Blue Mounds State Park

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Slideshows
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Observations







			Rock County




Size	1830 acres statutory, 1,579 owned

Maps	Minnesota DNR Summer Map

Park Office	N43 42.998, W96 11.455

Hiking Trails	13 miles 1 mile interpretive trail

Hunting	No hunting

Ecological Classification	Province	Prairie Parkland Province
	Section	North Central Glaciated Plains
	Subsection(s)	Inner Coteau
	Land Type Association(s)	Blue Mounds Luverne Alluvial Plain Trosky Till Plain

Native Plant Communities¹	Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest Cattail - Sedge Marsh (Prairie) Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie): Sioux Quartzite Subtype Dry Hill Prairie (Southern) Elm - Basswood - Black Ash - (Hackberry) Forest Mesic Prairie (Southern) Seepage Meadow/Carr: Tussock Sedge Subtype Southern Dry Savanna Spikerush - Bur Reed Marsh (Prairie) Wet Prairie (Southern)

Ownership

Links	Minnesota DNR

Comments	Eagle Rock, the high point in the park at 1,683 feet, provides a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view that includes three states.

Visits	8/1/1999 8/28/2005


Visitor Photos

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Park Entrance


360° Panoramic View

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Slideshows

	Blue Mounds St Pk R1 R2 Restoration Evaluation


	Blue Mounds St Pk R3 R4 Restoration Evaluation


	Blue Mounds State Park Richard Sanders

	About Blue Mounds State Park, MN

	Blue Mounds State Park, A photo essay Schnellphoto

	About Published on Sep 7, 2012 A Photo Essay of Blue Mounds State Park, Minnesota. A film by Joel Schnell. www.schnellphoto.com

	"Blue Mounds State Park" Lahardee's photos around Luverne, United States (luverne park sd) TripAdvisorTRIPWOWu

	About Uploaded on Dec 19, 2010 Preview of Lahardee's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelpod.com%2Ftravel-blog-entries%2Flahardee%2F1%2F1245449492%2Ftpod.html&session_token=H4jM6cagZGTP-EGys9FwxOIsRT58MTM5MzYwODUxMEAxMzkzNTIyMTEw This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Learn more about these videos: http://www.travelpod.com/help/faq#youtube

	Blue Mounds State Park, Minnesota campsitephotosdotcom

	About Published on Oct 28, 2013 Favorite Sites: 2, 5, 13, 15, 29, 31, 40, 42, 47, 50, 66, 67

	Blue Mounds State park Minnesota Chris Kratzke

	About Published on Feb 10, 2014 I created this video with the YouTube Slideshow Creator

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

	New bison calves, at Blue Mounds State Park! MinnesotaDNR

	About Published on May 15, 2012 New bison calves have been born on the Minnesota prairie at Blue Mounds State Park. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/blue_mounds

	A walk/hike through Blue Mounds state park. GoPro Jason Bechler

	About Published on Jul 3, 2013 A walk/hike through Blue Mounds state park. GoPro head mount

	Bison Roundup at Blue Mounds State Park MinnesotaDNR

	About Published on Oct 26, 2012 Take a front row seat at the Blue Mounds State Park bison roundup!

	Blue mounds state park - Luverne MN Jason Bechler

	About Uploaded on May 29, 2011 I take you on a journy where my feet have never been before LOL.. its nature.

	Blue Mounds State Park Single Track Ryan Hagen

	About Published on Aug 21, 2013 No description available.

	Dave Stone's YouTube Page Blue Mounds State Park

	About Published on Aug 17, 2012 This video displays some of the breathtaking views at Blue Mounds State Park in Luverne, Minnesota - a state park in the Southwestern part of the state. This state park is known for its beautiful landscapes and protected herd of bison.

