Carver Park Reserve

Victoria, MN

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

 
     
 

Links

 
 

Three Rivers Park District

Lowry Nature Center

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

 

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

Summer

Winter

Lowry Nature Center

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
         
         
 

Size

 
 

3,300 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

7400 Grimm Road
Victoria, MN 55386

Lowry Nature Center
N44 52.916, W93 40.943

 
         
 

Hours

 
 

5 AM–10 PM

 
         
 

Fees

 
 

No fee

Beginning December 1, 2019, visitors to Carver County Parks are no longer required to purchase a daily or yearly vehicle pass.

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

Get driving directions from Google Maps to this destination from any address, and send those directions to your phone.

   
          Carver County  
          Metro Area  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

Turf hiking trails – 21.6 miles
Paved hike/bike trails – 8.5 miles

One leg of the Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail begins in the park.

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

No hunting

In 2021 Carver Park Reserve was closed to all visitors for a scheduled deer hunt on November 13-14.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

   
  Ecological Section    

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Big Woods

   
  Land Type Association    

Maple Plain Moraine

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Southern Mesic Maple-Basswood Forest

Sugar Maple - Basswood - (Bitternut Hickory) Forest

Sugar Maple Forest (Big Woods)

Tamarack Swamp (Southern)

   
  * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources      
         
 

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

Kirk Nelson

 
 

Floating walkway on the Maple Trail at Lowry Nature Center

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 

Sliding hill at Lowry Nature Center

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 

Part of the Maple Trail at Lowry Nature Center

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 

Oak Trail at Lowry Nature Center

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 

Visitor's Center at Lowry Nature Center

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Horse Trail Entrance

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 

Lowry Nature Center and Hiking Trail Entrance

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 

Crosby Lake

 
    Carver Park Reserve   Carver Park Reserve  
           
 

Stone Lake

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 

Shorebird Sanctuary

 
    Carver Park Reserve      
           
 

Summer Trails

 
    Carver Park Reserve   Carver Park Reserve  
           
 

Boardwalk through Cattail Marsh

 
    Carver Park Reserve   Carver Park Reserve  
           
 

Winter Trails

 
    Carver Park Reserve   Carver Park Reserve  
           
 

Tamarack Swamp (Southern)

 
    Carver Park Reserve   Carver Park Reserve  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Carver Park reserve 2012 MN
Chris Kratzke
   
 
About

Published on Feb 14, 2014

I created this video with the YouTube Slideshow Creator (http://www.youtube.com/upload)

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Cross Country Skiing in Carver Park Reserve, Minnesota
Philippe Debaty
 
   
 
About

Published on Dec 29, 2013

Filmed with a GoPro Hero 3+. Cross Country skiing with my brother, sister in law and 3 nephews in Carver Park Reserve, near Minneapolis.

   

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Share your sightings or comments about of this destination.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
 
 

Kirk Nelson

 
 

Reptiles

 
  common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)   common snapping turtle  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

4/27/2006

  7/8/2011   3/2/2015        
 
 

Amphibians

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Amphibians and Reptiles List

 
  boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata)   boreal chorus frog  
 

Birds

 
 

One bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Special Concern

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Birds List

eBird Field Checklist (Complete)

eBird Field Checklist (Grimm Rd. Picnic/Rec. Area)

eBird Field Checklist (Lowry Nature Center)

 
 

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)

Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

 

Brown-headed Cowbird

Canada Goose

Gray Catbird <em>(Dumetella carolinensis)</em>

Great Egret

Mallard

Mourning Dove

Wild Turkey

 
 

Fishes

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fishes List

 
         
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fungi List

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Lichens List

 
         
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

Minnesota Bee Atlas

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Insects List

 
 

band-winged meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum)

common wood nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

four-spotted skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

great spangled fritillary (Argynnis cybele)

Halloween pennant (Celithemis eponina)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

ruby meadowhawk (Sympetrum rubicundulum)

twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

western honey bee (Apis mellifera)

widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)

 

four-spotted skimmer

Halloween pennant

monarch

 
 

Mammals

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Mammals List

 
 

American beaver (Castor canadensis)

American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  American red squirrel  
 

Plants

 
 

Two plant species with conservation status in Minnesota are found here:

Threatened

Sullivant’s milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii)

Special Concern

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Southern Mesic Maple-Basswood Forest MHs39

Sugar Maple - Basswood - (Bitternut Hickory) Forest MHs39a

Sugar Maple Forest (Big Woods) MHs39c

Tamarack Swamp (Southern) FPs63a

     
 

 

alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa)

American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana)

American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus)

American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

American elm (Ulmus americana)

American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana)

American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus)

American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana)

American white waterlily (Nymphaea odorata)

bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata)

bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus)

bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara)

black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)

bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

blue vervain (Verbena hastata)

bluntleaf sandwort (Moehringia lateriflora)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

broad-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia)

broadleaf enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea canadensis)

bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior)

butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canadian tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadense)

Canadian woodnettle (Laportea canadensis)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla)

cleavers (Galium aparine)

clustered bellflower (Campanula glomerata)

common bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza)

common blue violet (Viola sororia)

common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common duckweed (Lemna minor)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum)

common self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

cut-leaved toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)

