening above your head.

Every late summer, thousands of dragonflies take to the skies along Minnesota’s North Shore.

Wolf Ridge naturalist Joe Walewski has watched this seasonal movement unfold for nearly four decades. Common Green Darners can travel 70–90 miles in a single day, and on peak migration days, tens of thousands may pass over the North Shore.

It’s a remarkable journey — and one that’s easy to miss if you aren’t looking up.

In this nature note, Joe takes us into the world of dragonfly migration, from the Common Green Darner and its incredible aerial abilities to the birds of prey that follow the same migratory corridors.

👉 Read Joe Walewski’s The Migration Happening Above Your Head: https://wolf-ridge.org/blog/the-migration-happening-above-your-head/

Did you know dragonflies migrate? Wolf Ridge naturalist Joe Walewski takes a closer look at the thousands of dragonflies moving south along the North Shore.

08/31/2026

Enjoy an evening amidst the fall colors!

Each year, Wolf Ridge has a front-row seat as the hillsides along the shore turn brilliant colors. This year, we invite you to take in the views at the inaugural Dinner on the Ridge fundraiser: an evening of connection, discovery, and learning.

Saturday, September 26th, 2026 | 4:30 - 8:00 PM
Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, Finland, MN

Join us to connect with old and new friends, including Wolf Ridge’s newest Executive Director, Vanessa Mendillo Riegler. Your evening will feature naturalist-guided walks along the Ridge's trails for an up-close look at the season's color, a catered dinner, and a featured presentation from resident naturalist Charlie Pavlisich.

We look forward to welcoming you as we celebrate all we’ve accomplished and carry on the adventure.

Space is limited! RSVP today at https://tinyurl.com/dinner-on-the-ridge

08/19/2026

The Superior Hiking Trail isn't just a path through the North Woods—it's a classroom, a community, and a place where people connect more deeply with nature.

In Episode 6 of Blazing Trail, former Wolf Ridge Executive Director Pete Smerud shares how the partnership between Wolf Ridge and the Superior Hiking Trail has inspired generations of children and adults to discover the ecology of Minnesota's North Shore and Lake Superior, and why the missions of our organizations are so closely connected.

If you've ever hiked the trail, learned at Wolf Ridge, or simply love the North Shore, this episode is worth a listen.

🎧Listen here: https://wtip.org/archives/blazing-trail-ep-6-trail-helpers/

In Episode Six of Blazing Trail, we meet Chaz Gallet, medical advisor for the Superior Hiking Trail who also helps manage the hiker logbook program. We also talk to Donna Siska, a trail helper who assists hikers with unexpected situations on the trail, such as broken water filters, supply drops and....

08/12/2026

🍂This fall, find your people.

Join a community of curious explorers, lifelong learners, and nature lovers on Minnesota's North Shore.

Whether you're seeking quiet reflection through our Fall Equinox Yoga Retreat or hands-on discovery at our Retreat for Naturalists, you'll leave with new perspectives, meaningful connections, and memories shaped in the the North Woods.

Space is limited: https://bit.ly/4zijkh0

Find your fall at Wolf Ridge. 🧭 September 25 - 27, 2026

08/05/2026

Join us on Monday, August 24th at LTD Brewing in Hopkins for Give Back Monday! 20% of proceeds from 2 to 10pm go towards outdoor education at Wolf Ridge.