Minnesota Seasons - Ottawa Bluffs


	About

	Ownership


	Links
	The Nature Conservancy

	Overview
	The 62-acre Ottawa Bluffs Preserve consists of a patchwork of dry hill prairie and oak woodland on a steep bluff of the Minnesota River Valley. Visitors who undertake the steep and strenuous climb to the top of the bluff will be rewarded with an expansive view of the Minnesota River Valley and the town of St. Peter. An American Indian burial mound is at the top of the bluff. Western harvest mouse and a species of jumping spider, both species of special concern, and five state listed plant species have been found on the preserve. The site has been owned since 1975 by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The hill prairie, unsuitable for farming or pasture, remains mostly undisturbed by man. The previous owner began building a road from the bluff top to the base, but abandoned the effort less than half completed. The former roadbed is now grassy prairie and an eroded ravine. Decades of fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on and eliminate parts of the native prairie. Since 1989, volunteers for TNC have been working to remove juniper and other invasive woody species; check further erosion of the ravine; and restore a small part of oak woodland to its pre-settlement condition, oak savanna.

	History


	Management


	Comments


	Location

	Maps


	Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates


	Size
	62 acres

	Parking
	N44 21.788, W93 56.062


	Driving Directions
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					Le Sueur County
					Southwest Minnesota


	Activities

	Hiking Trails
	There are no maintained trails. A well-worn footpath leads from the kiosk and parking spot through the woods to to a cornfield at the top of the bluff.

	Hunting
	No hunting


	Ecology

	Ecological Classification
	Ecological Province			Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province
	Ecological Section			Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal
	Ecological Subsection			Big Woods
	Land Type Association			Cordova Moraine Le Sueur Alluvial Plain

	Native Plant Communities*
	Dry Hill Prairie (Southern) Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland
	* Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources

	Natural Features
	Prairie, oak savanna, oak woodland


	Visitor Photos

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	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

	Parking




	East Wood Routed Sign




	West Wood Routed Sign


	Nature Conservancy Mailbox with Visitor Log


	Information Sign


	View from the Top


	Oak Savanna Restoration


	Dry Hill Prairie (Southern)






	Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland

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slideshow


	Visitor Videos

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	Other Videos


	Come Explore the Prairie With Me! - Schaefer Prairie and Ottawa Bluffs \| 2021 Adventures Adventures of an Aspiring Something or Other

	About May 27, 2021 Join Jonas and I on a trip to explore two prairie areas in Southern Minnesota, Schaefer Prairie and Ottawa Bluffs. Both are owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy. A vlog-style video complete with my inability to remember anything I've ever learned about prairie plant identification, a lengthy discussion of prescribed fire and fire ecology in grasslands, unexpected wetlands, and a deep awakening moment about EXACTLY how out of shape I am. Also... I will warn you that the camera work on this is not good. I can't see my display screen very well through my polarised sunglasses, and this combined with me walking over uneven ground means the camera spends a lot of time tilted funny and swooping around. Maybe skip the visual part of this if you get motion sick. Say hi on Instagram: https://instagram.com/leveninlied



	ottawa bluffs 5 6 16 hd Greg Prunty

	About Jan 13, 2017



	Minnesota River Final Draft 4112.wmv iliketheoutdoors

	About Published on Apr 5, 2012 A 26 mile journey from Mankato to the Ottawa Bluffs

Camcorder

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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.

Two bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here (or seen in flight or nearby while standing on this site):

Special Concern

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)


One insect and arachnid species with conservation status in Minnesota has been seen here:
Special Concern	Texas ornamented jumping spider (Habronattus texanus)


One mammal species with conservation status in Minnesota has been seen here:
Special Concern	western harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis)


Five plant species with conservation status in Minnesota are found here:
Endangered	butternut (Juglans cinerea)
Threatened	beaked spike-rush (Eleocharis rostellata) hair-like beak-rush (Rhynchospora capillacea) sterile sedge (Carex sterilis) whorled nut-rush (Scleria verticillata)