wesselman woods nature preserve

Excellent park with great trails, well maintained and enjoyable hiking. There are always people at this park but it never feels too crowded. You can find plenty of space to yourself. The kids will also love the small nature center with museum-like exhibits. Also, if you check out their website they have events regularly.

I went to Wesselman Woods for the first time this month for a music festival called "Music on the Hill", which they've done for the three years so far. It was a great time. We brought a picnic basket and sat on a blanket on the hill and listened to some great bands all day. The area is very pretty, very green, and still close to the rest of Evansville. We also walked on the trails in between bands, and they were very nicely set up with wooden walkways. Pretty plants everywhere, and everything is mapped out very well. All in all, a nice place to visit in Evansville.

I grew up near Stockwell Woods(that was it's name when I was young in the 50s and 60s).I played there almost continuously as a child.I rode my bike on the trails there and put pennies on the railroad track when trans were coming.WE would hide under a bridge as the trai ran overhead.The pennies were like copper foil.I remember lots of running oner fallen trees and playing in piles of leaves.Some 45 years later,it has been developed as a park and has interesting hiking trails,playgrounds,tennis courts,rest rooms.etc.It's not been changed much,but does have more descriptive signage on the trails and some wooden walkways where it tends to be swampy.I used to walk all over Central Park in NYC in 1970-71 when I lived there.I have always loved nature walks,so Wesselman is the best for that.Take your repellant if it's summer.There are huge,old growth trees.Wildlife abounds too.I think this is the largest park(at over 100 acres)of any city near to it's size in the USA.Well worth the time to walk,take relaxing breaks,and enjoy nature right in the city.They also have a variety of activities for all ages.Check it out!

For the brief time we were there, we enjoyed driving thru to the nature preserve center. Neat exhibit of the woods thru glass. Nice place to get out, away from traffic and busyness. Small playground for children and lots of dog walkers

Lovely little slice of midwestern woods right in the city. The bird watching enclosure is great. Easy paths that feel woodsy, but aren't really very long.

This place is unique. It is old growth in an urban location. If you are in Evansville and like to walk in the woods, this is very convenient and very free. I have never seen an urban forest like this anywhere else.

We went to the nature preserve with low expectations, but it turned out great. We had one of the volunteers (Debbie) take us around and show us some of the native plants and insects. She mentioned that Evansville was the only city of its size to have a old growth forest like Wesselman Woods within the city limits. Definitely worth checking out and free!

We visited the nature preserve on a spring break "field trip." Several learning opportunities in the nature center, live animals, and bird watching. No admission is a perk. Several trails throughout the preserve with interpretive markers. I was disappointed, however, at the amount of litter throughout the park. It is a shame that people don't take ore pride in this park. It is a great opportunity to escape from the city without leaving, even though you can hear traffic noise while in the woods.This is a great, free way to pass a half hour to half a day when in Evansville.

Enter the Nature Center and enjoy watching nature up close. Take a walk through the woods on great trails and you will not feel like you are in the middle of a city. Wesselman Woods is the oldest preserve in the United States.

What a wonderful local gem in the city. It's amazing to have such an educational place for all to visit. I feel there should be more advertising in the area, perhaps on TV, so people could be reminded of its presence. I hope it will be around for future generations!

This is the place to "find yourself", as one of the plaques says in the preserve. Best times to come is in spring and fall, but beware of the rainy season, as trails can become very muddy. In the fall the trees are bright in color. The bird watching area of the building is particularly excellent, as you can hear and see nature in action. It's free (unless you care to donate to the preserve), and it's such a wonderful experience for the whole family.

What an awesome place to take a walk and enjoy nature. Or, you can have a picnic/BBQ in one of the shelters. A tennis court is available as well as a par 3 golf course. And you can recycle paper and cardboard there as well.

lots of park, picnic table, ect. And par 3 gold! And the largest woodland inside a city, anywhere. An educational center about animals. Historic as well. The boardwalk paths in the forest take you past the old Wabash Erie canal, well actually over it.

The date is misleading because we go all the time, we enjoy it so much. The surrounding Park is family friendly and just a good quiet place for walks. This time we happened to be there for a Nature walk and food sampling. So well done! Great Food and a great time!

A nice walk through an undisturbed area in the city. Kids, particularly city/town kids, will like being able to "walk through the woods" and discover. Programs are offered from time to time. Check the schedule.