Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve

Overview
Photos
Slideshows
Videos
Observations



			Dakota and Scott Counties
			Metro Area

		Driving Directions Get a Google map and driving directions to this destination from any address. Your Address (street address and either city and state or ZIP code)

Size

2,786 acres

Maps

Summer

Winter

Singletrack (Mountain Bike)

Parking

Murphy Lake Boulevard (hiking trailhead)
N44 43.450, W93 20.876

Sunset Lake Road (horse trailhead)
N44 42.502, W93 19.845

Judicial Road (dog trailhead)
N44 41.448, W93 19.052

Hiking Trails

Summer
4 miles hiking only
13 miles horse/hiking
1.7 miles dog/horse/hiking
10 miles mountain bike only

Winter
5.7 miles winter snowshoeing/hiking

Hunting

Deer hunting by shotgun and archery.

See Natural Resources Management (Three Rivers Park District) for details.

Ecological Classification

Province

Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province

Section

Minnesota & NE Iowa Morainal

Subsection(s)

Big Woods
St. Paul-Baldwin Plains

Land Type Association(s)

Elko Moraine

Wescott Moraine

Native Plant Communities¹

Cattail - Sedge Marsh (Northern)

Dry Hill Oak Savanna (Southern)

Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland

Red Oak - White Oak - (Sugar Maple) Forest

Sedge Meadow

Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp

Ownership

Links

Three Rivers Park District

Comments

Horse Park
This is a popular park for horseback riders. If you hike the horse trails you will encounter horseback riders, even on a week day.

Wildlife Sanctuary
The northeast corner of the park is a wildlife sanctuary. Trails leading to it are marked “Trail Closed”.

Important Bird Area
In 2004 Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve was designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.

Flies
This is a popular park for horseback riders. Horse flies and deer flies are prolific here in the summer. Deer fly season is June and July. Horse fly season is July and August. If you hike the horse trails during fly season you will want to wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants. A headnet is a plus.

Prairie Restoration
The area labeled “restored prairie” on the park map was sprayed with 2,4-d herbicide in May, 2014. One week later, every plant on these prairies was dead or dying.

Visits

7/24/1998

5/30/2006

5/29/2014

3/10/2015

4/8/2017


Visitor Photos

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Trailhead Parking


Trail Maps are Available in the Mailbox at the Trailhead


Trails Closed at Wildlife Sanctuary


Hanrehan Lake


Red Oak - White Oak - (Sugar Maple) Forest




Sedge Meadow


Cattail Marsh


Prairie Restoration




Other Prairie


Dog Trail Parking


Winter Trails

Camera


Slideshows

	Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, 2016 Carey

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

	Sunday Afternoon Walk Tony Carlisle

	About Published on Oct 14, 2013 Sights from our Sunday afternoon walk at Murphy - Hanrehan Park Reserve

	Keeping Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve wild (but not that wild) Sascha Lodge

	About Published on Sep 3, 2013 Keeping Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve wild (but not that wild) Dan Comerford, Forestry Specialist, Three Rivers Park District Presented August 15th, 2013 at the University of Minnesota Invasive Plants Symposium

	2012 Surf the Murph Bryan Cochran

	About Published on Nov 7, 2012 Surf the Murph is a trail run through the beautiful Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve held each year on the last Saturday in October.

	Murphy-Hanrehan 10_9_2011 Mountain Bike Trails Three Rivers Park Single Track elizabeth flom

	About Uploaded on Oct 9, 2011 Three Rivers Park District Mountain Bike Trail System at Murphy Hanrehan Park Reserve - Great Single Track ,Trails 84 degree October Day!

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Visitor Observations

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Observations


Amphibians	American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata) northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Birds	This site provides habitat for the only-known breeding Hooded Warbler population in the state.

	Five bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:
	Endangered	Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii)

	Special concern	Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

	American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) Common Loon (Gavia immer) Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens) European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) Great Egret (Ardea alba) Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis tabida) Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

Fungi and Lichens	Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa) False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea) Oat Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae) Scarlet Cup (Sarcoscypha austriaca)

Insects and Arachnids	bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) cabbage white (Pieris rapae) chalk-fronted corporal (Ladona julia) common green darner (Anax junius) common whitetail (Plathemis lydia) elm finger gall mite (Eriophyes parulmi) Hobomok skipper (Poanes hobomok) horse fly (Tabanus spp.) monarch (Danaus plexippus) question mark (Polygonia interrogationis) viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

Mammals	American beaver (Castor canadensis) American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) coyote (Canis latrans) eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Plants	Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Plant List

	Plants frequently found in: Cattail - Sedge Marsh (Northern) MRn83a Dry Hill Oak Savanna (Southern) UPs14c Pin Oak - Bur Oak Woodland FDs37b Red Oak - White Oak - (Sugar Maple) Forest MHs37b Sedge Meadow WMn82b Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp WMn82a

