Rushford Sand Barrens SNA

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

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Minnesota DNR

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

Rushford Sand Barrens SNA lies within the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest.

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

 

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
  Printable map      
         
 

Size

 
 

230 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

In 2010, the wood routed SNA sign was completely obscured by tall shrubs. Look for a field access (crossing the roadside ditch) on the east side of the road just south of the Root River bridge. It is in front of a long row of shrubbery and trees separating two crop fields.

N43 47.669, W91 48.447

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

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          Fillmore County  
          Southeast Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

A footpath leads to the top of the first ridge.

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

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

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

   
  Ecological Section    

Paleozoic Plateau

   
  Ecological Subsection    

The Blufflands

   
  Land Type Association    

Alluvial Plain

Altura Ridgetops

Elba Slopes

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Black Oak - White Oak Woodland (Sand)

Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern): Oak Subtype

Dry Barrens Prairie (Southern)

Dry Bedrock Bluff Prairie (Southern)

Jack Pine - Oak Woodland (Sand)

Oak - Shagbark Hickory Woodland

Red Oak - Sugar Maple - Basswood - (Bitternut Hickory) Forest

Red Oak - White Oak - (Sugar Maple) Forest

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

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hard to Find

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Parking

 
    Rushford Sand Barrens SNA   Rushford Sand Barrens SNA  
           
    Rushford Sand Barrens SNA      
           
 

Wood Routed Sign

The wood routed sign was not visible from the road in 2008 …

  Rushford Sand Barrens SNA  
         
  … or in 2010.   Rushford Sand Barrens SNA  
           
 

Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern): Oak Subtype

 
    Rushford Sand Barrens SNA   Rushford Sand Barrens SNA  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Rushford Sand Barrens Scientific and Natural Area
Brian
  Rushford Sand Barrens Scientific and Natural Area  
   

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Leonard's Skipper
Andy Birkey
 
   
 
About

Dec 20, 2019

Leonard's Skipper at Rushford Sand Barrens, August 2019

 

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

4/28/2008   6/20/2010            
 
 

Birds

 
 

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

 

Black-capped Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch

 
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fungi List

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Lichens List

 
 

Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

Stalked Scarlet Cup (Sarcoscypha occidentalis)

  Stalked Scarlet Cup  
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

Canadian cicada (Okanagana canescens)

common green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata)

gorgone checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)

great spangled fritillary (Argynnis cybele)

harvestman (Leiobunum spp.)

Leconte’s haploa (Haploa lecontei)

little wood satyr (Megisto cymela)

northern pearly eye (Lethe anthedon)

 

great spangled fritillary

little wood satyr

 
 

Mammals

 
 

American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus)

  American red squirrel  
 

Plants

 
 

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

Endangered

smooth forked nail-wort (Paronychia canadensis)

Threatened

American witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

clasping milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis)

rough-seeded fameflower (Phemeranthus rugospermus)

seaside three-awn (Aristida tuberculosa)

Special Concern

blue toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis)

Canada frostweed (Crocanthemum canadense)

goat’s rue (Tephrosia virginiana)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Black Oak - White Oak Woodland (Sand) FDs27c

Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern): Oak Subtype UPs14a2

Dry Barrens Prairie (Southern) UPs13a

Dry Bedrock Bluff Prairie (Southern) UPs13c

Jack Pine - Oak Woodland (Sand) FDs27a

Oak - Shagbark Hickory Woodland FDs38a

Red Oak - Sugar Maple - Basswood - (Bitternut Hickory) Forest MHs38c

Red Oak - White Oak - (Sugar Maple) Forest MHs37b

     
 

 

Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis)

American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana)

American cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum)

American hazelnut (Corylus americana)

American hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)

American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

American witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus)

bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis)

black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black walnut (Juglans nigra)

black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)

bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

boxelder (Acer negundo)

bristly greenbrier (Smilax tamnoides)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

Canadian honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis)

Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense)

Canadian woodnettle (Laportea canadensis)

cleavers (Galium aparine)

common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

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

common juniper (Juniperus communis var. depressa)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

downy phlox (Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida)

downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens)

early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)

eastern false rue anemone (Enemion biternatum)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata)

fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum)

fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

goat’s rue (Tephrosia virginiana)

gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)

hairy puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense var. croceum)

harebell (Campanula rotundifolia)

hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium)

hooked buttercup (Ranunculus recurvatus var. recurvatus)

interrupted fern (Claytosmunda claytoniana)

jack pine (Pinus banksiana)

jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)

late horse gentian (Triosteum perfoliatum)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

northern bedstraw (Galium boreale)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum)

northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum)

northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis)

northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

northern shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)

Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)

pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)

palespike lobelia (Lobelia spicata var. spicata)

paper birch (Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera)

plantain-leaved pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia)

pointed-leaved tick-trefoil (Hylodesmum glutinosum)

prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata)

purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red baneberry (Actaea rubra ssp. rubra)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea)

round-leaved dogwood (Cornus rugosa)

round-lobed hepatica (Anemone americana)

sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba)

shining bedstraw (Galium concinnum)

silky dogwood (Cornus obliqua)

smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

smooth sumac (Rhus glabra)

starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum)

sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum)

sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis var. perennis)

tall boneset (Eupatorium altissimum)

tall thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana)

Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica)

timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense)

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum)

western blue virgin’s bower (Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis)

western bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum)

western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)

western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya)

white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba)

white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens)

white oak (Quercus alba)

white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)

wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum var. andinum)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca ssp. americana)

yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)

yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

 

Acer negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Actaea rubra ssp. rubra (red baneberry)

Adiantum pedatum (northern maidenhair)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia psilostachya (western ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Amphicarpaea bracteata (American hog peanut)

Anemone acutiloba (sharp-lobed hepatica)

Anemone americana (round-lobed hepatica)

Anemone virginiana (tall thimbleweed)

Antennaria plantaginifolia (plantain-leaved pussytoes)

Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit)

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage)

Asarum canadense (Canadian wild ginger)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum (northern lady fern)

Betula papyrifera var. papyrifera (paper birch)

Bromus inermis (smooth brome)

Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed)

Campanula rotundifolia (harebell)

Carya cordiformis (bitternut hickory)

Carya ovata (northern shagbark hickory)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis (western blue virgin’s bower)

Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed)

Coreopsis palmata (prairie coreopsis)

Cornus alternifolia (pagoda dogwood)

Cornus obliqua (silky dogwood)

Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)

Cornus rugosa (round-leaved dogwood)

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood)

Corylus americana (American hazelnut)

Cryptotaenia canadensis (Canadian honewort)

Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover)

Enemion biternatum (eastern false rue anemone)

Eupatorium altissimum (tall boneset)

Euphorbia corollata (flowering spurge)

Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (woodland strawberry)

Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry)

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Galium boreale (northern bedstraw)

Galium concinnum (shining bedstraw)

Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw)

Geranium maculatum (wild geranium)

Goodyera pubescens (downy rattlesnake plantain)

Hamamelis virginiana (American witchhazel)

Heracleum maximum (American cow parsnip)

Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)

Hylodesmum glutinosum (pointed-leaved tick-trefoil)

Juglans nigra (black walnut)

Juniperus communis var. depressa (common juniper)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Laportea canadensis (Canadian woodnettle)

Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort)

Lilium philadelphicum var. andinum (wood lily)

Lithospermum caroliniense var. croceum (hairy puccoon)

Lobelia spicata var. spicata (palespike lobelia)

Lonicera tatarica (Tatarian honeysuckle)

Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus (bird’s-foot trefoil)

Lupinus perennis var. perennis (sundial lupine)

Lysimachia ciliata (fringed loosestrife)

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

Maianthemum stellatum (starry false Solomon’s seal)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely)

Claytosmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern)

Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam)

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Pastinaca sativa (wild parsnip)

Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy)

Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida (downy phlox)

Pinus banksiana (jack pine)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla recta (sulphur cinquefoil)

Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry)

Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum (western bracken fern)

Quercus alba (white oak)

Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Quercus rubra (northern red oak)

Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup)

Ranunculus recurvatus var. recurvatus (hooked buttercup)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)

Rubus allegheniensis (Allegheny blackberry)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan)

Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)

Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion)

Smilax tamnoides (bristly greenbrier)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Tephrosia virginiana (goat’s rue)

Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue)

Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood)

Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy)

Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio spiderwort)

Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover)

Triosteum perfoliatum (late horse gentian)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash)

 

American hazelnut

black cherry

black raspberry

black-eyed susan

bur oak (var. macrocarpa)

Canadian woodnettle

common false Solomon’s seal

common juniper

common mullein

common yarrow

downy phlox

eastern false rue anemone

hairy puccoon

interrupted fern

leadplant

northern bedstraw

palespike lobelia (var. spicata)

prairie coreopsis

purple prairie clover

red baneberry

sulphur cinquefoil

sharp-lobed hepatica

sundial lupine

Tatarian honeysuckle

western poison ivy

wild bergamot

wild columbine

wild geranium

wood lily

yellow wood sorrel

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prickly Thickets

Northern prickly ash is abundant throughout the site, in some places forming impenetrable thickets.

 

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