Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Closed to the Public

 

 

About

Ownership

Upper Sioux Community

 

Closed to the Public

 

Upper Sioux Agency State Park was permanently closed to the public on February 16, 2024.

Due to a longstanding request by the Upper Sioux Community, all state-owned land within the park was returned to the Upper Sioux Community. The park is now closed for both day and night use, the gates are closed, and there is no access to the trails.

For more information, click on one of the links below.

Links

Minnesota DNR

Upper Sioux Community

 

Overview

 

 

History

 

 

Management

 

 

Comments

 

Location

Size

1,323 acres

 

Driving Directions

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  Area and County
    County   Yellow Medicine County
    Region   Southwest Minnesota

Parking

 

 

Hours

 

 

Fees

 

 

Maps

 

Activities

 

 

Trails

 

 

 

Hunting and Fishing

 

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    

Bunde Till Plain

Milan Alluvial Plain

 
         

Native Plant Communities*

 

Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest

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

   

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor Photos
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
Upper Sioux Agency State Park   Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Former park entrance

     
Upper Sioux Agency State Park   Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Trails

     
Upper Sioux Agency State Park   Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Dry prairie

     
Upper Sioux Agency State Park   Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Dry prairie

  Wet prairie
     
Upper Sioux Agency State Park   Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Wet Prairie

   
     
Upper Sioux Agency State Park   Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Yellow Medicine Agency Employees Duplex Historic Site

  Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest
     
Upper Sioux Agency State Park   Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Overlook

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
     
     
     
     
     
     

 

slideshow

Visitor Videos
 

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Other Videos

Tipi camping at Upper Sioux Agency State Park Minnesota
amantastic

About

Aug 25, 2016

Upper Sioux Agency State Park to Vicksburgh
Minnesota State Parks and Trails

About

Jun 29, 2016

Aerial Footage of the Upper Sioux Agency and Reservation
Jefferson Cox

About

Sep 5, 2015

Video captures of the beautiful river valley near the Upper Sioux community of Minnesota

Upper Sioux Agency State Park / 2018.08.18
Guy SoMinn

About

Jan 1, 2019

VLOG: "Timelessness" Reflection from trip to [Upper Sioux Agency State Park] #INSPIRING
Coach Fru Louis

About

Apr 20, 2020

My Visit to Upper Sioux Agency State Park. This top had an amazing view to the Minnesota River Valley below. I had some time to reflect about Timelessness. How this place looked Millions of years ago. How it looks today. And How it would look tomorrow. Very humbling and #INSPIRING

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

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Kirk Nelson

Insects and Arachnids

robber fly (Family Asilidae)   robber fly
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

Visits

4/26/2000

9/9/2011

5/31/2012

Amphibians

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Amphibians and Reptiles List

northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens)   northern leopard frog

Birds

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

Endangered

Henslow’s Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii)

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

Threatened

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

Special Concern

Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)

American Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus)

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea)

Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)

Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Purple Martin (Progne subis)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

Minnesota DNR Bird checklist

eBird Field Checklist

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens)

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

 

American Goldfinch

American Robin

Bald Eagle

Brown Thrasher

Brown-headed Cowbird

Canada Goose

Chipping Sparrow

Mourning Dove

Song Sparrow

Fishes

One fish species with conservation status in Minnesota has been seen here:

Special Concern

least darter (Etheostoma microperca)

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fishes List

     

Fungi and Lichens

Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata)

Rust of Prickly Ash (Puccinia andropogonis var. xanthoxyli)

Stalked Scarlet Cup (Sarcoscypha occidentalis)

  Black Knot

Insects and Arachnids

Minnesota Bee Atlas

American lady (Vanessa virginiensis)

black firefly (Lucidota atra)

cabbage white (Pieris rapae)

common buckeye (Junonia coenia)

convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens)

eastern tailed-blue (Cupido comyntas)

eastern tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma americanum)

forage looper (Caenurgina erechtea)

forest tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma disstria)

goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

multicolored Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis)

orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

question mark (Polygonia interrogationis)

red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

seven-spotted lady beetle (Coccinella septempunctata)

spring field cricket (Gryllus veletis)

twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

white snakeroot leaf miner (Liriomyza eupatoriella)

 

American lady

eastern tailed-blue

forage looper moth

forest tent caterpillar moth

monarch

twelve-spotted skimmer

Mammals

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Mammals List

American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

woodchuck (Marmota monax)

  American red squirrel

Plants

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

Special Concern

Missouri milkvetch (Astragalus missouriensis var. missouriensis)

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

Plants frequently found in:

Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest MHs38b

Dry Hill Prairie (Southern) UPs13d

Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland FDs37b

   

 

absinthe wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa)

American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana)

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)

American cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum)

American elm (Ulmus americana)

American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana)

American pasqueflower (Anemone patens var. multifida)

American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana)

Amur maple (Acer ginnala)

asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

Aunt Lucy (Ellisia nyctelea)

balsam groundsel (Packera paupercula)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)

bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Blue Ridge carrionflower (Smilax lasioneura)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

bracted spiderwort (Tradescantia bracteata)

bristly greenbrier (Smilax tamnoides)

bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense)

Canadian honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis)

Canadian white violet (Viola canadensis var. rugulosa)

Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis)

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 dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

common hop (Humulus lupulus)

common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common plantain (Plantago major)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata)

dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis ssp. matronalis)

desert false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

early figwort (Scrophularia lanceolata)

eastern prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)

field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense)

field sagewort (Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata)

fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum)

garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

giant chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea)

heart-leaved golden alexanders (Zizia aptera)

hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana)

hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens)

hoary vervain (Verbena stricta)

jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)

large-flowered beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

limber honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica)

lowland hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata var. comosa)

mapleleaf goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex)

