Seven Springs WMA

 
     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

Minnesota DNR logo

 
     
 

Links

 
 

Minnesota DNR

The Nature Conservancy

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

 

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

 

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
  Printable map      
         
 

Size

 
 

339.84 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

There is a parking area on the east side of Orion Road.

N43 37.958, W92 17.294

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

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

   
          Fillmore County  
          Southeast Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

There are no maintained hiking trails. There is a well-worn trail that begins a few yards north of the parking area and leads up the bluff to the ridgetop. The trail was flagged with orange tape in 2019. There are also old forest roads and old farm roads througout the site.

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

Deer, Small Game, Forest Upland Birds, Pheasants, Turkey. 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    

Rochester Plateau

The Blufflands

   
  Land Type Association    

Elba Slopes

Stewartville Plain

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Algific Talus: Limestone Subtype

Dry Bedrock Bluff Prairie (Southern)

Red Oak - White Oak - (Sugar Maple) Forest

White Pine - Sugar Maple - Basswood Forest (Cold Slope)

 

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

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Access is difficult

The trail from the parking area crosses an intermittent stream, but the stream is probably a dry gulch most of the year. It then leads up a steep slope. The climb should not be a problem for anyone wearing boots with knobby soles. Access to the south half of the site is not possible without crossing the Root River or private property.

 

 

 

 

           
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Parking

 
    Seven Springs WMA   Seven Springs WMA  
           
 

Intermittent Stream

The intermittent stream on the map near the parking area was a dry gulch on this day

  Seven Springs WMA  
           
 

Trail

This well-worn footpath follows an old forest road.

  Seven Springs WMA  
           
 

Ridgetops

The ridgetops are terraced …

  Seven Springs WMA  
         
 

… and are planted with native grasses and forbs.

  Seven Springs WMA  
           
 

South Branch Root River

 
    Seven Springs WMA   Seven Springs WMA  

 

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Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

6/8/2019                
 
 

Amphibians

 
  American toad (Anaxyrus americanus)   American toad  
 

Bacteria, Viruses, and Other Pathogens

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

Birds

 
 

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens)

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

 

American Robin

Brown-headed Cowbird

Northern Cardinal

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Song Sparrow

 
 

Fishes

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fishes List

 
         
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata)

Dryad’s Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus)

Milk-white Toothed Polypore (Irpex lacteus)

  Dryad’s Saddle  
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

American lady (Vanessa virginiensis)

black fly (Family Simuliidae)

common whitetail (Plathemis lydia)

eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

elm finger gall mite (Aceria parulmi)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

harvestman (order Opiliones)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

northern crescent (Phyciodes cocyta)

painted lady (Vanessa cardui)

plum finger gall mite (Eriophyes emarginatae)

red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

 

American lady

common whitetail

painted lady

 
 

Mammals

 
 

American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  eastern chipmunk  
 

Plants

 
 

One plant species with conservation status in Minnesota is found here:

Special Concern

rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium var. yuccifolium)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Algific Talus: Limestone Subtype CTs46a1

Dry Bedrock Bluff Prairie (Southern) UPs13c

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

White Pine - Sugar Maple - Basswood Forest (Cold Slope) MHc38a

     
 

 

agrimony (Agrimonia sp.)

alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum)

American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana)

American cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum)

American elm (Ulmus americana)

American hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata var. bracteata)

American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana)

American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

Aunt Lucy (Ellisia nyctelea)

baneberry (Actaea sp.)

bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata)

Bell’s honeysuckle (Lonicera × bella)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis)

black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black walnut (Juglans nigra)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)

bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)

bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

bracted spiderwort (Tradescantia bracteata)

bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis)

Canadian honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis)

Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense)

Canadian woodnettle (Laportea canadensis)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

cleavers (Galium aparine)

clustered black snakeroot (Sanicula odorata)

common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

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

common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

compass plant (Silphium laciniatum)

cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata)

dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis ssp. matronalis)

downy phlox (Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida)

downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens var. pubescens)

early figwort (Scrophularia lanceolata)

early horse gentian (Triosteum aurantiacum var. aurantiacum)

early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

eastern star sedge (Carex radiata)

field thistle (Cirsium discolor)

garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

giant chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum)

giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)

gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

great waterleaf (Hydrophyllum appendiculatum)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens)

jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis)

large-flowered beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus)

late goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

late horse gentian (Triosteum perfoliatum)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

limber honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica)

long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii)

Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)

mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

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

northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis)

northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata ssp. glomerata)

oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)

Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

pointed-leaved tick-trefoil (Hylodesmum glutinosum)

poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata)

prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

prickly quill sedge (Carex echinodes)

purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum)

purple-stem angelica (Angelica atropurpurea)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

rattlesnake fern (Botrypus virginianus)

rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium var. yuccifolium)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa)

reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

rough bedstraw (Galium asprellum)

sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

smooth sumac (Rhus glabra)

spinulose wood fern (Dryopteris carthusiana)

spotted lady’s thumb (Persicaria maculosa)

spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)

starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum)

sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

touch-me-not (Impatiens sp.)

upright carrionflower (Smilax ecirrhata)

veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus)

Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana)

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum)

western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)

white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba)

white rattlesnake root (Nabalus albus)

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii)

wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)

wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)

winter cress (Barbarea vulgaris)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

yellow avens (Geum aleppicum)

yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

 

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Actaea sp. (baneberry)

Agrimonia sp. (agrimony)

Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Amphicarpaea bracteata var. bracteata (hog peanut)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Angelica atropurpurea (purple-stem angelica)

Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading dogbane)

Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit)

Asarum canadense (Canadian wild ginger)

Asclepias exaltata (poke milkweed)

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

Barbarea vulgaris (winter cress)

Botrypus virginianus (rattlesnake fern)

Bromus inermis (smooth brome)

Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd’s purse)

Carex echinodes (prickly quill sedge)

Carex radiata (eastern star sedge)

Carex sprengelii (long-beaked sedge)

Carya cordiformis (bitternut hickory)

Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare (mouse-ear chickweed)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium discolor (field thistle)

Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)

Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata (bastard toadflax)

Cryptotaenia canadensis (Canadian honewort)

Dactylis glomerata ssp. glomerata (orchard grass)

Dryopteris carthusiana (spinulose wood fern)

Echinocystis lobata (wild cucumber)

Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy)

Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)

Erigeron annuus (annual fleabane)

Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane)

Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane)

Eryngium yuccifolium var. yuccifolium (rattlesnake master)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Galium asprellum (rough bedstraw)

Gentiana andrewsii (bottle gentian)

Geranium maculatum (wild geranium)

Geum aleppicum (yellow avens)

Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy)

Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed)

Heracleum maximum (American cow parsnip)

Hesperis matronalis ssp. matronalis (dame’s rocket)

Hydrophyllum appendiculatum (great waterleaf)

Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)

Hylodesmum glutinosum (pointed-leaved tick-trefoil)

Impatiens spp. (touch-me-not)

Juglans nigra (black walnut)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Laportea canadensis (Canadian woodnettle)

Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus) (veiny pea)

Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort)

Leucanthemum vulgare (oxeye daisy)

Lithospermum canescens (hoary puccoon)

Lonicera × bella (Bell’s honeysuckle)

Lonicera dioica (limber honeysuckle)

Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle)

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

Maianthemum stellatum (starry false Solomon’s seal)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Myosoton aquaticum (giant chickweed)

Nabalus albus (white rattlesnake root)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)

Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely)

Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam)

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Pastinaca sativa (wild parsnip)

Penstemon grandiflorus (large-flowered beardtongue)

Persicaria maculosa (spotted lady’s thumb)

Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass)

Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii (wild blue phlox)

Phlox pilosa ssp. fulgida (downy phlox)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass)

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla recta (sulphur cinquefoil)

Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil)

Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Quercus rubra (northern red oak)

Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa (red elderberry)

Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)

Sanicula odorata (clustered black snakeroot)

Scrophularia lanceolata (early figwort)

Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion)

Silphium laciniatum (compass plant)

Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (cup plant)

Smilax ecirrhata (upright carrionflower)

Solidago altissima (late goldenrod)

Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod)

Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue)

Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue)

Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood)

Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy)

Tradescantia bracteata (bracted spiderwort)

Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Triosteum aurantiacum var. aurantiacum (early horse gentian)

Triosteum perfoliatum (late horse gentian)

Ulmus americana (American elm)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Viola pubescens var. pubescens (downy yellow violet)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash)

Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

 

alsike clover

American cow parsnip

annual fleabane

Bell’s honeysuckle

black cherry

black cherry

bloodroot

bottle gentian

bracted spiderwort

Canada anemone

chokecherry

common evening primrose

common yarrow

cup plant

dame’s rocket

downy phlox

field thistle

golden alexanders

gray-headed coneflower

great waterleaf

hoary puccoon

large-flowered beardtongue

leadplant

Morrow’s honeysuckle

oxeye daisy

poke milkweed

prairie rose

rattlesnake master

red elderberry

sulphur cinquefoil

spotted touch-me-not

stiff goldenrod

Virginia waterleaf

white rattlesnake root

wild columbine

wild geranium

wild parsnip

yellow avens

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

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