About • Location • Activities • Ecology
About |
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Ownership |
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Links |
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Overview |
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The Nature Conservancy owns the land at Frenchman’s Bluff and leases it back to the Minnesota DNR. The site is 50 acres of glacial moraine overlooking the Red River Valley/Glacial Lake Agassiz basin. It includes an abandoned quarry near the parking area. There is a 5½ acre section of bur oak - aspen forest at the northeast corner. The understory in this section includes a dense shrub layer. While not impenetrable, passage through this area is difficult at best. There is another, smaller forested section south of the quarry. The rest of the preserve is dry sand - gravel prairie and mesic prairie. |
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History |
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Management |
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Comments |
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Activities |
Hiking Birding Nature photography Cross country skiing Snowshoeing |
Trails |
There are no maintained trails. A well-worn footpath leads a short distance from the parking area to the north rim of the gravel pit and then disappears. There are no other trails. |
Hunting and Fishing |
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Ecology |
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Ecological Classification |
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Ecological Province | Prairie Parkland Province | ||||
Ecological Section | Red River Valley | ||||
Ecological Subsection | Red River Prairie | ||||
Land Type Association | Flom Till Plain | ||||
Native Plant Communities* |
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Bur Oak - Aspen Forest Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Northern) Mesic Prairie (Northern) |
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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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Dan W. Andree |
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Frenchman’s Bluff SNA prescribed burn area regrowth... |
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… a prescribed burn they did this Spring at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA. That section needed it. So was good they did it and we have had some rains recently. That photo was taken on May 14, 2023. The burn was done some time around May 10, 2023. … It will be interesting to see how it grows. I could just barely see grass and plant sprouts poking through the burn that day. But I haven’t been out there since. I will check it out eventually one day and see. |
… it is regrowing nicely and should do well long as it gets normal rains in that region. | |
Prairie Flowers |
A big change this season from last seasons heat and drought. |
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“Prairie flowers in bloom at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA” |
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Frenchman’s Bluff ...Sept. 30, 2021 Took this today on a hike on the preserve. Looked nice so had to photograph it. Fall season can be short. |
Frenchman’s Bluff top of the hill view... Sept. 30, 2021 up on the big hill at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA. |
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Frenchman’s Bluff non-burned area and prescribed burn.... areas. Late June 2021. |
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I took a hike this afternoon at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA though still snow covered for the most part but melting at the same time with the milder temperature and on and off sunlight. A beautiful day. | Another view looking up the bluff or big hill |
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
Parking |
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Parking |
Wood routed sign | |
Quarry |
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Quarry |
Bur Oak - Aspen Forest | |
Mesic Prairie (Northern) |
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Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Northern) |
View from the Bluff |
Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Dan W. Andree |
Fungi and Lichens |
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Curtis’s Puffball (Lycoperdon curtisii) |
Insects and Arachnids |
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bearded bee fly (Anastoechus barbatus) common checkered-skipper (Pyrgus communis) coral hairstreak (Satyrium titus) eight-spotted flower longhorn beetle (Typocerus octonotatus) fork-tailed bush katydid (Scudderia furcata) half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans) ligated furrow bee (Halictus ligatus) Milbert’s tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti) northeastern pebble bee (Dianthidium simile) northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis) northern crab spider (Mecaphesa asperata) northern flower moth (Schinia septentrionalis) orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme) plains clubtail (Gomphurus externus) poison ivy sawfly (Arge humeralis) pure green sweat bee (Augochlora pura) regal fritillary (Argynnis idalia) slender crab spiders (Tibellus spp.) spot-tailed lion fly (Promachus vertebratus) swift crab spider (Mecaphesa celer) tawny-edged skipper (Polites themistocles) |
Plants |
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American pasqueflower (Anemone patens var. multifida) clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla) Flodman’s thistle (Cirsium flodmanii) great blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora) heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea) intermediate bellflower (Campanula intercedens) lance selfheal (Prunella vulgaris ssp. lanceolata) Leonard’s skullcap (Scutellaria parvula var. missouriensis) narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) northern small yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin) prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) prairie onion (Allium stellatum) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) |
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
Visits |
8/17/2010 8/2/2013 |
Birds |
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American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) |
Fungi and Lichens |
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Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)
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Insects and Arachnids |
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common wood nymph (Cercyonis pegala) |
Mammals |
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plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) |
Plants |
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Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List |
