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A smiling person wearing a wide-brimmed hat and glasses stands in a grassy field under a clear blue sky. They are holding out their hand with a butterfly perched on their finger. They have binoculars hanging around their neck.
A person smiling while weaving a chair seat in a classroom. They hold a wooden frame with woven material. Papers with instructions and a ruler are on the table. Other people are also working in the background. A large nature mural is on the wall.
A person wearing a blue jacket and a camouflage hat kneels on the forest floor, taking close-up photos with a Canon camera. The ground is covered with fallen autumn leaves, and the trees in the background display colorful foliage.
Beginner Nature Journaling – Saturday, Sept 27

10:00-11:30 am
Learn tips and tricks on nature journaling in a beautiful natural setting.

Nature Journaling Registration
Fall Social – Thursday, October 9

5:30-8:00 pm
Join us for a fall social to celebrate the good work and generosity of the Outdoor U and Abbey Arboretum community.

Free for all attendees! No registration required.

More Information
Forest in the Fall – Saturday, Oct 18

9:00 – 11:00 am
Join us for a hike on the Abbey Arboretum Boardwalk Loop and learn about how animals and plants alike prepare for the coming winter! Cub Scouts – this is an excellent way to work towards your Outdoor Adventure (after completing necessary prerequisites)!

Fall program Registration
Oak Stewardship: Ecology, management, and resources – Oct 18

9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Join UMN Extension and St. John’s Outdoor University to learn more about how we can be caretakers of Minnesota’s oak forests. Participants will learn strategies to steward oak forests from seedlings to mature trees and connect with other woodland stewards and natural resource professionals.

Details and Registration
Wreath Making Workshops – Mon-Wed, Dec 1-3

Create your own handmade wreath using natural materials collected in the Abbey Arboretum. No experience necessary.

Wreath Making Registration
BANFF Film Festival – Friday, Dec 5

7:00 pm
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is a collection of the most gnarly and adventurous films from the outdoor adventure industry.

Registration Opens Soon
More Information
Snowshoe Making Workshop – Saturday, Dec 6

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
You will come away from this workshop with your own pair of laced Ojibwe-style snowshoes. We will demonstrate bending snowshoe frames and teach lacing techniques. Varnishing and bindings will be on your own.

Snowshoes Registration
Owl Hoot – Saturday, January 24

6:00 – 8:00 pm
Start indoors by learning about amazing owl adaptations and about the owls of the Abbey Arboretum! Then head outdoors to look and listen for owls.

Registration Opens soon
MN Master Naturalist Volunteer Course: Big Woods, Big Rivers – Feb 2-6

8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Join our instructors for a week-long 40-hour class exploring the Big Woods, Big Rivers biome in the winter. To register, view the course list at the link below and choose the Saint John’s location. Contact Julie Larson with registration questions.

$295. Scholarships are available from the MN Master Naturalist Program.

Course registration
Lodging Options
Luminary Hikes – Feb 12-14

6:30 – 8:30 pm
Join Outdoor U in a community celebration of winter with an illuminated walk across Lake Sagatagan to the Stella Maris Chapel. There is no registration and no fees, but donations in support of Outdoor U programming on campus and in the community are welcome and encouraged.

More Information
Minnesota Family Woodland Stewards Conference – Mar 13-14

Friday: 1:00 – 8:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Interested in learning how to care for your woodlands? Join us for this conference featuring national keynotes, concurrent sessions, field sessions, and an exhibitor hall. This conference is in partnership with UMN Extension, MN Forestry Association, and Saint John’s Outdoor University.

REgister Here
Maple Syrup Festival – Saturday, March 28

12:00 – 4:00 pm
Sap collecting, syrup cooking, demonstrations, and hot maple syrup sundaes await the whole family!

Festival Registration
More Information
Fruit at the Finish Triathlon – Saturday, Apr 25

9:00 am – 12:00 pm
0.75K Swim – 18K Bike – 5K Run

Registration Opens Feb
More information
Bob Russell Spring Birding Day – Saturday, May 9

5:30 am – 12:00 pm
Register to join us starting at either 5:30 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. for birding in Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum. Binoculars are available if needed. Dress for the weather – we go rain or shine! 

Cost includes guided birding walks, morning snacks (i.e. fruit, granola bars, etc.) and buffet lunch.

$20 – Outdoor U Members & Audubon Members

$30 – Non-Members

Registration opens soon
More information
Explore On Your Own
Volunteer Opportunities
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Four people stand on a wooden observation deck, reading informational signs. They are under a roofed structure surrounded by trees and nature. The sunlight casts a warm glow on the scene.
A church with glowing windows is nestled among trees on a snowy hill at night. The sky is clear with faint stars. A path lined with illuminated lanterns leads up to the church, casting a warm glow on the surrounding snow.
A group of people stand on a forest path surrounded by tall, lush green trees. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating a serene atmosphere. Some fallen branches and greenery are visible in the foreground.