La Crescent, MN
About • Location • Activities • Ecology
About |
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Ownership |
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Links |
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Overview |
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Vetsch Park is the second largest park in La Crescent Minnesota. At one time the location was an apple orchard. The owner donated the 25 acres to the City of La Crescent, and the park is named after him. There is a parking area at the end of N. 2nd St. A short mowed trail leads west from the parking area, past a dog walking area, to a 0.52-mile loop trail. The loop trail passes through a red oak - white oak - silver maple forest as it climbs a steep bluff, follows a ridge line, and returns to the parking area. There are also several other intersecting trails within and south of the park. One of these trails leads to Stoney Point, a bald area with a spectacular view of La Crescent and the Mississippi River. The narrow ridge and steep bluff is characteristic of the topography of the driftless area in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. |
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History |
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At one time the location was an apple orchard. The owner donated the 25 acres to the City of La Crescent, and the park is named after him. |
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Management |
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Comments |
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Location |
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Maps |
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Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates |
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Size |
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25 acres |
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Parking |
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722 N 2nd St. N43 49.872, W91 18.882 |
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Hours |
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6:00am to 10:00pm |
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Fees |
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No fee |
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Driving Directions |
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Houston County | ||||||
Southeast Minnesota | ||||||
Activities |
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Hiking Trails |
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0.52-mile loop trail |
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Hunting |
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No hunting |
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Ecology |
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Ecological Classification |
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Ecological Province | Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province | ||||||
Ecological Section | Paleozoic Plateau | ||||||
Ecological Subsection | The Blufflands | ||||||
Land Type Association | Brownsville Slopes | ||||||
Native Plant Communities* |
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* Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources | |||||||
Natural Features |
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Visitor Photos |
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Greg Watson |
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Picture of the park sign. |
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Looking back towards parking at the end of N. 2nd St. |
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The view from near Stoney Point in Vetsch Park towards Eagles Bluff Park. The “bald spot” is the La Crescent Lookout on Eagles Bluff. |
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Looking east at Stoney Point with La Crescent in the foreground and off in the distance is La Crosse, WI. |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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Greg Watson |
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Centipedes and Millipedes |
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Fungi and Lichens |
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Plants |
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bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 4/30/2022
Last Updated: