River Warren Outcrops SNA

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

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Minnesota DNR

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

Designated on August 22, 2016, River Warren Outcrops SNA is one of Minnesota’s two newest SNAs. Its 89 acres include a prairie restoration, densely wooded bedrock outcrop, and floodplain forest along the east bank of the Minnesota River. Plains prickly pear and Kentucky coffee tree, two species of special concern in Minnesota, are found here.

Future management plans include the removal of buckthorn and redcedar from about 85% of the site, and continued restoration of a former agricultural field to prairie. An unusual feature of this SNA is 1.6 miles of horse trails. These trails were on the site when the land was purchased by the DNR, and they will continue to be maintained by the seller.

 
     
 

History

 
 

This SNA was designated August 22, 2016.

 
     
 

Management

 
 

There are plans for buckthorn and redcedar removal on about 85% of the site.

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

Detail map (MN DNR)

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
  Printable map      
         
 

Size

 
 

89 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

N44 37.973, W95 10.970

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

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

   
          Renville County  
          Central Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

There are 1.6 miles of maintained horeseback trails on the site.

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

All hunting and trapping. See Hunting and Trapping Regulations (MN DNR) for details.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Prairie Parkland Province

   
  Ecological Section    

North Central Glaciated Plains

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Minnesota River Prairie

   
  Land Type Association    

Milan Alluvial Plain

Renville Till Plain

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie), Minnesota River Subtype

Silver Maple - (Virginia Creeper) Floodplain Forest

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

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
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Parking

 
    River Warren Outcrops SNA      
           
 

Wood Routed Sign

 
    River Warren Outcrops SNA   River Warren Outcrops SNA  
           
 

Prairie Restoration

 
    River Warren Outcrops SNA   River Warren Outcrops SNA  
           
 

Rock Outcrop

 
    River Warren Outcrops SNA   River Warren Outcrops SNA  
           
 

Long Pond

 
    River Warren Outcrops SNA      
           
 

Oval Pond

 
    River Warren Outcrops SNA      
           
 

Horse Trails

 
    River Warren Outcrops SNA   River Warren Outcrops SNA  

 

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slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  River Warren Outcrops Scientific and Natural Area Virtual Hike
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
 
   
 
About

Jun 11, 2020

Talk about some ancient history! The Morton Gneiss rock outcrops at this site are some of the oldest bedrock in the world (over 3 billion years old). The glacial River Warren, an outlet of Glacial Lake Agassiz, exposed this bedrock on the surface, (about 9 thousand years ago). Though you may not visit this SNA in person, it is rewarding to know that we, as Minnesotans, have together protected this important habitat for the rare and wild in Minnesota.

mndnr.gov/snas/sna00001

 

 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

6/9/2017                
 
 

Bacteria, Viruses, and Other Pathogens

 
  apical chlorosis of Canada thistle (Pst) (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tagetis)   Pst  
 

Birds

 
 

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

Special Concern

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

 
 

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

 

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird

Song Sparrow

 
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum)

Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata)

  Artist’s Conk  
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

common green darner (Anax junius)

common whitetail (Plathemis lydia)

dot-tailed whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)

four-spotted skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

spotted pink lady beetle (Coleomegilla maculata)

twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)

 

four-spotted skimmer

viceroy

 
 

Mammals

 
 

eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)

  eastern cottontail  
 

Plants

 
 

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

Special Concern

Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

plains prickly pear (Opuntia macrorhiza)

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie): Minnesota River Subtype ROs12a1

Silver Maple - (Virginia Creeper) Floodplain Forest FFs68a

     
 

 

alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum)

American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana)

American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus)

American elm (Ulmus americana)

American highbush cranberry (Viburnum opulus var. americanum)

American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana)

annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

arumleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata)

Aunt Lucy (Ellisia nyctelea)

Balkan catchfly (Silene csereii)

Bicknell’s sedge (Carex bicknellii)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

Bigelow’s bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix var. bigeloviana)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)

blue vervain (Verbena hastata)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

bracted vervain (Verbena bracteata)

bristly greenbrier (Smilax tamnoides)

bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canadian clearweed (Pilea pumila)

Canadian honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis)

Canadian white violet (Viola canadensis var. rugulosa)

