Kasota Prairie

Overview
Photos
Slideshows
Videos
Observations



			Le Sueur County
			Southwest Minnesota

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Size

90 acres

Maps


Printable Map with GPS coordinates

Parking

There is a large gravel surface parking lot at the end of 468th St.

N44 16.334, W93 59.651

Hiking Trails

2 miles

A mowed trail begins at the parking lot. It leads west then north around a shallow lake, ending abruptly at an intermittent stream.

Hunting

Ecological Classification

Province

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

Section

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

Subsection(s)

Big Woods

Land Type Association(s)

Le Sueur Alluvial Plain

Native Plant Communities¹

Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern)

Ownership

Links

Comments

Overview
Kasota Prairie, not to be confused with nearby Kasota Prairie Scientific and Natural Area, is a 90-acre private preserve in Le Sueur County. It is owned and managed by Covia Corporation, formerly Unimin Corporation, in cooperation with Save the Kasota Prairie, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. It is open to the public.

Kasota Prairie contains virgin prairie, previously grazed and restored prairie, forested river bluffs, and shoreline of the Minnesota River. It includes four small pockets of one native plant community, Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern).

Birders can see Eastern Meadowlark and Dickcissel on the prairie, Baltimore Oriole and Great Crested Flycatcher on the bluffs, Belted Kingfisher and Great Blue Heron on the river, and Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vulture soaring overhead. Hikers in late May will find hoary puccoon, prairie blue-eyed grass, and prairie violets in bloom.

Boundary
There are no boundary markers. The western boundary is the Minnesota River or the base of the river bluff. Part of the eastern boundary is a pond. The remainder of the site is bounded by a barbed wire fence.

Visits

7/16/2004

10/9/2014

5/29/2016

5/19/2020


Visitor Photos

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Entrance






Parking




Judy Cooper Memorial


Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern)


Other Prairie






Mowed Trail


Shallow Lake
2014

2020



Minnesota River

Camera


Slideshows

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

	DJI phantom 3 flight at Kasota prairie Brandon Bembenek

	About May 29, 2019 Flying around the kasota prairie with a DJI phantom 3 advanced and my lovely Labrador Luna.

	Kasota prairie day andrew rodgers

	About Oct 13, 2019

	Kasota Prairie rcmodelr

	About Sep 15, 2018 Walk up from the Minnesota River backwater to the Kasota Prairie Nature Area between Mankato and St Peter, MN along the Minnesota River.

	Kasota Prairie at Sunset Unique Aerial Video

	About Published on Jul 26, 2015 The Kasota Prairie at sunset. What a beautiful place.

	Kasota Prairie Time Lapse March 4th, 2012 FranchiseGraphics

	About Published on Mar 5, 2012 This is a Time Lapse Photography piece I did at the Kasota Prairie on March 4th, 2012.

	lightning timelapse Todd Palmquist

	About Published on Jun 18, 2012 Short lightning time lapse I took at the Kasota Prairie. Music by Tool. www.toddpalmquistphotography.com

Camcorder


Visitor Observations

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Observations

Amphibians	American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata) northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)

Birds	American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Dickcissel (Spiza americana) Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

Fungi and Lichens	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Lichen List

	Cedar-apple Rust (Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae) Oat Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae) Yellow Morel (Morchella esculenta)

Insects and Arachnids	American lady (Vanessa virginiensis) chokecherry finger gall mite (Eriophyes emarginatae) common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) common green darner (Anax junius) common whitetail (Plathemis lydia) deer fly (Chrysops spp.) dot-tailed whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta) eastern forktail (Ischnura verticalis) eastern tailed-blue (Cupido comyntas) eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) four-spotted skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) linden wart gall midge (Contarinia verrucicola) monarch (Danaus plexippus) nine-spotted lady beetle (Coccinella novemnotata) northern crescent (Phyciodes cocyta) oak rough bulletgall wasp (Disholcaspis quercusmamma) orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme) pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos) red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) reversed haploa (Haploa reversa) spiny baskettail (Epitheca spinigera) twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) western honey bee (Apis mellifera) white oak jumping gall wasp (Neuroterus saltatorius)

Mammals	American beaver (Castor canadensis) plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Plants	Plants frequently found in: Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Southern) UPs13b