Deptford pink (Dianthus armeria ssp. armeria)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum)

garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus)

gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

hairy wood mint (Blephilia hirsuta var. hirsuta)

hairy vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. villosa)

jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)

large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

marsh skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata)

Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense)

Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)

narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)

northern bedstraw (Galium boreale)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum)

northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis)

northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

pointed-leaved tick-trefoil (Hylodesmum glutinosum)

prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum)

purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota ssp. carota)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica)

round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata)

round-leaved dogwood (Cornus rugosa)

rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)

sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba)

silver maple (Acer saccharinum)

smooth oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra)

smooth sumac (Rhus glabra)

smooth yellow violet (Viola pubescens var. scabriuscula)

spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)

staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)

starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum)

sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum)

swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata)

tamarack (Larix laricina)

Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica)

timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense)

variegated yellow pond lily (Nuphar variegata)

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum)

white avens (Geum canadense)

white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba)

white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens)

white prairie clover (Dalea candida)

white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima)

white spruce (Picea glauca)

white sweet clover (Melilotus albus)

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wild leek (Allium tricoccum)

wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca ssp. americana)

woundwort (Stachys pilosa var. arenicola)

yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)

yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis)

yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

 

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple)

Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot)

Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)

Allium tricoccum (wild leek)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Anemone acutiloba (sharp-lobed hepatica)

Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia (wood anemone)

Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading dogbane)

Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit)

Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior (butterfly weed)

Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum (northern lady fern)

Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera (paper birch)

Blephilia hirsuta var. hirsuta (hairy wood mint)

Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflower)

Cardamine concatenata (cut-leaved toothwort)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Circaea canadensis (broadleaf enchanter’s nightshade)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)

Comandra umbellata (bastard toadflax)

Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)

Cornus rugosa (round-leaved dogwood)

Dalea candida (white prairie clover)

Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover)

Daucus carota ssp. carota (Queen Anne’s lace)

Desmodium canadense (Canadian tick-trefoil)

Dianthus armeria ssp. armeria (Deptford pink)

Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (woodland strawberry)

Frangula alnus (glossy buckthorn)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Galium boreale (northern bedstraw)

Geum canadense (white avens)

Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra (smooth oxeye)

Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum (foxtail barley)

Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)

Hylodesmum glutinosum (pointed-leaved tick-trefoil)

Hypericum perforatum (common St. Johnswort)

Juglans cinerea (butternut)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Laportea canadensis (Canadian woodnettle)

Larix laricina (tamarack)

Lemna minor (common duckweed)

Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort)

Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass)

Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover)

Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle)

Lonicera tatarica (Tatarian honeysuckle)

Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus (bird’s-foot trefoil)

Lycopus americanus (American bugleweed)

Maianthemum stellatum (starry false Solomon’s seal)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa)

Melilotus albus (white sweet clover)

Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover)

Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed)

Moehringia lateriflora (bluntleaf sandwort)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Nuphar variegata (variegated yellow pond lily)

Nymphaea odorata (American white waterlily)

Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)

Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely)

Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam)

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy)

Physalis heterophylla (clammy groundcherry)

Picea glauca (white spruce)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil)

Prunella vulgaris (common self-heal)

Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Quercus rubra (northern red oak)

Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)

Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)

Ribes missouriense (Missouri gooseberry)

Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Sagittaria latifolia (broad-leaved arrowhead)

Sambucus canadensis (American elderberry)

Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)

Scutellaria galericulata (marsh skullcap)

Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion)

Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (cup plant)

Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade)

Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed)

Stachys pilosa var. arenicola (woundwort)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone)

Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood)

Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover)

Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail)

Ulmus americana (American elm)

Utricularia macrorhiza (common bladderwort)

Uvularia grandiflora (large-flowered bellwort)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Verbena hastata (blue vervain)

Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s root)

Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch)

Vicia villosa ssp. villosa (hairy vetch)

Viola pubescens var. scabriuscula (smooth yellow violet)

Viola sororia (common blue violet)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

 

American elderberry

American white waterlily (ssp. tuberosa)

black cherry

black raspberry

black-eyed Susan

broad-leaved arrowhead

bur oak (var. macrocarpa)

butterfly weed

Canadian tick-trefoil

chokecherry

common blue violet

common mullein

Culver’s root

Deptford pink

hairy vetch

common self-heal (ssp. vulgaris)

large-flowered bellwort

leadplant

northern bedstraw

purple prairie clover

Queen Anne’s Lace

rough cinquefoil

sharp-lobed hepatica

swamp milkweed

Virginia waterleaf

white prairie clover

white snakeroot

wood anemone

yellow goat’s beard

 
 

Reptiles

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Amphibians and Reptiles List

 
  painted turtle (Chrysemys picta)   painted turtle  

 

 

Binoculars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter Swans can be viewed on Crosby Lake, at the Fred E. King Waterfowl Sanctuary on Lutsen Lake, and from a blind at the end of Carver Park Road.

 

Created:

Last Updated:

© MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.

About Us

Privacy Policy

Contact Us