Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Long Meadow Lake Unit
About • Location • Activities • Ecology
About |
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Ownership |
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Overview |
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The Long Meadow Lake Unit is one of eight units that make up the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. It is the most visited of the eight units. It lies on the north bank of the Minnesota River just south of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Fort Snelling State Park lies just across the river. There are more than 18 miles of hiking trails. Casual visitors can hike the 1 mile Hillside Trail or the 1.3 mile Bass Ponds Interpretive Trail. For a somewhat longer walk, there is the 7.3 mile north loop trail. Serious hikers can take the 16 mile south loop trail. |
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History |
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Management |
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In the spring of 2013 USFWS began an oak savanna restoration project on 5 acres near the Bloomington Visitor Center. |
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Location |
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Maps |
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Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates |
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Size |
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2,400 acres |
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Parking |
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There are five designated parking areas for this site (see refuge map). For the north loop, park at the Bloomington Education and Visitor Center on American Blvd. or at the Bass Ponds Area at the end of E. 86th St. For the south loop, park at the Lyndale/Russell A. Sorensen Landing at the end of Lyndale Ave. When the river level is high, usually in spring, the Lyndale parking lot is under water. There is no parking at the Old Cedar Ave. area. Bloomington Education and Visitor Center Bass Ponds Area,
E. 86th St. Lyndale/Russell A. Sorensen Landing,
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Hours |
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Sunrise to Sunset for approved activities, including federal holidays |
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Fees |
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No fee No National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota charges a fee |
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Driving Directions |
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Activities |
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Hiking Trails |
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According to the USF&WS there are 14.6 miles of maintained hiking trails on this unit. Casual visitors can hike the 1 mile Hillside Trail loop at the Visitor Center area or the 1.3 mile Bass Ponds Interpretive Trail loop at the Bass Ponds area. For a longer walk, hikers can take the 7.3 mile north loop trail. Park at the Visitor Center. The Long Meadow Lake Trail starts at the Visitor Center and follows the north bank of the Minnesota River to MN Hwy 77 (Cedar Avenue). A pedestrian bridge attached to Cedar Avenue crosses to the south bank of the river. From there, the State Corridor trail follows the south bank of the river to I-494. A pedestrian walkway crosses back to the north (east) side of the river and a trail leads back to the visitor center. Serious hikers can take the 16 mile south loop trail. Park at the Bass Ponds parking lot. Take the Bass Ponds Interpretive Trail to the Hogback Ridge Trail and follow that to Cedar Avenue. Continue west on the Bluff trail through oak forest to the Russel A. Sorenson Landing on Lyndale Avenue. From there, follow an unnamed trail that closely follows the bank of the Minnesota River. At Cedar Avenue continue east on the Long Meadow Lake Trail to the Visitor Center. From the Visitor Center take American Blvd. E. to Old Shakopee Rd., which leads back to the Bass Ponds parking lot. |
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Hunting |
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No public hunting opportunities are found at Long Meadow Lake, Black Dog Units, Bloomington Ferry Unit, Upgrala Unit, Chaska Unit, or San Fransisco Unit |
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Ecology |
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Ecological Classification |
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| Ecological Province | Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province |
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| Ecological Section | Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal |
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| Ecological Subsection | St. Paul-Baldwin Plains and Moraines |
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| Land Type Association | Pig’s Eye Alluvial Plain |
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Native Plant Communities* |
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Black Ash - (Red Maple) Seepage Swamp Bulrush Marsh (Northern) Red Oak - White Oak - (Sugar Maple) Forest Sedge Meadow Silver Maple - (Virginia Creeper) Floodplain Forest |
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| * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources | |||||||
Natural Features |
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Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this destination. |
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Kirk Nelson |
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Trail |
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Bloomington office buildings |
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Bridge and stream |
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The Old Cedar Avenue Bridge is open for bicycles and pedestrians. |
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Spring Flooding |
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Bee House near the entrance to the Visitors’ Center |
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Long Meadow Lake Trail |
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Spur Trail leading to Long Meadow Lake Trail |
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Observation Platform Overlooking Peterson Pond |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Bass Ponds Entrance |
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Bass Ponds Parking |
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Bass Ponds Interpretive Trail |
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Bass Pond (Shallow Lake) |
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Alternate Trail, Long Meadow Lake Service Road |
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Old Cedar Ave. Bridge |
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Bluff Trail |
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Mound Springs Spur Trail |
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Pond |
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Intermittent Stream |
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Boardwalk |
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Russel A. Sorenson Landing |
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Red Oak - White Oak - (Sugar Maple) Forest |
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Sand Dunes in Silver Maple Floodplain Forest |
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Slideshows |
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| Long Meadow Lake Ken Wolter |
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About
Long Meadow Lake, Bloomington Minnesota |
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| Long Meadow Lake Craig A. Mullenbach |
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About
part of the Minnesota River Valley Nature Reserve. |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this destination. |
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Other Videos |
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| Trumpeter Swans..Long Meadow Lake, MVNWR..Bloomington, Mn. pefawa |
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About
Published on Sep 28, 2012 Trumpeter Swans pair for life, and each pair returns to its nesting area in spring as soon as the weather allows. Territories are established that average 30 acres, sometimes more than 100 acres, and are vigorously defended...the adults even exclude their own offspring of previous years. The male performs such territorial defense, but the female participates in mutual "triumph ceremonies" after territorial disputes and also helps defend the nest site. Both sexes help construct the rather bulky nest, which may require a week or more. The eggs are laid at two day intervals, and no incubation is performed until the clutch is complete. Thereafter the female performs all the incubation, while the male defends the nest. Most of the cygnets hatch within a few hours of each other and are led from the nest within 24 hours of hatching. The nest may later be used for resting or brooding, but often the brood is led some distance from the nest for rearing on quiet and secluded ponds.The fledging period is approximately 100 days which takes up the entire summer and makes it impossible for birds to re-nest in the event of nest failure.. Typical breeding habitat consists of large, shallow marshes to shallow lakes, with an abundance of submerged plants and emergent vegetation. The emergent plants provide important nesting cover, and the submerged vegetation is the major food source. |
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| Trumpeter Swans..Long Meadow Lake..MNVWR..Bloomington, Mn. pefawa |
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About
Published on Sep 28, 2012 Trumpeter Swan nests are greatly scattered, owing to the extreme territorial behavior of the adults, and nest sites are usually used for several years. Island locations are preferred over shoreline sites, and when nests are built in emergent vegetation the water is usually between 12 and 36 inches deep. Sometimes muskrat houses or beaver lodges serve as nest sites.. Swans lay between 3 to 9 eggs, averaging about 5. Eggs are creamy white and somewhat granular. The incubation period is 32 - 37 days, usually about 34 days. |
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| Long meadow lake minnesota reaj2010 |
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About
Uploaded on Feb 7, 2011 A small creek that comes out of the lake and flows half a mile to the minnesota river. Only fell thru the ice once lol. |
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| 28 JUL 2013 North American River Otter dalebunny |
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About
Published on Jul 28, 2013 I saw these otters in Long Meadow Lake in the MN Valley NWR opposite Hog Back Pond. |
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_02.jpg "bur oak")
Birding Hotspots
The Long Meadow Lake Unit contains two birding hotspots, the Bass Ponds and Old Cedar Avenue Bridge. The best time for birders to visit is from early March to late June when migrating waterfowl and warblers rest here.
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