About Us

The Poudre Learning Center (PLC) brings science to life with hands-on outdoor experiences that spark curiosity and a love for nature. We support K-12 schools across Northern Colorado by offering engaging programs that connect students to the outdoors and inspire them to take action as future leaders. Our programs align with Colorado Academic Standards, ensuring memorable learning opportunities that extend classroom curriculum.

Location

Our facility is located at 8313 West F Street in Greeley, Colorado. The 65-acre site has indoor and outdoor classrooms, a sensory garden, working ponds, walking trails, and borders the Cache la Poudre River.

Hours of Operation

We follow Greeley-Evans School District 6's Calendar. Our School hours are 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

• For the safety of our students, PLC property is not open to the public during school hours.

• Outside of school ours, our trails are open and our pond is available for catch-and-release fishing.

• The Poudre Trail along our property is always open to the public.

Visitor Guidelines

• All District 6 rules and regulations apply to PLC property. We also ask that all visitors abide by the following:

  • Pets must be maintained on a six-foot leash.

  • All pet waste must be collected.

  • Fishing is catch and release only.

  • Trash must be collected.

  • Stay on maintained trails only.

  • No alcohol, tobacco, vaping, or drugs. 

  • No unauthorized motor vehicles on trails.

  • No drones.

  • No swimming or boating.

  • No camping or overnight parking.

  • No hunting.

  • No firearms or weapons of any kind.

Contact

For general inquiries, contact us through lsears@greeleyschools.org or at (970) 348-4500.

For inquiries regarding our educational programs, contact us through ashaneyfelt@greeleyschools.org or at (970) 348-4512.

Our History

A trip up the valley from Greeley reveals numerous channels that the Poudre River has carved into the surrounding high plains topography. For millennia, the Poudre meandered across this nearly flat prairie, shaping the land and supporting the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux Nation), Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), Ndé Kónitsąąíí Gokíyaa (Lipan Apache), and Tséstho’e (Cheyenne) peoples, who have long stewarded this region. The river's waters nourished their communities, and its surrounding landscapes held deep cultural, spiritual, and ecological significance. 

With the arrival of Union Colony homesteaders, the Poudre River landscape was altered. Farmers recognized that straightening the river could expand the amount of farmable land, which led to significant modifications to its natural flow. One such channelized section was the Poudre Learning Center site, located west of 83rd Avenue. According to local farmers, teams of horses and plows trenched this area, enabling many years of agricultural use by homesteading families. 

In 1986, Hall-Irwin Corporation purchased the site and began gravel mining operations, extracting material for roads, concrete foundations, trails, and roadbeds across the region. The resulting gravel pit was later repurposed as a water storage reservoir for the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District. Recognizing the importance of environmental education, Hall-Irwin Corporation donated 65 acres of Poudre River riparian land to the local community. 

In the 1990s, a group of educators and naturalists, led by former director Ray Tschillard, began to envision the Poudre Learning Center as a dedicated space for hands-on environmental education. Their goal was to create a place where students could experience the natural world firsthand, while also providing a space for community members to enjoy nature without leaving Weld County. Rotary clubs, businesses, school districts, and community members came together to support the founding of the PLC. Through these collective efforts, the former Hazelton School was reassembled on the PLC site in the early 2000s. Today, the Poudre Learning Center continues to offer outdoor education experiences, inspiring curiosity, stewardship, and a deeper connection to the natural world through its dedicated team.