Maximilian’s sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)

Missouri gooseberry (Ribes missouriense)

nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)

northern bedstraw (Galium boreale)

northern hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

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

northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

orange daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)

Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus)

pineapple-weed (Matricaria discoidea)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

porcupine grass (Hesperostipa spartea)

prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii)

prairie larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens)

prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

prairie turnip (Pediomelum esculentum)

purple locoweed (Oxytropis lambertii var. lambertii)

purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea)

quackgrass (Elymus repens)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red pine (Pinus resinosa)

reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

rough cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)

silver maple (Acer saccharinum)

slippery elm (Ulmus rubra)

smooth rose (Rosa blanda var. blanda)

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

smooth sumac (Rhus glabra)

spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis)

starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida)

sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum)

sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense)

upright carrionflower (Smilax ecirrhata)

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum)

western marbleseed (Lithospermum occidentale)

western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)

western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya)

white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens)

white mulberry (Morus alba)

white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima)

wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

wild grape (Vitis riparia)

wild mint (Mentha arvensis)

wolfberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca ssp. americana)

woolly plantain (Plantago patagonica)

yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)

yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis)

yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

 

Acer ginnala (Amur maple)

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple)

Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot)

Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia psilostachya (western ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Amorpha fruticosa (desert false indigo)

Amphicarpaea bracteata var. comosa (lowland hog peanut)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Anemone patens var. multifida (American pasqueflower)

Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit)

Artemisia absinthium (absinthe wormwood)

Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata (field sagewort)

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Asparagus officinalis (asparagus)

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

Berteroa incana (hoary alyssum)

Celastrus scandens (American bittersweet)

Celtis occidentalis (northern hackberry)

Chenopodium album (common lambsquarters)

Chenopodium simplex (mapleleaf goosefoot)

Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle)

Cryptotaenia canadensis (Canadian honewort)

Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover)

Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens (prairie larkspur)

Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy)

Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)

Elymus repens (quackgrass)

Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane)

Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (woodland strawberry)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium aparine (cleavers)

Galium boreale (northern bedstraw)

Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw)

Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian’s sunflower)

Hemerocallis fulva (orange daylily)

Heracleum maximum (American cow parsnip)

Hesperis matronalis ssp. matronalis (dame’s rocket)

Hesperostipa spartea (porcupine grass)

Heuchera richardsonii (prairie alumroot)

Humulus lupulus (common hop)

Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)

Impatiens capensis (spotted touch-me-not)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Laportea canadensis (Canadian woodnettle)

Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort)

Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass)

Lithospermum canescens (hoary puccoon)

Lithospermum occidentale (western marbleseed)

Lonicera dioica (limber honeysuckle)

Maianthemum stellatum (starry false Solomon’s seal)

Matricaria discoidea (pineapple-weed)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa)

Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover)

Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed)

Mentha arvensis (wild mint)

Mirabilis nyctaginea (heart-leaved four o’clock)

Morus alba (white mulberry)

Myosoton aquaticum (giant chickweed)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely)

Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam)

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

Oxytropis lambertii var. lambertii (purple locoweed)

Packera paupercula (balsam groundsel)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Pediomelum esculentum (prairie turnip)

Penstemon grandiflorus (large-flowered beardtongue)

Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass)

Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy)

Pinus resinosa (red pine)

Pinus strobus (eastern white pine)

Plantago major (common plantain)

Plantago patagonica (woolly plantain)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

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

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla recta (sulphur cinquefoil)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)

Ribes cynosbati (eastern prickly gooseberry)

Ribes missouriense (Missouri gooseberry)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Rosa blanda var. blanda (smooth rose)

Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)

Sanicula odorata (clustered black snakeroot)

Scrophularia lanceolata (early figwort)

Smilax ecirrhata (upright carrionflower)

Smilax lasioneura (Blue Ridge carrionflower)

Smilax tamnoides (bristly greenbrier)

Solidago rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Symphoricarpos occidentalis (wolfberry)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress)

Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood)

Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy)

Tradescantia bracteata (bracted spiderwort)

Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover)

Ulmus americana (American elm)

Ulmus rubra (slippery elm)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Verbena stricta (hoary vervain)

Viburnum lentago (nannyberry)

Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch)

Viola canadensis var. rugulosa (Canadian white violet)

Vitis riparia (wild grape)

Xanthium strumarium (rough cocklebur)

Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash)

Zizia aptera (heart-leaved golden alexanders)

Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

 

American cow parsnip

American pasqueflower

black raspberry

bloodroot

bracted spiderwort

bur oak (var. macrocarpa)

Canada anemone

chokecherry

common evening primrose

common hop

common mullein

cut-leaved coneflower

fragrant bedstraw

heart-leaved golden alexanders

hoary vervain

large-flowered beardtongue

leadplant

Maximilian’s sunflower

nannyberry

northern bedstraw

orange daylily

pineapple-weed

prairie rose

prairie turnip

purple prairie clover

sulphur cinquefoil

spotted touch-me-not

stiff goldenrod

Virginia waterleaf

wild columbine

white snakeroot

wild parsnip

yellow goat’s beard

yellow sweet clover

 

Reptiles

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Amphibians and Reptiles List

common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)   common garter snake

 

 

Binoculars

 

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