Parks and Trails programs
Accessibility options: Olmsted County Parks offer a variety of accessibility accommodations for park visitors and our public programming, ranging from accommodations for mobility like our Action Trackchair to sensory-friendly tools such as our free rental kits. We also offer an American Sign Language interpreter and a microphone/speaker system for improved acoustics during certain programs. We know everyone’s experience is unique. For more information on these resources, contact oxbow@olmstedcounty.gov or call 507-328-7340. Please let us know of needed accommodations at least two days in advance, two weeks for an American Sign Language interpreter.
Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo
The following events take place at Oxbow Park and are subject to change.
Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. - Master Gardeners and City of Rochester Stormwater Program - In the land of 10,000 lakes, how we use water, what we add to it, and whether it can stand where it lands, are vitally important. Join a Minnesota Master Gardener to listen, engage, and learn ways you can help conserve Minnesota's greatest natural resource. All guests that attend the program will be able to enter into a free drawing for a rainwater barrel! We ask that only 1 member per household enters.
Ever wonder about some of the programs that the city of Rochester offers? Well now's your chance! Come to Oxbow to learn about rainwater barrels, garden grants, adopt-a-drain, and more! Both events are free and open to all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.
Sunday, March 8, 1 p.m. - Karst Public Program - Are you feeling SEDIMENTal about karst? Come on out to Oxbow to learn about this underground landscape! Karst is full of fascinating features of caves, cracks, and fissures in the bedrock. A mile hike with a naturalist will reveal the beauty of karst and waterfalls that accompany this rock feature. Don't take karst for granite— it’s unique! This event is free and open to all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.
Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m. - Maple Syrup Program - Join park staff for a brief history of maple syruping then head to the zoo as we demonstrate how we tap our sugar maples. This program ends with a small sample of Oxbow Park's maple syrup! Dress for the weather and expect mud.
Saturday, March 14, 1:30 p.m. - Rochester Public Library: water science discovery - Join the Rochester Public Library at Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo to celebrate water with songs, stories, and activities! This event is free to the public and open to all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.
Sunday, March 15, 10:30 a.m. - Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota - Join the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota (WRC) at Oxbow Park to learn about the importance of clean water for wildlife, stories of patients that needed WRC, how they care for them, as well as what WRC is doing to keep water clean at their new LEED-certified waterfowl nursery facility! This event is free and open to all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.
Saturday, March 21, 2 p.m. - Meet the Blanding's turtle - Dive into the world of the Blanding’s turtle, the charismatic "smiling" resident of our wetlands. Known for their vibrant yellow throats, the incredible ability to live over 80 years without aging, and their epic overland journeys, these turtles are a biological marvel. This program will introduce you to Quarry Hill's ambassador Blanding's turtle and explore conservation efforts to protect this endangered species. Whether you are a turtle lover or a nature enthusiast, join us to discover more about these long-lived travelers and meet one in person! This event is free and open to all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.
Sunday, March 22, 1 p.m. - Maple Syrup Program - Join park staff for a brief history of maple syruping then hike to Oxbow’s sugar bush as we demonstrate how we tap our sugar maples. This program ends with a small sample of Oxbow Park's maple syrup! Dress for the weather and expect mud. Meet at the Nature Center.
Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m. - "Shaped by Water" by Andrew Pruett - “Shaped by Water: Animals, Water, and the Future We’re Building” is a two-hour public program based on a book by local author, Andrew Pruett, who will be leading this program. He’ll explore how water shapes not only our lives, but the lives of the animals in Minnesota. Through storytelling, local natural history, and practical reflection, you’ll look at how everyday human choices affect water quality and wildlife wellbeing, and why that should matter to us personally and morally. He’ll also include a short section on how emerging AI tools may influence conservation and water stewardship, either helping protect habitats by monitoring, modeling, early warnings or accelerating harm through faster extraction and development, depending on how we choose to use them. This program is free to the public and family friendly. Be prepared to walk through the zoo. Meet at the Nature Center.
Sunday, April 5 - Zoo Closed.
Saturday, April 11, 10:30 a.m. - The living ecosystem under our feet and free nitrate screenings - Join Olmsted County Soil & Water Conservation District to discuss soil health and how the farming community, rural, and urban residents can incorporate soil health principals on their property. Get ready to see demonstrations comparing soils in an altered state and what they do to farming and soils in a natural system. Also learn about how native prairie planting can be incorporated.
There will also be free nitrate screening for private well users brought to you by the TAP-IN Collaborative (https://bit.ly/TAPINMN). To participate, collect a cup of water from your well in a clean glass container and bring it to the Olmsted Soil and Water Conservation District table. Your sample will be analyzed while you wait, and results will be provided to you within 15 minutes! If you have questions about the nitrate screening, please call or text 507-328-6555. This event is free to the public and open to all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.
Sunday, April 12, 2:00 p.m. - DNR K-9 Demonstration / Invasive Species - Learn from Conservation Officer Schlag and Canine Officer Trapper the duties of protecting Minnesota’s natural resources. Watch a demonstration of the canine skills Trapper has been trained to do, including how he finds invasive zebra mussels! This event is free and open to all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.
Saturday, April 18, 2 p.m. - Feed the Otters and Photos with Ellie the Otter - North American River Otters are a curious animal with many adaptations for hunting on land and fishing in the water. Come out to learn about them, watch a staff member feed out live minnows, and take a picture with our special guest, Ellie the Otter, who is featured in our audio stories in the We Are Water MN exhibit. This event is free to the public and for all ages. Meet at the Otter exhibit.
Sunday, April 19, 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon. - Meet the Bald Eagle - Our final event for the We Are Water MN hosting. Please join the National Eagle Center at Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo on April 19th for 3 live bald eagle programs: 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon. Learn about bald eagles, the challenges they face, and how we can help! This event is free to the public and open to all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.
Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 3rd annual nature art and craft show - Over 20 vendors will be present selling paintings, photography, ceramics, woodworking, and much more.
All events (minus Maple Syrup) are for the “We Are Water MN” exhibit that will be at Oxbow until April 19, 2026. We are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We Are Water MN is funded by the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
Snow rental equipment $5
Snowshoe, cross-country ski, and kick sled rentals are available from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weather permitting.
2026 Oxbow Park homeschool classes
Oxbow Park is now offering Naturalist Programs reserved for homeschool families! Sign up will be required and Oxbow Park reserves the right to cancel the program if there are not enough participants signed up. The fee is $5 per student ages three and up, while parents and children two and under can join for free.
- Payment is required to sign up for the class. No refunds will be offered.
- Please call 507-328-7340 to sign up.
Homeschool classes:
- Wednesday, January 14, 11 a.m. - Animal Adaptations
- Thursday, February 12, 1 p.m. - Reptiles/Feed the Snakes
- Tuesday, March 10, 11 a.m. - Animal Introductions
- Wednesday, April 15, 9:30 a.m. - Animal Tracks and Signs
Chester Woods
Sunday, March 15, 1 p.m. Egg Carton Gardens
Let’s celebrate the daylight getting longer by getting an early start on some gardening! Kids will have a blast playing in the dirt and watching as their seeds eventually start taking off. Then when mother nature allows, they can be transplanted to your very own garden or pot! Space is limited, so call 507-328-7350 to reserve a spot, by March 10, 2026.