	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Plant List

	Common Name Scientific Name absinth wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa) American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana) American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) American black currant (Ribes americanum) American elm (Ulmus americana) American pasqueflower (Anemone patens var. multifida) American plum (Prunus americana) American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus) American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana) American white waterlily (Nymphaea odorata) annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus) Aunt Lucy (Ellisia nyctelea) bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata) Bell’s honeysuckle (Lonicera × bella) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina) black medick (Medicago lupulina) black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) black willow (Salix nigra) black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima) black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii) bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii) blue flag iris (Iris sp.) boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo) bracted spiderwort (Tradescantia bracteata) broad-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis) Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense) Canadian woodnettle (Laportea canadensis) candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica) catnip (Nepeta cataria) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) cleavers (Galium aparine) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common burdock (Arctium minus) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) curly dock (Rumex crispus) cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata) Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) eastern woodland sedge (Carex blanda) field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) field thistle (Cirsium discolor) fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum) garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) giant chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum) giant foxtail (Setaria faberi) giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) great St. Johnswort (Hypericum ascyron ssp. pyramidatum) green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora) ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) ground plum (Astragalus crassicarpus var. crassicarpus) hairy rockcress (Arabis pycnocarpa var. pycnocarpa) hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana) hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens) hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum officinale) Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) leadplant (Amorpha canescens) little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium) long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii) marijuana (Cannabis sativa) Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense) Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) Parlin’s pussytoes (Antennaria parlinii ssp. fallax) Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus) pineapple-weed (Matricaria discoidea) plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera) prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii) prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) prairie buttercup (Ranunculus rhomboideus) prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) prairie groundsel (Packera plattensis) prairie lettuce (Lactuca ludoviciana) prairie onion (Allium stellatum) prairie rose (Rosa arkansana) prairie smoke (Geum triflorum var. triflorum) prairie turnip (Pediomelum esculentum) prairie violet (Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) red clover (Trifolium pratense) red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea) reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) rock elm (Ulmus thomasii) rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica) rough-fruited cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata) Scribner’s panic grass (Dichanthelium oligosanthes ssp. scribnerianum) Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) silky dogwood (Cornus amomum ssp. obliqua) silver maple (Acer saccharinum) silverleaf scurfpea (Pediomelum argophyllum) silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea) slender willow (Salix petiolaris) slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) smooth brome (Bromus inermis) smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum) smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum) spring cress (Cardamine bulbosa) staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida) stinging nettle (Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis) switch grass (Panicum virgatum var. virgatum) tall meadow rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum) tall tumble mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum) Tartarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) tussock sedge (Carex stricta) variegated yellow pond lily (Nuphar variegata) violet wood sorrel (Oxalis violacea) virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana) water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia) western marbleseed (Lithospermum occidentale) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba) white clover (Trifolium repens) white mulberry (Morus alba) white rattlesnake root (Nabalus albus) white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana) white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima) wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) wild grape (Vitis riparia) wild oats (Uvularia sessilifolia) wolfberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) woodland whitlowgrass (Draba nemorosa) 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) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot) Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) Allium stellatum (prairie onion) Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) Amorpha canescens (leadplant) Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) Anemone canadensis (Canada anemone) Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone) Anemone patens var. multifida (American pasqueflower) Antennaria parlinii ssp. fallax (Parlin’s pussytoes) Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp) Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine) Arabis pycnocarpa var. pycnocarpa (hairy rockcress) Arctium minus (common burdock) Artemisia absinthium (absinth wormwood) Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Asclepias viridiflora (green milkweed) Astragalus crassicarpus var. crassicarpus (ground plum) Berteroa incana (hoary alyssum) Bromus inermis (smooth brome) Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed) Cannabis sativa (marijuana) Cardamine bulbosa (spring cress) Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge) Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge) Carex sprengelii (long-beaked sedge) Carex stricta (tussock sedge) Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet) Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry) Cirsium discolor (field thistle) Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle) Clematis virginiana (virgin’s bower) Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata (bastard toadflax) Coreopsis palmata (prairie coreopsis) Cornus amomum ssp. obliqua (silky dogwood) Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood) Cynoglossum officinale (hound’s tongue) Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman’s breeches) Dichanthelium oligosanthes ssp. scribnerianum (Scribner’s panic grass) Draba nemorosa (woodland whitlowgrass) Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy) Equisetum arvense (field horsetail) Equisetum laevigatum (smooth scouring rush) Erigeron annuus (annual fleabane) Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane) Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane) Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry) Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) Galium aparine (cleavers) Galium boreale (northern bedstraw) Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) Geum triflorum var. triflorum (prairie smoke) Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy) Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed) Heuchera richardsonii (prairie alumroot) Hypericum ascyron ssp. pyramidatum (great St. Johnswort) Iris sp. (blue flag iris) Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) Lactuca ludoviciana (prairie lettuce) Laportea canadensis (Canadian woodnettle) Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort) Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover) Lithospermum canescens (hoary puccoon) Lithospermum occidentale (western marbleseed) Lonicera × bella (Bell’s honeysuckle) Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle) Lonicera tatarica (Tartarian honeysuckle) Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal) Maianthemum stellatum (starry false Solomon’s seal) Matricaria discoidea (pineapple-weed) Medicago lupulina (black medick) Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa) Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover) Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed) Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) Morus alba (white mulberry) Myosoton aquaticum (giant chickweed) Nabalus albus (white rattlesnake root) Nepeta cataria (catnip) Nuphar variegata (variegated yellow pond lily) Nymphaea odorata (American white waterlily) Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose) Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely) Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel) Oxalis violacea (violet wood sorrel) Packera plattensis (prairie groundsel) Panicum virgatum var. virgatum (switch grass) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Pediomelum argophyllum (silverleaf scurfpea) Pediomelum esculentum (prairie turnip) Persicaria amphibia (water smartweed) Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass) Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain) Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal) Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla argentea (silvery cinquefoil) Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil) Potentilla recta (rough-fruited cinquefoil) Prunus americana (American plum) Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry) Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup) Ranunculus rhomboideus (prairie buttercup) Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac) Ribes americanum (American black currant) Ribes missouriense (Missouri gooseberry) Rosa arkansana (prairie rose) Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry) Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry) Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan) Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower) Rumex crispus (curly dock) Sagittaria latifolia (broad-leaved arrowhead) Salix nigra (black willow) Salix petiolaris (slender willow) Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium (little bluestem) Setaria faberi (giant foxtail) Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion) Sisymbrium altissimum (tall tumble mustard) Sisyrinchium campestre (prairie blue-eyed grass) Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod) Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod) Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) Symphoricarpos occidentalis (wolfberry) Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion) Thalictrum dasycarpum (tall meadow rue) Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress) Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood) Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy) Tradescantia bracteata (bracted spiderwort) Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Trifolium repens (white clover) Ulmus americana (American elm) Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) Ulmus rubra (slippery elm) Ulmus thomasii (rock elm) Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis (stinging nettle) Uvularia sessilifolia (wild oats) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Verbena stricta (hoary vervain) Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch) Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida (prairie violet) Viola sororia (common blue violet) Vitis riparia (wild grape) Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash) Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

Reptiles	common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)