Rock Ridge Prairie SNA

 

 

About

Ownership

Minnesota DNR logo

 

Links

Minnesota DNR

 

Overview

 

 

History

This site was disignated Rock Ridge Prairie Scientific and Natural Area on May 21, 2004.

 

Management

 

 

Comments

 

Location

Size

203 acres

 

Driving Directions

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  Area and County
    County   Cottonwood County
    Region   Southwest Minnesota

Parking

Park on a field access by the information sign.
N44 5.829, W95 3.623

 

Hours

 

 

Fees

 

 

Maps

Detail map (MN DNR)

 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

Printable map    
Activities

Hiking, nature photography, birdwatching

 

Hiking Trails

No maintained trails

 

Hunting

No hunting

Ecology

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification
Ecological Province Ecological Province  

Prairie Parkland Province

 
Ecological Section Ecological Section  

North Central Glaciated Plains

 
Ecological Subsection Ecological Subsection  

Minnesota River Prairie

 
Land Type Association    

Darfur Bedrock Hills

 
         

Native Plant Communities*

 

Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie): Sioux Quartzite Subtype

Mesic Prairie (Southern)

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

Natural Features

   

 

 

 

 

 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Park by the information sign

  Information sign
Rock Ridge Prairie SNA   Rock Ridge Prairie SNA
     

On this day the information sign was down

   

Rock Ridge Prairie SNA

  Rock Ridge Prairie SNA
     

Wood Routed Sign

Rock Ridge Prairie SNA    
     

Mesic Prairie (Southern)

Rock Ridge Prairie SNA   Rock Ridge Prairie SNA
     

Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie): Sioux Quartzite Subtype

Rock Ridge Prairie SNA
     
Rock Ridge Prairie SNA   Rock Ridge Prairie SNA

 

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Other Videos

Storm over Rock Ridge SNA
Dale Bohlke

About

Jun 18, 2018

A fast moving thunderstorm passed over Rock Ridge SNA in southern Minnesota this weekend. Music by hartwigmedia.de

 

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Visitor Sightings
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

Visits

8/1/2010

8/31/2016

6/18/2019

Amphibians

northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)   northern leopard frog

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:

Endangered

Henslow’s Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii)

Special Concern

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

Minnesota DNR Bird checklist

eBird Field Checklist

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)

Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Dickcissel (Spiza americana)

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

 

Common Grackle

Mourning Dove

Red-winged Blackbird

Insects and Arachnids

black fly (Family Simuliidae)

Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina)

common green darner (Anax junius)

dog day cicada (Neotibicen canicularis)

eastern tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma americanum)

goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

northern bush katydid (Scudderia septentrionalis)

orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

 

Carolina grasshopper

monarch

twelve-spotted skimmer

Mammals

American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  American red squirrel

Plants

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

Threatened

Louisiana broomrape (Orobanche ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

prairie bush clover (Lespedeza leptostachya)

Special Concern

buffalo grass (Buchloë dactyloides)

Scouler’s popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys scouleri)

tumblegrass (Schedonnardus paniculatus)

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

Plants frequently found in:

Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie): Sioux Quartzite Subtype ROs12a2

Mesic Prairie (Southern) UPs23a

 

absinthe wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa)

alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum)

American pasqueflower (Anemone patens var. multifida)

American plum (Prunus americana)

American stickseed (Hackelia deflexa var. americana)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana)

annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

blue vervain (Verbena hastata)

bluntleaf bedstraw (Galium obtusum ssp. obtusum)

bracted spiderwort (Tradescantia bracteata)

bracted vervain (Verbena bracteata)

brittle prickly pear (Opuntia fragilis)

buffalo grass (Buchloë dactyloides)

bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada bluegrass (Poa compressa)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canadian horseweed (Erigeron canadensis)

candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica)

Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum var. carolinianum)

catnip (Nepeta cataria)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla)

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 mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common plantain (Plantago major)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

corn (Zea mays)

Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

curly-cup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa)

downy phlox (Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida)

early figwort (Scrophularia lanceolata)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

European stickseed (Lappula squarrosa)

fiddleleaf hawksbeard (Crepis runcinata ssp. runcinata)

