Each fall, thousands of sandhill cranes use the sandbars and islands in the Wisconsin River for staging prior to migration. The river just behind the Aldo Leopold Shack and Farm provides the premier vantage point for crane viewing available in the region. Join us for this breathtaking wildlife experience!

The most popular offering is a three-and-a-half-hour Expert Tour led by world-renowned bird expert Dr. Stan Temple, ornithologist, Senior Fellow at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, and Beers-Bascom Professor Emeritus in Conservation in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at University of Wisconsin–Madison. Learn about crane biology and the bird's connection to Leopold over wine and cheese. Then travel to the viewing blind to witness the phenomenon.

The condensed Basic Tour provides an overview of crane biology with a later start time to accommodate work and family schedules. After the brief introduction, an hour of crane viewing in the blind wraps up the experience.

Registration begins in August. Call or email with questions.