Baker University Wetlands — Attraction in Lawrence

I hate to say that I have lived in Lawrence all of my life; walked the trails of the baker wetlands countless times, and had no idea that there was actually a Discovery Center until just recently!

It is a beautiful facility, very well kept, clean, and full of information about wetlands, and all the critters that live in them! My children and I thoroughly enjoyed the taxidermy, live animals, as well as the "cabinet of curiosities"... It had different pull-out shelves with bones, feathers, horns, snake skins, and pelts from all kinds of animals to touch!

We are big fans of rocks and fossils, they have a nice display of them for your viewing pleasure. AND a selection of rocks for purchase! They have a small gift shop with books, some local handmade earrings, t-shirts/long sleeves, even oddities like owl pellets to dig into and see what you can find!

And that's just the inside!!!

The outside of the facility is equally as lovely with so many flowers for bugs and butterflies. Some really cool sculptures, and the trails are fantastic! A few mowed down grass trails, as well as wooden bridge like walkways leading around the area. With stops along the way that overlook the beauty of the wetlands. A large wooden overlook as well; the scenery is absolutely peaceful. There is a small enclosed observation area with lots of windows. Also, a little sheltered area with a picnic table, more information on the walls as well.

Of course this is just a small taste of the overall experience of the wetlands, the Discovery Center leads to all the trails throughout the Baker Wetlands.

The trails are well kept, and provide stunning scenery as you get to step into a breath of fresh air. The wildlife is magnificent, often catching glimpses of migrating of all kinds. There are multiple areas with lookouts and benches to really immerse yourself.

If you want a peaceful, informative adventure, check this place out. At least once,...

What a great place to spend a Sunday. We didn't even realize we got a five mile walk in, there was so much to check out. Flora and wildlife are so nicely preserved here. The trails are free from trash, but you will find a poo pile on occasion. There are also a lot of geocaches hidden along the trails, if you're into that sort of thing. (We found one towards the end, we didn't think about it right away.)

I do wish that there was an outhouse of some sort to relieve yourself, some of the trails are VERY long. I also wish that the little pavilion (with all of the informative pictures and maps) was better maintained. We were trying to study the map and kept getting dive-bombed by wasps. The mama bird on her nest was pretty shaken by us too, but I hadn't brought my phone and I needed to check the map. I know it's a reserve, and wildlife will nest where ever they like. But if it was checked regularly, you can stop the nesting before it starts. Or...move that map and info so it's more accessible?

Update: I would totally recommend going into the center and checking out the displays, AND the amazing murals the VanGo program painted. Absolutely...

Went to Bakers for a walk and was amazed at how bad it has gotten. All the trees have been cut down and are just lying in piles scattered around the area. Even though it's spring the area around the boardwalk is just fields of dead grass. The boardwalk itself is falling apart with cracked and broken pieces in certain areas. There was almost no birds and the few we saw were at the bird feeder and at the few remaining trees. I asked the lady at the center why the trees had been chopped down and she told me there hadn't been any trees in that area. The tree stumps and log piles prove that to be an incorrect statement and photos I took last year. If you stand in the area where all the trees were chopped down and look across K10 you'll see the second floor of the new apartments. My theory is they were paid to chop them down so student could rent an apartment with a view...