Located less than 1 hour from Minneapolis / Saint Paul, the Association Retreat Center is ideal for schools looking for a quality outdoor experience close to home.  With natural forest and field areas and plenty of space to explore, students will encounter a unique environment with a rich history. The ARC offers high-end retreat accommodations that include dormitory-style lodges, lounges, and hotel-style rooms.  The Dining Hall serves student-friendly meals, with the ability to serve outside under the covered pavilion!

$95.00 per student for a 3 day / 2 night program

Located less than 60 miles from I-694 / I-35W Junction   Animal Habitats  •  St. Croix River Canoeing  •  Forest Ecology Teambuilding  •  Outdoor Survival  •  Voyageur Rendezvous

Northern Lakes Impact Center

The Northern Lakes Impact Center is dedicated to providing quality Environmental Education, Teambuilding and Training programs.  Our main office is located at our primary partner-camp facility in northern Wisconsin.  The Northern Lakes Impact Center does not own or operate its own camps; instead, we partner with camps that have facilities which enable us to provide programs that meet the needs of our students.

Our partner facility at the Association Retreat Center in Osceola, WI is just a short drive by Interstate or major highway from each of the following cities:                                                                                             

The Association Retreat Center is home to a diverse combination of wildlife and ecosystems.  While attending an Environmental Education program, students will have the chance to study raptors in flight, track deer along the lake’s edge and observe a wide range of animals, including bats, owls, fox, rabbits, turkeys, and eagles.  Ecosystems available for study include converted farmland, deciduous forests, natural fields, a small lake, wetland area, and (if selected) the St. Croix River Valley. 

Enrich Your Present Curriculum

We offer both day (Grades K-2) and residential (Grades 1-12) programs. Residential programs can range from 2 days / 1 night up to 5 days / 4 nights. In addition, we can even bring some of our programs right to your classroom! (Please call for pricing and availability.)

In addition to environmental studies, schools can choose to include social outcomes in their curriculum.  With classes like Initiatives and Low Ropes, schools can design programs that will teach students conflict-resolution skills, enhance self-esteem and develop leadership potential.

Here is just a sample of the over 80 different classes we have available:

Please download our 2009-10 Curriculum Guide to see all of our class options.

The staff of the Northern Lakes Impact Center are willing to work with your school to tailor a program to meet your specific goals and objectives.  For more information about the Northern Lakes Impact Center or its Outdoor Education program, please contact us at (715) 203 - 0505.  We look forward to creating a program to meet your needs.

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Our Facilities

The Association Retreat Center has the perfect facilities for all schools.  Stay in one of the modern dormitory-style lodges with bathrooms and lounge areas.  Depending on the size of your group, we can put you all in one lodge!  In addition, we offer ample indoor meeting space, including a gymnasium, to make our quality programs available Fall, Winter and Spring.  Combine that with a full-service Dining Hall that can seat up to 275 and a wide-range of recreational activities and your school is in for the experience of a lifetime!

To see the facilities available at the Association Retreat Center, please click here.

Our Staff

The  staff is dedicated to making your visit a successful one. Our low staff-to-student ratio contributes to the "family feel" of our program and our Instructors are carefully selected to provide you with the best quality of program.  

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Program Accessibility

Within available resources and to the extent reasonable, the Northern Lakes Impact Center is able to provide quality program experiences for persons with disabilities and other special needs.  With respect to any program for which a student requires special consideration, we ask all schools to fill out the "Special Accommodations Form" found in the Teacher Planning Guide and submit it to Northern Lakes to enable us to determine our ability to appropriately accommodate each individual.  Upon request, a confidential consultation with the Camp Director can be arranged.

Individualized Programming

The Northern Lakes Impact Center staff is willing to work with your school to tailor a program to meet your specific goals and objectives. We can even develop specialized programs to cover topics not currently offered in our curriculum guide.  For more information, please contact us at (715) 203 - 0505.  We look forward to creating a program to meet your needs.

Northern Lakes On The Road

The Northern Lakes Impact Center is offering a new way to bring the fun and excitement of camp to your classroom.  Many of our classes can be presented to your students without the need for chaperones or buses!  Programs can be tailored for one - two hour presentations or a full day of activities.  In addition, we can accommodate multiple (same grade) classrooms as well as students from elementary to middle school.  Please click on the link below for on-site class offerings.

To download the Northern Lakes Impact Center / ARC Outdoor Education brochure, please click here.

To download the 2009-10 Curriculum Guide, please click here.

To download the Northern Lakes / ARC Outdoor Education Price Guide, please click here.

To download the Northern Lakes On The Road Brochure, please click here.

To learn more about Northern Lakes Teambuilding Programs at the ARC, please click here.

(The Adobe Acrobat Reader or plug-in is required for viewing the brochure.)

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