Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Louisville Swamp Unit

FWS staff estimate that Louisville Swamp floods three out of every five years, and trail closures are common. A water control structure helps regulate the outflow into Sand Creek, a short course which flows into the Minnesota River. The unit also includes dry lands above the bluffs which bear old fields, prairie, and oak savanna. The unit is located on the right bank of the river just north of Jordan, Minnesota.

There was once a Wahpeton Sioux village called Inyan Ceyaka Otonwe, or Little Rapids, here. The unit’s Mazomani Trail is named after a Wahpeton chief. Jean-Baptiste Faribault built a fur trading post near the village in 1802 and lived here for seven years. The exact site of the village and trading post are lost, but the remains of two historic farmsteads are still visible. The Ehmiller Farmstead is in ruins, but at the Jabs Farm two buildings have been restored and a third stabilized. The barn was built in 1880 by Robert and Anna Riedel. Frederick Jabs bought the 379 acre (1.5 km²) farmstead in 1905 and his family lived there as subsistence farmers until 1952.

This is a wild area along the Minnesota River that's part of a larger complex of protected areas. These photos are from visits beginning on Decmber 13 and 31, 2011, continuing now through warmer times . Click here for details.

Uploaded on Jun 7, 2009

Some pics from the trails at Louisville Swamp. Jabs Farm, the Glacial Boulder, and other stuff.

Uploaded on Jan 21, 2012

Pictures from our wanderings at Louisville Swamp, part of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

Published on Apr 18, 2012

A short set of videos from the Louisville Swamp Unit along the Minnesota River, set to Greg Brown's song, Sleeper.

Published on Feb 28, 2011

Terrific skiing near Carver Rapids, by the Louisville Swamp, in the Minnesota River Valley. Enjoy a dinner table with a view, and a hot meal cooked, once again, on an alcohol stove. An epilogue at the end of the video shows my stove, for those gear-nuts who love these things.

Uploaded on Oct 16, 2011

The weather was far to beautiful to waste the afternoon watching football. But being unable to secure a partner to go sport climbing with, I decided to grab my shoes and a crash pad and enjoyed an excellent day of solitary bouldering.