Flodman’s thistle (Cirsium flodmanii)

fluxweed (Isanthus brachiatus)

fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea)

foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum)

giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)

goldmoss stonecrop (Sedum acre)

gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

Great Plains flat-topped goldenrod (Euthamia gymnospermoides)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

green foxtail (Setaria viridis)

grimmia dry rock moss (Grimmia laevigata)

hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta var. hirsuta)

heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea)

heart-leaved golden alexanders (Zizia aptera)

hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium)

hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens)

hoary vervain (Verbena stricta)

Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum)

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

June grass (Koeleria macrantha)

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis)

late goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

long-leaved chickweed (Stellaria longifolia)

Maximilian’s sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)

meadow garlic (Allium canadense var. canadense)

Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)

mountain death camas (Anticlea elegans)

needle-and-thread (Hesperostipa comata ssp. comata)

needleleaf sedge (Carex duriuscula)

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

nodding spurge (Euphorbia nutans)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata ssp. glomerata)

panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)

perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis)

pineapple-weed (Matricaria discoidea)

plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides ssp. acanthoides)

porcupine grass (Hesperostipa spartea)

prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii)

prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata)

prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus var. strigosus)

prairie larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens)

prairie lettuce (Lactuca ludoviciana)

prairie onion (Allium stellatum)

prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

prairie smoke (Geum triflorum var. triflorum)

prairie violet (Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida)

prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola)

prickly quill sedge (Carex echinodes)

purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea)

quackgrass (Elymus repens)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

redroot amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus)

redtop (Agrostis gigantea)

reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

rock spikemoss (Selaginella rupestris)

rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)

rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica)

rough false pennyroyal (Hedeoma hispida)

rough rattlesnake root (Nabalus asper)

round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata)

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)

Sartwell’s sedge (Carex sartwellii)

Scribner’s panic grass (Dichanthelium oligosanthes ssp. scribnerianum)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula)

silverleaf scurfpea (Pediomelum argophyllum)

sleepy catchfly (Silene antirrhina)

smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

smooth oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra)

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

spotted lady’s thumb (Persicaria maculosa)

Standley’s goosefoot (Chenopodium standleyanum)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. pauciflorus)

stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus)

sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

sunbright (Phemeranthus parviflorus)

switch grass (Panicum virgatum var. virgatum)

tall cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta)

tall thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana)

tall thistle (Cirsium altissimum)

tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica)

timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense)

toothed evening primrose (Oenothera serrulata)

veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus)

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum)

western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)

western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya)

western rock jasmine (Androsace occidentalis)

white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba)

white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens)

white mulberry (Morus alba)

white prairie clover (Dalea candida)

white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

white spruce (Picea glauca)

white sweet clover (Melilotus albus)

whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wolfberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

woolly burdock (Arctium tomentosum)

woolly plantain (Plantago patagonica)

woundwort (Stachys pilosa var. arenicola)

yellow alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. falcata)

yellow foxtail (Setaria pumila ssp. pumila)

yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)

yellow star grass (Hypoxis hirsuta)

yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis)

 

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Agrostis gigantea (redtop)

Allium canadense var. canadense (meadow garlic)

Allium stellatum (prairie onion)

Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot amaranth)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia psilostachya (western ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Androsace occidentalis (western rock jasmine)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone)

Anemone patens var. multifida (American pasqueflower)

Anemone virginiana (tall thimbleweed)

Anticlea elegans (mountain death camas)

Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Arctium tomentosum (woolly burdock)

Artemisia absinthium (absinthe wormwood)

Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon)

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Asclepias verticillata (whorled milkweed)

Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (sideoats grama)

Bouteloua hirsuta var. hirsuta (hairy grama)

Bromus inermis (smooth brome)

Buchloë dactyloides (buffalo grass)

Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed)

Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle)

Carex duriuscula (needleleaf sedge)

Carex echinodes (prickly quill sedge)

Carex sartwellii (Sartwell’s sedge)

Carex vulpinoidea (fox sedge)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Chenopodium standleyanum (Standley’s goosefoot)

Cirsium altissimum (tall thistle)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium flodmanii (Flodman’s thistle)

Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)

Coreopsis palmata (prairie coreopsis)

Crepis runcinata ssp. runcinata (fiddleleaf hawksbeard)

Dactylis glomerata ssp. glomerata (orchard grass)

Dalea candida (white prairie clover)

Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover)

Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens (prairie larkspur)

Dichanthelium oligosanthes ssp. scribnerianum (Scribner’s panic grass)

Drymocallis arguta (tall cinquefoil)

Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive)

Elymus repens (quackgrass)

Erigeron annuus (annual fleabane)

Erigeron canadensis (Canadian horseweed)

Erigeron strigosus var. strigosus (prairie fleabane)

Euphorbia nutans (nodding spurge)

Euthamia gymnospermoides (Great Plains flat-topped goldenrod)

Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium obtusum ssp. obtusum (bluntleaf bedstraw)

Geranium carolinianum var. carolinianum (Carolina geranium)

Geum triflorum var. triflorum (prairie smoke)

Grimmia laevigata (grimmia dry rock moss)

Grindelia squarrosa (curly-cup gumweed)

Hackelia deflexa var. americana (American stickseed)

Hedeoma hispida (rough false pennyroyal)

Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian’s sunflower)

Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. pauciflorus (stiff sunflower)

Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus (stiff sunflower)

Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra (smooth oxeye)

Hesperostipa comata ssp. comata (needle-and-thread)

Hesperostipa spartea (porcupine grass)

Heuchera richardsonii (prairie alumroot)

Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum (foxtail barley)

Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)

Hypoxis hirsuta (yellow star grass)

Isanthus brachiatus (fluxweed)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Koeleria macrantha (June grass)

Lactuca ludoviciana (prairie lettuce)

Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce)

Lappula squarrosa (European stickseed)

Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus) (veiny pea)

Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass)

Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover)

Liatris aspera (rough blazing star)

Lithospermum canescens (hoary puccoon)

Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle)

Lonicera tatarica (Tatarian honeysuckle)

Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal)

Matricaria discoidea (pineapple-weed)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Medicago sativa ssp. falcata (yellow alfalfa)

Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa)

Melilotus albus (white sweet clover)

Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover)

Mirabilis nyctaginea (heart-leaved four o’clock)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Morus alba (white mulberry)

Nabalus asper (rough rattlesnake root)

Nepeta cataria (catnip)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Oenothera serrulata (toothed evening primrose)

Opuntia fragilis (brittle prickly pear)

Panicum virgatum var. virgatum (switch grass)

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Pediomelum argophyllum (silverleaf scurfpea)

Persicaria maculosa (spotted lady’s thumb)

Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass)

Phemeranthus parviflorus (sunbright)

Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy)

Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida (downy phlox)

Physalis heterophylla (clammy groundcherry)

Picea glauca (white spruce)

Plantago major (common plantain)

Plantago patagonica (woolly plantain)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Poa compressa (Canada bluegrass)

Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass)

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

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil)

Potentilla recta (sulphur cinquefoil)

Prunus americana (American plum)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)

Scrophularia lanceolata (early figwort)

Sedum acre (goldmoss stonecrop)

Selaginella rupestris (rock spikemoss)

Setaria pumila ssp. pumila (yellow foxtail)

Setaria viridis (green foxtail)

Silene antirrhina (sleepy catchfly)

Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion)

Solidago altissima (late goldenrod)

Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod)

Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Sonchus arvensis (perennial sow thistle)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed)

Stachys pilosa var. arenicola (woundwort)

Stellaria longifolia (long-leaved chickweed)

Symphoricarpos occidentalis (wolfberry)

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (panicled aster)

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy)

Tradescantia bracteata (bracted spiderwort)

Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard)

Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover)

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)

Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s root)

Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch)

Viola pedatifida var. pedatifida (prairie violet)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Zea mays (corn)

Zizia aptera (heart-leaved golden alexanders)

Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

 

alfalfa

alsike clover

American pasqueflower

American vetch

bracted spiderwort

Canada anemone

catnip

chokecherry

common evening primrose

common milkweed

common strawberry

common yarrow

Culver’s root

downy phlox

gray-headed coneflower

heart-leaved four o’clock

heart-leaved golden alexanders

hedge bindweed

hoary puccoon

leadplant

meadow garlic

Morrow’s honeysuckle

prairie alumroot

prairie coreopsis

prairie fleabane (var. strigosus)

prairie larkspur

prairie onion

prairie rose

purple prairie clover

rough cinquefoil

rough false pennyroyal

sulphur cinquefoil

Russian olive

silverleaf scurfpea

tall cinquefoil

Tatarian honeysuckle

toothed evening primrose

Virginia waterleaf

western poison ivy

white prairie clover

whorled milkweed

wild bergamot

woolly plantain

yellow star grass

Reptiles

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Amphibians and Reptiles List

     

 

 

Binoculars

 

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