Canadian woodnettle (Laportea canadensis)

catnip (Nepeta cataria)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

cleavers (Galium aparine)

clustered black snakeroot (Sanicula odorata)

common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum)

common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common duckweed (Lemna minor)

common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

cursed crowfoot (Ranunculus sceleratus)

cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata)

early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

field horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense)

foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum)

giant chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum)

giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

grimmia dry rock moss (Grimmia laevigata)

ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

hoary vervain (Verbena stricta)

hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum officinale)

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis)

kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)

lake sedge (Carex lacustris)

late goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii)

long-leaved chickweed (Stellaria longifolia)

Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans)

narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata ssp. glomerata)

peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides)

Pennsylvania buttercup (Ranunculus pensylvanicus)

Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

plains prickly pear (Opuntia macrorhiza)

prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa)

reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

sandbar willow (Salix interior)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

silver maple (Acer saccharinum)

silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea)

smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum)

soft-stem bulrush (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani)

sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

sweet clover (Melilotus sp.)

timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense)

touch-me-not (Impatiens sp.)

virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana)

Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana)

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum)

water plantain (Alisma sp.)

white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens)

white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima)

wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii)

wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wolfberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca ssp. americana)

yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)

yellow star grass (Hypoxis hirsuta)

yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

 

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot)

Alisma sp. (water plantain)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Bromus inermis (smooth brome)

Carduus nutans (musk thistle)

Carex bicknellii (Bicknell’s sedge)

Carex lacustris (lake sedge)

Carex sprengelii (long-beaked sedge)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)

Clematis virginiana (virgin’s bower)

Cryptotaenia canadensis (Canadian honewort)

Cynoglossum officinale (hound’s tongue)

Dactylis glomerata ssp. glomerata (orchard grass)

Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy)

Elymus hystrix var. bigeloviana (Bigelow’s bottlebrush grass)

Equisetum arvense (field horsetail)

Erigeron annuus (annual fleabane)

Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane)

Eupatorium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (common boneset)

Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (woodland strawberry)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy)

Grimmia laevigata (grimmia dry rock moss)

Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed)

Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum (foxtail barley)

Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)

Hypoxis hirsuta (yellow star grass)

Impatiens sp. (touch-me-not)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Laportea canadensis (Canadian woodnettle)

Lemna minor (common duckweed)

Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort)

Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass)

Lycopus americanus (American bugleweed)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Melilotus sp. (sweet clover)

Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed)

Myosoton aquaticum (giant chickweed)

Nepeta cataria (catnip)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Opuntia macrorhiza (plains prickly pear)

Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely)

Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam)

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass)

Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy)

Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii (wild blue phlox)

Pilea pumila (Canadian clearweed)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass)

Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal)

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla argentea (silvery cinquefoil)

Potentilla recta (sulphur cinquefoil)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup)

Ranunculus pensylvanicus (Pennsylvania buttercup)

Ranunculus sceleratus (cursed crowfoot)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Ribes missouriense (Missouri gooseberry)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Sagittaria cuneata (arumleaf arrowhead)

Salix amygdaloides (peachleaf willow)

Salix interior (sandbar willow)

Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (red elderberry)

Sanicula odorata (clustered black snakeroot)

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (soft-stem bulrush)

Silene csereii (Balkan catchfly)

Smilax tamnoides (bristly greenbrier)

Solidago altissima (late goldenrod)

Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Stellaria longifolia (long-leaved chickweed)

Symphoricarpos occidentalis (wolfberry)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue)

Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress)

Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood)

Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard)

Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover)

Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail)

Ulmus americana (American elm)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Verbena bracteata (bracted vervain)

Verbena hastata (blue vervain)

Verbena stricta (hoary vervain)

Viburnum opulus var. americanum (American highbush cranberry)

Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch)

Viola canadensis var. rugulosa (Canadian white violet)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash)

 

American highbush cranberry

American vetch

annual fleabane

black raspberry

blue vervain

bur oak (var. macrocarpa)

Canada anemone

Canadian white violet

catnip

common boneset

common evening primrose

common mullein

common yarrow

early meadow-rue

foxtail barley

ground ivy

hoary vervain

leadplant

Missouri gooseberry

musk thistle

Philadelphia fleabane

plains prickly pear

prairie rose

red clover

red elderberry

sulphur cinquefoil

silvery cinquefoil

virgin’s bower

Virginia waterleaf

wild columbine

yellow star grass

 

 

 

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