Split Rock Creek State Park

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

Minnesota DNR logo

 
     
 

Links

 
 

Minnesota DNR

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

 

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

all season map

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
         
         
 

Size

 
 

1,926 acres statutory, 953 owned

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

336 50th Avenue
Jasper, MN 56144

N43 53.756, W96 21.941

 
         
 

Hours

 
 

Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.

 
         
 

Fees

 
 

Daily park permit: $7

Annual park permit: $35

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

Get driving directions from Google Maps to this destination from any address, and send those directions to your phone.

   
          Pipestone County  
          Southwest Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

4½ miles
2½ mile interpretive trail
½ mile handicapped accessible

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

No hunting

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Prairie Parkland Province

   
  Ecological Section    

North Central Glaciated Plains

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Inner Coteau

   
  Land Type Association    

Beaver Creek Till Plain

Blue Mounds

Trosky Till Plain

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie): Sioux Quartzite Subtype

Dry Hill Prairie (Southern)

Mesic Prairie (Southern)

   
  * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources      
         
 

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Park Entrance

 
    Split Rock Creek State Park      
           
 

Split Rock Lake

 
    Split Rock Creek State Park   Split Rock Creek State Park  
           
    Split Rock Creek State Park   Split Rock Creek State Park  
           
 

Dry Hill Prairie (Southern)

 
    Split Rock Creek State Park      
           
 

Split Rock Lake Dam

 
    Split Rock Creek State Park      
           
 

Trails

 
    Split Rock Creek State Park   Split Rock Creek State Park  
           
    Split Rock Creek State Park      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Split Rock Creek State Park
Richard Sanders
 
  Split Rock Creek State Park  
 
About

Split Rock Creek State Park, MN

 
  Great Minnesota Parks: Split Rock Creek State Park
pioneerpublic
 
   
 
About

Published on May 29, 2014

Split Rock Creek State Park is featured.

Connect with us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pioneerpublictv

For more information about Pioneer Public TV, including how you can become a member, go to http://www.pioneer.org. Additional Pioneer productions can also be viewed online at http://video.pioneer.org.

 
  Split Rock Creek State park Minnesota
Chris Kratzke
 
   
 
About

Published on Feb 10, 2014

I created this video with the YouTube Slideshow Creator

 
  Split Rock Creek State Park, Minnesota
campsitephotosdotcom
 
   
 
About

Published on Oct 30, 2013

Favorite Sites: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 23, 25, 27

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  S2:E6 SPLIT ROCK CREEK STATE PARK, Minnesota (06.20.2019) Old Dad Revival
Old Dad Revival
 
   
 
About

May 25, 2020

Split Rock Creek State Park is the home of Prairie Hill which has never been cultivated and still features all of the native plants and flowers of Minnesota, just as it has for hundreds of years. The man made lake was created in 1938 what he WPA built the Split Rock Creek Dam. It is a great place to relax and unwind as we did in June of 2019.

MN Department of Natural Resources Split Rock Creek State Park:
- http://MNDNR.GOV/SPLITROCKCREEK
Pipestone National :
- https://www.nps.gov/pipe/

In 1937 a petition was started to save the native grasslands around Prairie Hill. It has never been cultivated and features plants and flowers native to Minnesota. The park staff monitor the hill and remove any invasive species that might find their way in to the mix. The flowers provide a bouquet of changing colors with the seasons. The Well House on top of Prairie Hill is the highest point of the park and provides an amazing view over the lake.

In 1938 the WPA completed the split rock creek damn creating a man made reservoir which became the only lake in Pipestone county. The historic stone arch bridge located just outside of the park and next to the dam was also built by the WPA and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

There’s about a 2.5 mile loop of hiking trails which are mostly flat and make for an easy hike. However, if you are looking for somewhere to ride your horse there are approximately 9 miles of horse trails which includes a river crossing.

During the summer months there is a very nice beach and two playground areas. The campground features Electric and non electric sites, there is fresh water to fill up with and a dumping station to empty your tanks. While there we stayed at site 14e, which is a wooded site and we found we had excellent cell coverage with our T-Mobile service.

If you are looking to explore outside of the park we suggest a trip over and stop at the stone arch bridge which provides another great view of the dam. Continuing South along that road you will bring you to one of the parks most interesting neighbors featuring a farm of farm windmills. Venture 7 miles North of the park and you can visit the Pipestone National Monument.

