Carleton College's Cowling Arboretum ["the Arb"] consists of approximately 880 acres (360 hectares) of land adjacent to the College, was created under the leadership of President Donald J. Cowling and Professor Harvey E. Stork in the 1920s. Professor Stork and Superintendent of Grounds D. Blake Stewart ("Stewsie") were responsible for much of the early development of the Arb, and their influences can still be seen and felt in many places. Stork and Stewsie were remarkable land managers, and it can be argued that they were among the nation's first restoration ecologists. In particular, their planting of upland forest trees and wildflowers in the Upper Arb (Stork Forest) decades ago is now coming to impressive maturity.

The Arb is divided by Highway 19 into the Upper Arb (east of the highway) and the Lower Arb (west of the highway); "lower" because it contains the low-lying floodplain of the Cannon River. The two portions of the Arb differ in character and in the pattern of visitor use. Since the Upper Arb is closer to both the campus and most Northfield residents, it receives more traffic and is being developed for heavier use. The Upper Arb has greater trail density, some trails designated for bike use, and generally smaller areas of natural communities. In contrast, the Lower Arb has populations of rare plants and animals and has primary conservation and education importance. Therefore the Lower Arb has fewer trails, no bike use, and large contiguous areas of natural habitat.

New Trail Map Now Available

Looking for information to plan your trip to the Arb? Download and print your own copy of our new black and white version of the arboretum map. Five loop trails are shown along with distances to help you decide how long of a hike you want to partake in. Enjoy fall in the Arb!