A perfect, sunny brisk morning in snow covered Appleton brought me to Bubolz Nature Preserve to try out my ski legs. See, usually I like to take advantage of gravity while skiing and zip through the slopes vertically. But hey, we're talking Wisco here and anyone who has skied out west is spoiled in regards to the downhill type. Enough complaining, I glided at a brisk pace cross country style (classic) through the beautiful Bubolz nature preserve, got a workout, and had a blast doing it! The Nature Preserve rentals are run strictly by volunteers, which all were very friendly and eager to help. My friends and I rented skis, boots, and poles for $15 per person. The equipment looked and felt pretty new. The boots were fleece lined and warm. A volunteer handed us a map on the way out and off we were on our adventure! Our group glided around the Wilderness Trail, which took a little over 2 hours including a couple picture ops. There were already ski tracks present, making classic skiing a lot easier. I could count the number of other skiers we passed on one hand; the bulk of the time it was peace and quiet with no one in ear shot. The scenery on the trail is gorgeous, bringing you through wooded areas, around a pond, and across a large field. The preserve snips the large branches that overhang the trails preventing a lot of skiers from doing the limbo. I would HIGHLY recommend checking out Bubolz on a beautiful day. If you can walk, you can cross country ski and if not snow shoeing is also an option. FYI $1 is tacked on to credit card users. read more

Horrible dont come to this place if u have small ones or a stroller, mud all over my legs, scratches and mosquito bites had me carry the stroller, a good majority of the way read more

Excellent, well groomed trails. I wish they allowed dogs but I guess too many people abuse that with not cleaning up and letting them off leash. Great place to hike or go for a trail run. Watch out in the spring or after rains as it can get very muddy in spots if you venture out more than 1/2 mile. read more

2/5 stars , trails are very confusing on which ones you should be on, not one single person acknowledge I was in the lodge or offered a trail map. Only reason I gave it a 2 and not lower was the beautiful deer and the tree full of robins. Also a thumbs down for not allowing service animals or support dogs read more

Bubolz Nature Preserve - Deer - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Nice new building. Doesn't appear they have invested anything in the trails. Trails had logs sticking out everywhere, poorly maintained. trail markers were hard to follow and find way back to nature center. read more

Recently moved from Washington to Wisconsin and was missing the wonderful hiking that Washington offers. After searching for hiking trails, I uncovered this place was nearby! What a beautiful facility and really peaceful trails. I was the only person when I visited today around 10AM - likely due to weather and midweek. It was such a peaceful walk and helped me to reconnect with nature. I'll be back this spring to check out the dry trails as well as some events ! read more

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A neat hidden gem. Very nice building spaces and forward thinking preserve. Can't wait for the ice to melt and enjoy the trails! read more

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Wedding at Bubolz - The Pines (outdoor) Terrible Coordination/Communication, Overcharged, Bad Contract We are significantly underwhelmed with our experience of getting married at Bubolz Nature Preserve. First off, the venue has gone through three different employees as event managers. This caused a lot of issues with coordination between us and the venue, as you could imagine. Some of our "must have" options, that we had agreed upon with the past employees became a fight for them to happen after new employees took over. I personally had to set-up "the bar", which was really just a folding card table without even a table cloth, and the tables that we had requested. On top of it all, the venue managers are charging us an extra $1,000 for a backup space to the outdoor ceremony, even after discussing that we did not need or want a back-up space with a previous employee. Even though the contact says that we paid an amount "in full", they are still charging us this after the fact, with no mention of it prior. It is really too bad that such a beautiful place for weddings is mismanaged to such a degree. I only recommend if you are up for a fight. read more

I love this place. Granted I haven't explored it nearly as much as some people, but every time I'm here I get a good dose of nature and peace and quiet. Perfect! There is a small nature center with info on Wisconsin animals and plants. The day we visited we saw their birdfeeders busy with at least 6 different species of birds from chickadees and a purple finch to a very persistent woodpecker and a couple others I couldn't identify. Lots of trails and different habitats make up the center. It's a great place for a little peace and quiet. read more

My husband and I walk Bubolz trails quite often. We take the big loop in about 50 minutes. A perfect way to relax after a day of work. The trails are not always in perfect condition, but it is evident that they try to keep things in top condition! read more

They rent ski's and shoeshoes in the winter, and have a wonderful maple sap program in the Spring. read more

Bubolz Nature Preserve - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Beautiful and quiet. Has an extensive network of well maintained trails. Lots of birds around. Little gazebos scattered here and there provide shelter when the sky opens up as it so often does in Wisconsin. read more

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I grew up in Appleton and in the Appleton Girl Scouts and Bubolz was a place I had been too many times in my life. And now my nieces attend an environmental charter school and also spend a lot of educational time at the nature preserve. When I was younger my sisters and I were all graduating from different schools and we had a combined family graduation party there. We rented one of the cabins and it had a fire pit outside. So we used the cabin as the food hub and plenty of lawn chairs to sit outside. The most recent trip was to get a family picture taken for my mom for Christmas. If you enjoy bird watching it is a great place and if you want some quiet serenity to walk and think the trails are a delightful option. Plus you are surrounded by nature! read more

This place is most reminiscent of other quality wetland habitats that I have been to in the state of WI. I hit the trails in winter, with mostly ice on the trails. Slowly, I could see the biodiversity and the welcome to nature that the area has to offer. Wide paths, really a luxury. At the nature center, which is covered with plants, stocked full of most imaginable stuffed animals from the area, I was greeted by knowledgeable staff. As a newcomer to the area, it was good to see the signs indicating the entrance, along Lynndale, along the way. Many events. This is where I can find Marsh Marigolds, my sign of spring. read more

This place makes me so happy. Especially in the winter; it's just this quiet stretch of wood and frosty marshland where a person can wander around and think long thoughts and fully enjoy the stillness of nature. It's free to the public (though donations are encouraged) and lucky for me, it's only a few miles from where I live. Yay! read more