	Common Name Scientific Name alfalfa (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa) Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis) American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana) American black currant (Ribes americanum) American elm (Ulmus americana) American hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata var. bracteata) American plum (Prunus americana) American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus) American vetch (Vicia americana ssp. americana) Aunt Lucy (Ellisia nyctelea) bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata) bigleaf aster (Eurybia macrophylla) bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata) bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina) black medick (Medicago lupulina) black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima) black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii) bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium sp.) bog willow (Salix pedicellaris) boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo) broad-leaved cattail (Typha latifolia) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense) Canadian honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) cleavers (Galium aparine) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common burdock (Arctium minus) common cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum) common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata) early meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum) eastern bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix) eastern prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) field peppergrass (Lepidium campestre) field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) field thistle (Cirsium discolor) fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum) garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) giant chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum) golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana) ironwood (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana) jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) leadplant (Amorpha canescens) leafy spurge (Euphorbia virgata) limber honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica) Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia) northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) northern blue flag (Iris versicolor) northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina ssp. angustum) northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) orange daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica) pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) pale touch-me-not (Impatiens pallida) Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus) plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera) prairie crabapple (Malus ioensis) purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) red baneberry (Actaea rubra ssp. rubra) red clover (Trifolium pratense) red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea) red pine (Pinus resinosa) rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides) Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris) sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis) Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) silver maple (Acer saccharinum) slender willow (Salix petiolaris) smooth carrionflower (Smilax herbacea) smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum) smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) spinulose wood fern (Dryopteris carthusiana) spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis) staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum) stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida) stinging nettle (Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis) sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum) sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis var. perennis) swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata) tall cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta) tall meadow rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum) Tartarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) tufted loosestrife (Lysimachia thyrsiflora) upright carrionflower (Smilax ecirrhata) variegated yellow pond lily (Nuphar variegata) Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) western bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) wheat sedge (Carex atherodes) white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba) white clover (Trifolium repens) white oak (Quercus alba) wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) wild ginger (Asarum canadense) wild grape (Vitis riparia) wild leek (Allium tricoccum) wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) winter cress (Barbarea vulgaris) wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca ssp. americana) yellow marsh marigold (Caltha palustris var. palustris) yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) yellow violet (Viola pubescens) yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta) zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder) Acer saccharinum (silver maple) Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Actaea rubra ssp. rubra (red baneberry) Adiantum pedatum (northern maidenhair) Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) Allium tricoccum (wild leek) Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) Amorpha canescens (leadplant) Amphicarpaea bracteata var. bracteata (American hog peanut) Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia (wood anemone) Antennaria neglecta (field pussytoes) Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine) Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla) Arctium minus (common burdock) Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit) Asarum canadense (wild ginger) Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed) Athyrium filix-femina ssp. angustum (northern lady fern) Barbarea vulgaris (winter cress) Caltha palustris var. palustris (yellow marsh marigold) Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed) Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd’s purse) Carex atherodes (wheat Sedge) Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh) Cirsium discolor (field thistle) Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata (bastard toadflax) Cornus alternifolia (pagoda dogwood) Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood) Cryptotaenia canadensis (Canadian honewort) Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover) Drymocallis arguta (tall cinquefoil) Dryopteris carthusiana (spinulose wood fern) Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy) Elymus hystrix (eastern bottlebrush grass) Equisetum arvense (field horsetail) Equisetum fluviatile (water horsetail) Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane) Euphorbia virgata (leafy spurge) Eurybia macrophylla (bigleaf aster) Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (woodland strawberry) Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry) Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) Galearis spectabilis (showy orchis) Galium aparine (cleavers) Galium boreale (northern bedstraw) Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) Geranium maculatum (wild geranium) Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy) Hemerocallis fulva (orange daylily) Impatiens capensis (spotted touch-me-not) Impatiens pallida (pale touch-me-not) Iris versicolor (northern blue flag) Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort) Lepidium campestre (field peppergrass) Lonicera dioica (limber honeysuckle) Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle) Lonicera tatarica (Tartarian honeysuckle) Lupinus perennis var. perennis (sundial lupine) Lysimachia thyrsiflora (tufted loosestrife) Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower) Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal) Maianthemum stellatum (starry false Solomon’s seal) Malus ioensis (prairie crabapple) Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern) Medicago lupulina (black medick) Medicago sativa ssp. sativa (alfalfa) Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover) Menispermum canadense (Canada moonseed) Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) Myosoton aquaticum (giant chickweed) Nuphar variegata (variegated yellow pond lily) Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern) Osmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern) Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (ironwood) Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel) Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Pastinaca sativa (wild parsnip) Pinus resinosa (red pine) Pinus sylvestris (Scotch pine) Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain) Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal) Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood) Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil) Prunus americana (American plum) Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry) Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry) Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum (western bracken fern) Quercus alba (white oak) Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Quercus rubra (northern red oak) Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Rhus glabra (smooth sumac) Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac) Ribes americanum (American black currant) Ribes cynosbati (eastern prickly gooseberry) Rubus allegheniensis (Allegheny blackberry) Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry) Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry) Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan) Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower) Salix pedicellaris (bog willow) Salix petiolaris (slender willow) Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot) Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion) Sisyrinchium sp. (blue-eyed grass) Smilax ecirrhata (upright carrionflower) Smilax herbacea (smooth carrionflower) Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade) Solidago flexicaulis (zigzag goldenrod) Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod) Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion) Thalictrum dasycarpum (tall meadow rue) Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow rue) Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone) Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress) Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood) Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Trifolium repens (white clover) Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail) Typha latifolia (broad-leaved cattail) Ulmus americana (American elm) Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis (stinging nettle) Uvularia grandiflora (large-flowered bellwort) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Viburnum lentago (nannyberry) Vicia americana ssp. americana (American vetch) Viola pubescens (yellow violet) Viola sororia (common blue violet) Vitis riparia (wild grape) Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash) Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

Reptiles	This site hosts a population of approximately 100 Blanding’s turtles.

	One reptile species with conservation status in Minnesota is found here:
	Threatened	Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)

	common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) painted turtle (Chrysemys picta)