Follow us on our Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OldDadRevival
Twitter - @OldDadRevival https://twitter.com/OldDadRevival
Instagram - olddadrevival - https://www.instagram.com/olddadrevival
YouTube: Custom link needs to wait for 100 subscribers

 
  Hiking at Split Rock Creek State Park in Minnesota - S1:E6
The Escape Shroom Perspective
 
   
 
About

Sep 8, 2020

We traveled West to Split Rock Creek State Park for this week's Park Adventure. There is certainly plenty to do at this park to keep you busy for a fun weekend camping experience. Pipestone, MN is a short drive from the park and there is even more to do there, (A video from Pipestone National Monument coming soon!). Some of the things you can do like rental equipment, the fish cleaning house, and what looked like the visitor center were closed due to Covid, but there were many other things open.

Join us as we explore and enjoy! Thanks for watching! Don't forget to like and Subscribe!

 
  Split Rock Creek State Park
Sichman Outdoors
 
   
 
About

Dec 12, 2020

Our Minnesota state park travels lead us to this little state park in southwest Minnesota.

 
  Video Blog: Split Rock Creek State Park
pioneerpublic
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 29, 2013

Video blog on site at Split Rock Creek State Park to air as a segment of an upcoming episode of Great Minnesota Parks.

To learn more about the show and watch past episodes visit: http://www.pioneer.org/minnesotaparks

   

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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Visits

9/9/2011

  8/27/2013            
 
 

Birds

 
 

Fifteen bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Endangered

Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus)

Henslow’s Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii)

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

Threatened

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

Special Concern

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)

Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Purple Martin (Progne subis)

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

 
 

Minnesota DNR Bird Checklist

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis)

Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

 

American Goldfinch

Barn Swallow

 
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Lichens List

 
 

American Tar Spot (Rhytisma americanum)

Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum)

Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

  Artist’s Conk  
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

cabbage white (Pieris rapae)

Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina)

dog day cicada (Neotibicen canicularis)

goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

Walker’s cicada (Neotibicen marginalis)

widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)

 

monarch

widow skimmer

 
 

Mammals

 
 

One mammal species with conservation status in Minnesota has been seen here:

Special Concern

western harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Mammals List

 
 

American beaver (Castor canadensis)

eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus)

  eastern cottontail  
 

Plants

 
 

One plant species with conservation status in Minnesota is found here:

Threatened

tapertip flatsedge (Cyperus acuminatus)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Crystalline Bedrock Outcrop (Prairie): Sioux Quartzite Subtype ROs12a2

Dry Hill Prairie (Southern) UPs13d

Mesic Prairie (Southern) UPs23a

     
 

 

absinthe wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

American black currant (Ribes americanum)

American burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius var. hieraciifolius)

American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

American lopseed (Phryma leptostachya)

American stickseed (Hackelia deflexa var. americana)

American stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis)

Amur maple (Acer ginnala)

asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara)

black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

black walnut (Juglans nigra)

blue vervain (Verbena hastata)

boxelder (Acer negundo var. negundo)

bracted vervain (Verbena bracteata)

bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada lettuce (Lactuca canadensis)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canadian horseweed (Erigeron canadensis)

candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica)

catnip (Nepeta cataria)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla)

common agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala)

common blue violet (Viola sororia)

common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

common burdock (Arctium minus)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum)

common motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca)

common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus)

common plantain (Plantago major)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

curly-cup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa)

cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata)

cylindric blazing star (Liatris cylindracea)

desert false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)

eastern black nightshade (Solanum emulans)

eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana)

false boneset (Brickellia eupatorioides var. corymbulosa)

field sagewort (Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata)

giant foxtail (Setaria faberi)

giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)

gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

green foxtail (Setaria viridis var. viridis)

green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora)

ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

heart-leaved four o’clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea)

hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium)

hoary vervain (Verbena stricta)

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

June grass (Koeleria macrantha)

late goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

long-headed coneflower (Ratibida columnifera)

mapleleaf goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex)

marijuana (Cannabis sativa var. sativa)

Maximilian’s sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)

Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)

narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)

narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera)

plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides ssp. acanthoides)

poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata)

prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya)

prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus)

prairie onion (Allium stellatum)

prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea)

redroot amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus)

roadside agrimony (Agrimonia striata)

rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)

rough bugleweed (Lycopus asper)

rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica)

rough cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)

sandbar willow (Salix interior)

sawtooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula)

silver maple (Acer saccharinum)

smooth rose (Rosa blanda var. blanda)

smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum)

soft agrimony (Agrimonia pubescens)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata)

tall beggarticks (Bidens vulgata)

tall thistle (Cirsium altissimum)

timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense)

Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum)

white campion (Silene latifolia ssp. alba)

white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens)

white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides)

white mulberry (Morus alba)

white prairie clover (Dalea candida var. candida)

white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

white sweet clover (Melilotus albus)

whitecrack willow (Salix × rubens)

wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)

wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota)

wild mint (Mentha arvensis)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

yellow foxtail (Setaria pumila ssp. pumila)

yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)

yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis)

yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

 

Acer ginnala (Amur maple)

Acer negundo var. negundo (boxelder)

Acer saccharinum (silver maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Agrimonia gryposepala (common agrimony)

Agrimonia pubescens (soft agrimony)

Agrimonia striata (roadside agrimony)

Allium stellatum (prairie onion)

Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot amaranth)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Amorpha fruticosa (desert false indigo)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone)

Arctium minus (common burdock)

Artemisia absinthium (absinthe wormwood)

Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata (field sagewort)

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage)

Asclepias exaltata (poke milkweed)

Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed)

Asclepias viridiflora (green milkweed)

Asparagus officinalis (asparagus)

Bidens vulgata (tall beggarticks)

Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (sideoats grama)

Brickellia eupatorioides var. corymbulosa (false boneset)

Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed)

Cannabis sativa var. sativa (marijuana)

Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle)

Chenopodium simplex (mapleleaf goosefoot)

Cirsium altissimum (tall thistle)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood)

Dalea candida var. candida (white prairie clover)

Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower)

Echinocystis lobata (wild cucumber)

Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive)

Erechtites hieraciifolius var. hieraciifolius (American burnweed)

Erigeron canadensis (Canadian horseweed)

Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Glechoma hederacea (ground ivy)

Glycyrrhiza lepidota (wild licorice)

Grindelia squarrosa (curly-cup gumweed)

Hackelia deflexa var. americana (American stickseed)

Helianthus grosseserratus (sawtooth sunflower)

Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian’s sunflower)

Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke)

Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf)

Juglans nigra (black walnut)

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar)

Koeleria macrantha (June grass)

Lactuca canadensis (Canada lettuce)

Leonurus cardiaca ssp. cardiaca (common motherwort)

Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass)

Liatris aspera (rough blazing star)

Liatris cylindracea (cylindric blazing star)

Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya (prairie blazing star)

Lonicera morrowii (Morrow’s honeysuckle)

Lycopus asper (rough bugleweed)

Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Melilotus albus (white sweet clover)

Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover)

Mentha arvensis (wild mint)

Mirabilis nyctaginea (heart-leaved four o’clock)

Morus alba (white mulberry)

Nepeta cataria (catnip)

Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)

Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy)

Phryma leptostachya (American lopseed)

Physalis heterophylla (clammy groundcherry)

Plantago major (common plantain)

Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal)

Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera (plains cottonwood)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak)

Ratibida columnifera (long-headed coneflower)

Ratibida pinnata (gray-headed coneflower)

Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)

Ribes americanum (American black currant)

Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Rosa blanda var. blanda (smooth rose)

Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)

Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Salix interior (sandbar willow)

Salix × rubens (whitecrack willow)

Sambucus canadensis (American elderberry)

Setaria faberi (giant foxtail)

Setaria pumila ssp. pumila (yellow foxtail)

Setaria viridis var. viridis (green foxtail)

Silene latifolia ssp. alba (white campion)

Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (cup plant)

Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade)

Solanum emulans (eastern black nightshade)

Solidago altissima (late goldenrod)

Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Sonchus asper (prickly sow thistle)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides (white heath aster)

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue)

Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover)

Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Urtica gracilis ssp. gracilis (American stinging nettle)

Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein)

Verbena bracteata (bracted vervain)

Verbena hastata (blue vervain)

Verbena stricta (hoary vervain)

Viola sororia (common blue violet)

Xanthium strumarium (rough cocklebur)

Zanthoxylum americanum (northern prickly ash)

Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

 

absinthe wormwood

American black currant

American elderberry

black raspberry

bur oak (var. macrocarpa)

Canada anemone

catnip

common blue violet

common evening primrose

common mullein

cut-leaved coneflower

desert false indigo

false boneset

giant foxtail

gray-headed coneflower

June grass

long-headed coneflower

Morrow’s honeysuckle

New England aster

poke milkweed

prairie onion

prairie rose

red clover

rough cinquefoil

Russian olive

smooth rose

swamp milkweed

Virginia waterleaf

white clover

wild mint

yellow goat’s beard

yellow sweet clover

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

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