Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center

The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center is an outdoor educational facility located within Stone State Park in Sioux City. The Center is situated in the heart of the Loess Hills, making it a great destination for outdoor recreation. It is conveniently located just off Interstate 29 on State Road 12 along the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail.

The 14,000 square foot building offers a variety of interactive exhibits that illustrate the natural and cultural resources of the Loess Hills. Visitors can learn about the native fauna by observing live fish, reptiles, and raptors that are housed at the Nature Center. In 2013, the outdoor Raptor House was constructed to accommodate a red-tailed hawk and a barred owl. A popular destination for kids is the Discovery Forest Nature Playscape, which is a short walk from the nature center. Kids can climb a tree fort, clamber over logs, create natural art, wade in the water, and simply enjoy playing in the outdoors.

Visitors can explore three miles of hiking trails that weave through wooded forests and over steep prairie ridges. These connect to more than 10 miles of trails within Stone State Park. The trails at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center are for pedestrian use only. Mountain biking and equestrian trails are located in Stone State Park.

The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center offers a variety of nature programs that are led by trained naturalists. These programs range from summer day camps for kids to bird-watching hikes for adults. The program schedule can be found online.