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Plants frequently found in: |
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alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa) American hazelnut (Corylus americana) American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus) balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) bigfruit hawthorn (Crataegus macrosperma) bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus) black medick (Medicago lupulina) bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii) blue giant hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common burdock (Arctium minus) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) crown vetch (Securigera varia) Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata var. punctata) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) field sagewort (Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata) Flodman’s thistle (Cirsium flodmanii) fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum) giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) Great Lakes sand cherry (Prunus pumila var. pumila) green foxtail (Setaria viridis var. viridis) grooved yellow flax (Linum sulcatum var. sulcatum) hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) hairy four o’clock (Mirabilis albida) hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) intermediate bellflower (Campanula intercedens) little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) mint-leaved bergamot (Monarda fistulosa var. menthifolia) narrow-leaved hawkweed (Hieracium umbellatum) narrow-leaved meadowsweet (Spiraea alba var. alba) narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) Nuttall’s evening primrose (Oenothera nuttallii) Nuttall’s little rose (Chamaerhodos erecta) pale agoseris (Agoseris glauca var. glauca) Pennsylvania cinquefoil (Potentilla pensylvanica) pineapple-weed (Matricaria discoidea) plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera) plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides ssp. acanthoides) prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii) prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) prairie larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens) prairie onion (Allium stellatum) prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum) prairie sagewort (Artemisia frigida) prairie smoke (Geum triflorum var. triflorum) purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum) purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) rough blazing star (Liatris aspera) rush skeletonplant (Lygodesmia juncea) showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula) smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum) spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida) stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus) tall cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta) tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) upright carrionflower (Smilax ecirrhata) western marbleseed (Lithospermum occidentale) western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya) white prairie clover (Dalea candida var. candida) white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana) white sweet clover (Melilotus albus) wolfberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)
Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Agastache foeniculum (blue giant hyssop) Agoseris glauca var. glauca (pale agoseris) Allium stellatum (prairie onion) Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) Ambrosia psilostachya (western ragweed) Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem) Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone) Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading dogbane) Arctium minus (common burdock) Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata (field sagewort) Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon) Artemisia frigida (prairie sagewort) Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage) Asclepias speciosa (showy milkweed) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (sideoats grama) Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed) Campanula intercedens (intermediate_bellflower) Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle) Chamaerhodos erecta (Nuttall’s little rose) Cirsium flodmanii (Flodman’s thistle) Corylus americana (American hazelnut) Crataegus macrosperma (bigfruit hawthorn) Dalea candida var. candida (white prairie clover) Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover) Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens (prairie larkspur) Drymocallis arguta (tall cinquefoil) Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower) Equisetum laevigatum (smooth scouring rush) Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass) Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane) Galium boreale (northern bedstraw) Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) Geum triflorum var. triflorum (prairie smoke) Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus (stiff sunflower) Heterotheca villosa (hairy false goldenaster) Heuchera richardsonii (prairie alumroot) Hieracium umbellatum (narrow-leaved hawkweed) Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass) Liatris aspera (rough blazing star) Liatris punctata var. punctata (dotted blazing star) Linum sulcatum var. sulcatum (grooved yellow flax) Lithospermum occidentale (western marbleseed) Lonicera tatarica (Tatarian honeysuckle) Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus (bird’s-foot trefoil) Lygodesmia juncea (rush skeletonplant) Matricaria discoidea (pineapple-weed) Medicago lupulina (black medick) Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa) Melilotus albus (white sweet clover) Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover) Mirabilis albida (hairy four o’clock) Monarda fistulosa var. menthifolia (mint-leaved bergamot) Oenothera nuttallii (Nuttall’s evening primrose) Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar) Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla pensylvanica (Pennsylvania cinquefoil) Prunus pumila var. pumila (Great Lakes sand cherry) Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry) Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) Securigera varia (crown vetch) Setaria viridis var. viridis (green foxtail) Smilax ecirrhata (upright carrionflower) Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod) Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod) Solidago speciosa (showy goldenrod) Spiraea alba var. alba (narrow-leaved meadowsweet) Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed) Symphoricarpos occidentalis (wolfberry) Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue) Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard) |
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Reptiles |
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plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix) |
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