Wargo Nature Center

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Monarch Butterflies on some milkweed at Wargo Nature Center in Lino Lakes, MN

Address: 7701 Main Street, Lino Lakes, MN, 55038
Upcoming Events: Jump to Wargo Nature Center Events

Website Wargo Nature Center
Phone 763-324-3350
Hours Winter-spring 9am-4:30pm & summer-fall 9am-7pm
Upcoming Events: Scroll to the bottom to see Events
Vehicle Fee: Wargo FREE. Other park areas: $7/day or $30/year. Cashless gatehouses accept Visa, Master Card & Discover or pay cash at the Visitor Center.

Discover the beauty of nature at the Wargo Nature Center in Lino Lakes. With hiking trails, a nature playground, a kid-friendly visitors’ center, family educational programs, and a variety of wildlife, this center is the perfect spot for outdoor enthusiasts and indoor exploration.

The Wargo Nature Center is part of the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park. It was built to facilitate awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of natural and cultural environments and their resources. With a goal of fostering responsible stewardship and lifelong learning in people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds the center offers environmental and recreational programs for families throughout the year. Families will enjoy the displays, the touch and see room, and the outdoor areas, including the nature playground and gardens.

VEHICLE NOTE Wargo Nature Center tells us that there is no vehicle fee for visiting the nature center. However, if you would like to visit other portions of the park, you will need to pay the $7/day or $30/year vehicle fee. Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park is open daily from 5am-10pm.

Ideas for family fun at Wargo Nature Center

In 2024, the nature center touch and see room and animal enclosures were upgraded. Improvements to the outdoor nature play area were also completed including new themed nodes, additional activities and a shelter area.

Ideas for indoor play

  • Explore the indoor interactive displays and learn about the nature and cultural history of the Lino Lakes area.
  • Climb the 18-foot “maple tree” loft to learn about seasonal birds.
  • Play with the AR sandbox to learn about erosion, river processes and more.
  • Visit with animal ambassadors like turtles.
  • Hide inside a play beaver den inside the animal ambassador room.
  • Use microscopes, magnifiers, and scent boxes to explore.
  • Explore the sketchbook-styled nature elements cover the walls and see how many native animal species you can identify.
  • Examine the contents of three cabinets with drawers featuring skulls, turtle shells, and insects. .

Ideas for outdoor play

  • Play, take chances, learn and get messy in the Nature Play Area.
  • Go on a story walk along the nature trails. Note, pets are not allowed at Wargo, including on the trails, but there are other trails within the greater park system, where leashed dogs are allowed.
  • Look for wildlife, like barred owls, chipmunks and birds. If you come early or late, maybe you’ll see deer or raccoon.
  • Borrow a GPS unit to go geocaching
  • In the winter, rent snowshoes and kicksleds
  • ​Explore the shores of George Watch Lake.

Equipment rental for family fun at Wargo Nature Center

Wargo Nature Center offers equipment rental for use within the park. All rentals are dependent of proper weather, are first come, first served, and must be returned a half hour before the close of the nature center. Parents or other adults must be with children. Families can rent:
  • Canoes
  • Kayaks
  • Snowshoes
  • Kicksleds
  • GPS units for geocaching within the park.

Wargo Nature Center programs

Preschool Nature Play

Preschoolers and their parents may enjoy a nature play program, typically held on the first Thursday of the month. Parents and their preschool-aged child can explore nature through outdoor play, stories, and crafts. All programs involve outdoor exploration, so families should dress appropriate for the weather and play. The cost of these programs is around $6 per person. We track these events on our Family Fun Calendar.

Homeschool programs

Homeschool programs may be held monthly from October through May and offer both a morning and an afternoon session for three different grade levels, K-2, 3-5 and 6-12. Preregistration is required.

Birthday parties

Families can book Wargo Nature Center for birthday parties for children ages 5+. The fee includes access to the entire nature center, 2 hours of private classroom space, including a 45-minute naturalist-led live animal presentation, outdoor exploration and/or crafts. The birthday child can choose the topic from a list of available programs. Call 763-324-3350 for availability and more info.

Anoka County Parks summer camps

Anoka County Parks hosts summer camps at Wargo and other parks across the county. Camps run all summer and range from one day to five days. These camps are featured in our annual summer camp guide, where we update dates and prices each year.

More information

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Please Note: FamilyFunTwinCities.com is an independent website run by Twin Cities families for Twin Cities families. We attempt to include the information we find most essential as parents. We make every effort to keep up with changes. However, we are not employed by or connected to this venue, and information sometimes changes without our knowledge. We recommend calling or checking the venue’s website for up-to-date information.

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