Lost Valley Prairie SNA

(Scientific and Natural Area)

Sep 13, 2022

Got a tip about an old military bridge hidden in the woods, cool. One of the best places yet!

"Lost Valley Prairie is a beautiful bedrock bluff prairie featuring a series of limestone ridges and dry swales. Ridge crests and upper slopes host little bluestem, prairie drop-seed, side-oats grama, hairy grama, Indian grass, and big bluestem; wildflowers such as puccoon, stiff gentian and prairie smoke; as well as potential habitat for mammals such as groundhogs, fox, coyote and American badgers. Of special interest are the fire-dependent Hill's thistle, a Minnesota special concern species, and state-threatened rock sandwort with its tiny white flowers and slender leaves, typically found much farther north and known to occur at only a few sites in the state. Among its many values, this SNA contributes to good water quality in the nearby St. Croix River, which receives the naturally-filtered flows from intermittent streams that cross the site."

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/detail.html?id=sna01041

Apr 2, 2020

Have you visited Lost Valley Prairie SNA? Go for a hike on your own, or come for one of the many volunteer events throughout the year! Lost Valley Prairie SNA is a beautiful bedrock bluff prairie featuring a series of limestone ridges and dry swales. The SNA was established July 18, 1990.

mndnr.gov/snas/sna01041

Jan 20, 2017

The site stewards at Lost Valley Prairie SNA in Hastings, MN give you some reasons why you should come out and volunteer!

Aug 2, 2020

Throw on a cowboy hat and join me for a hike in the Lost Valley Prairie Scientific and Natural Area in Denmark Twp. Look for blazing star, grey-headed coneflower, and bee balm in bloom, as well as black swallowtail and monarch butterflies.