Aldo Leopold Foundation Inc — Attraction in Town of Fairfield

Dreamed of visiting for a lifetime. The center is nice, beautiful and staffed with good people. Small museum and interestingly, “off-site” which makes good sense. The Shack is left in as-was condition as much as possible and just a short jaunt down the road. You are free to wander around the property and dream. The hum of tires on the nearby interstate adds an interesting touch. The area by the river reminded me strongly of the bosque in New Mexico and brought me full circle. As we drove away and I was still walking the shack in my mind, I almost hit a couple cranes standing in the road. I almost laughed at the absurdity then I...

I visited this place this past summer, having recently read a few of Aldo Leopold’s works including A Sand County Almanac. Despite there being an interstate highway not much more than a mile away, the trees and plants were really absorbing the sound, and it was extremely quiet and peaceful here. Aldo Leopold’s cabin wasn’t open when I visited, but it was still cool to view it from the outside. There were a few trails behind the cabin that lead to the Wisconsin River. The rivers banks consisted almost completely of sand, which is very bizarre for Wisconsin, but that’s why Aldo Leopold named this area...

The displays at the Foundation visitor center were especially interesting for their discussion of how Aldo Leopold's views of conservation changed over time. The roles that his family — especially his wife — played in the rehabilitation of this exhausted piece of land and later in the children's own research added a lot to the story. Still, the best part was the visit to the Shack and walking on the land itself — right on the shores of the Wisconsin River. The Foundation is closed on weekends, and road signs are few, so use GPS to get there. Parking at the Shack is $7, but everything...