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Visitor Observations

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Observations


Birds	Twenty bird species with conservation status in Minnesota and one tracked species have been seen here:
	Endangered	Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii)

	Threatened	Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

	Special concern	American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii) Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri) Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni) Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Purple Martin (Progne subis) Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

	Tracked	Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

	Minnesota DNR Bird Checklist

	Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

Insects and Arachnids	One insect species with conservation status in Minnesota is found here:
	Special concern	regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia)

	goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus) monarch (Danaus plexippus) orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme) painted lady (Vanessa cardui) regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia)

Mammals	American bison (Bison bison) eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Plants	Sixteen plant species with conservation status in Minnesota are found here:
	Endangered	blackfoot quillwort (Isoetes melanopoda) hairy waterclover (Marsilea vestita) western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara) Wolf’s spikerush (Eleocharis wolfii)

	Threatened	blue mudplantain (Heteranthera limosa) disk water-hyssop (Bacopa rotundifolia) tapertip flatsedge (Cyperus acuminatus) two-headed water starwort (Callitriche heterophylla var. heterophylla)

	Special concern	buffalo grass (Buchloë dactyloides) narrow-leaved vervain (Verbena simplex) Oregon woodsia (Woodsia oregana ssp. cathcartiana) plains prickly pear (Opuntia macrorhiza) slender plantain (Plantago elongata) small white lady’s slipper (Cypripedium candidum) tumblegrass (Schedonnardus paniculatus) water mudwort (Limosella aquatica)

	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (Bell Museum of Natural History) Plant List

	Plants frequently found in: Basswood - Bur Oak - (Green Ash) Forest MHs38b Cattail - Sedge Marsh (Prairie) MRp83a Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie): Sioux Quartzite Subtype ROs12a2 Dry Hill Prairie (Southern) UPs13d Elm - Basswood - Black Ash - (Hackberry) Forest MHs49a Mesic Prairie (Southern) UPs23a Seepage Meadow/Carr: Tussock Sedge Subtype WMs83a1 Southern Dry Savanna UPs14 Spikerush - Bur Reed Marsh (Prairie) MRp93b Wet Prairie (Southern) WPs54b

	Common Name Scientific Name American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) blue vervain (Verbena hastata) brittle prickly pear (Opuntia fragilis) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior) Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis) candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica) common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus) common plantain (Plantago major) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) compass plant (Silphium laciniatum) curly dock (Rumex crispus) dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata var. punctata) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia var. graminifolia) hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) leadplant (Amorpha canescens) oval-leaf milkweed (Asclepias ovalifolia) plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera) plains prickly pear (Opuntia macrorhiza) prairie onion (Allium stellatum) prairie rose (Rosa arkansana) prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea) red clover (Trifolium pratense) Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota ssp. carota) reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) rough blazing star (Liatris aspera) round-headed bush clover (Lespedeza capitata) short-awned foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis) showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum) smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum) smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida) swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata) tall cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta) timothy (Phleum pratense) white clover (Trifolium repens) white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides) white prairie clover (Dalea candida) white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana) white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima var. altissima) white sweet clover (Melilotus albus) whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) wild grape (Vitis riparia) yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius) yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Ageratina altissima var. altissima (white snakeroot) Allium stellatum (prairie onion) Alopecurus aequalis (short-awned foxtail) Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) Amorpha canescens (leadplant) Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone) Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage) Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed) Asclepias ovalifolia (oval-leaf milkweed) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior (butterfly weed) Asclepias verticillata (whorled milkweed) Conyza canadensis (Canadian horseweed) Dalea candida (white prairie clover) Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover) Daucus carota ssp. carota (Queen Anne’s lace) Drymocallis arguta (tall cinquefoil) Equisetum laevigatum (smooth scouring rush) Euthamia graminifolia var. graminifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod) Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce) Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover) Liatris aspera (rough blazing star) Liatris punctata var. punctata (dotted blazing star) Lycopus americanus (American bugleweed) Melilotus albus (white sweet clover) Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover) Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose) Opuntia fragilis (brittle prickly pear) Opuntia macrorhiza (plains prickly pear) Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass) Phleum pratense (timothy) Plantago major (common plantain) Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal) Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Rhus glabra (smooth sumac) Rosa arkansana (prairie rose) Rumex crispus (curly dock) Silphium laciniatum (compass plant) Solidago canadensis (Canada goldenrod) Solidago rigida (stiff goldenrod) Solidago speciosa (showy goldenrod) Sonchus asper (prickly sow thistle) Sonchus oleraceus (common sow thistle) Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass) Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides (white heath aster) Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Trifolium repens (white clover) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Verbena hastata (blue vervain) Verbena stricta (hoary vervain) Vitis riparia (wild grape)