Twin Valley Prairie SNA

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 
The Nature Conservancy logo Minnesota DNR logo
 
     
 

This site is owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed in part by the Minnesota DNR

 
     
 

Links

 
 

Minnesota DNR

The Nature Conservancy

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

Minnesota DNR’s Twin Valley Prairie SNA is part of the larger The Nature Conservancy preserve, which goes by the same name. It is bordered on the east by Neal WMA. In 2014, a 160-acre section was transferred to the Minnesota DNR and is now part of Neal WMA.

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

 

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

Detail map (MN DNR)

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
  Printable map      
         
 

Size

 
 

339 acres total, 250 acres (SNA)

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

West Parking (County Road 28)
N47 11.266, W96 21.867

South Parking (County Road 39)
N47 10.823, W96 21.249

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

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

   
          Norman County  
          Northwest Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

No maintained trails

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

No hunting

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Prairie Parkland Province

   
  Ecological Section    

Red River Valley

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Red River Prairie

   
  Land Type Association    

Barnesville Beach Complex

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Cattail - Sedge Marsh (Northern)

Cattail - Sedge Marsh (Prairie)

Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Northern)

Mesic Prairie (Northern)

Wet Prairie (Northern)

Wet Saline Prairie (Northern)

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

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Dan W. Andree

 
 

Tallgrass Prairie...

Twin Valley Prairie SNA 8-11-22. Looks like possible light rain showers moving in. Really pretty prairie.

  Twin Valley Prairie SNA  
           
        Twin Valley Prairie SNA  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

West Parking

 
    Twin Valley Prairie SNA   Twin Valley Prairie SNA  
           
 

South Parking

 
    Twin Valley Prairie SNA      
           
 

Wood Routed Sign

 
    Twin Valley Prairie SNA      
           
 

Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Northern)

 
    Twin Valley Prairie SNA      
           
 

Wet Saline Prairie (Northern)

 
    Twin Valley Prairie SNA   Twin Valley Prairie SNA  
           
 

Other Prairie

 
    Twin Valley Prairie SNA      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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Dan W. Andree

 
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

American copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)

goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia)

great spangled fritillary (Argynnis cybele)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

regal fritillary (Argynnis idalia)

white-banded crab spider (Misumenoides formosipes)

 

black swallowtail

white-banded crab spider

 
 

Plants

 
 

black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima)

marsh vetchling (Lathyrus palustris)

tall cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium ssp. angustifolium)

violet wood sorrel (Oxalis violacea)

  violet wood sorrel  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

8/17/2010

  8/1/2013   8/13/2019        
 
 

Birds

 
 

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

Threatened

Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

Special Concern

Greater Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido)

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni)

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

 
 

Minnesota DNR Bird checklist

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)

Greater Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)

Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)

 

Canada Goose

Red-winged Blackbird

 
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

Four insect and arachnid species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Endangered

Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae)

Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek)

Special Concern

Pawnee skipper (Hesperia leonardus pawnee)

regal fritillary (Argynnis idalia)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Insects List

 
 

American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis)

Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina)

dog day cicada (Neotibicen canicularis)

dogbane saucrobotys moth (Saucrobotys futilalis)

goldenrod bunch gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis)

goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

great spangled fritillary (Argynnis cybele)

monarch (Danaus plexippus)

regal fritillary (Argynnis idalia)

twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

willow pinecone gall midge (Rabdophaga strobiloides)

 

great spangled fritillary

twelve-spotted skimmer

willow pinecone gall midge

 
 

Mammals

 
 

Two mammal species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Special Concern

moose (Alces americanus)

prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Mammals List

 
  plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius)   plains pocket gopher  
 

Plants

 
 

Two plant species with conservation status in Minnesota are found here:

Special Concern

great blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata)

small white lady’s slipper (Cypripedium candidum)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Cattail - Sedge Marsh (Northern) MRn83a

Cattail - Sedge Marsh (Prairie) MRp83a

Dry Sand - Gravel Prairie (Northern) UPn12b

Mesic Prairie (Northern) UPn23b

Wet Prairie (Northern) WPn53c

Wet Saline Prairie (Northern) WPn53d

     
 

 

American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus)

arctic brome (Bromus kalmii)

Baltic rush (Juncus balticus var. littoralis)

bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata)

Bebb’s willow (Salix bebbiana)

big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)

bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus)

black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus)

black medick (Medicago lupulina)

black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima)

Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis var. canadensis)

candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica)

chicory (Cichorium intybus)

common blue violet (Viola sororia)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris ssp. vulgaris)

common sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

curly dock (Rumex crispus)

curly-cup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa)

dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata var. punctata)

dwarf false indigo (Amorpha nana)

falsegold groundsel (Packera pseudaurea var. semicordata)

fen grass of Parnassus (Parnassia glauca)

field sagewort (Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata)

Flodman’s thistle (Cirsium flodmanii)

four-flowered yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia quadriflora)

foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum)

freeway sedge (Carex praegracilis)

fringed brome (Bromus ciliatus)

fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata)

giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)

giant sunflower (Helianthus giganteus)

golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)

grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia)

gray goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

grooved yellow flax (Linum sulcatum var. sulcatum)

heart-leaved golden alexanders (Zizia aptera)

hybrid cattail (Typha × glauca)

Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum)

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

intermediate bellflower (Campanula intercedens)

Kalm’s lobelia (Lobelia kalmii)

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis)

leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

Leiberg’s panic grass (Dichanthelium leibergii)

little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

marsh vetchling (Lathyrus palustris)

mat muhly (Muhlenbergia richardsonis)

Maximilian’s sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)

narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia)

narrow-leaved hawkweed (Hieracium umbellatum)

narrow-leaved meadowsweet (Spiraea alba var. alba)

narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

northern bedstraw (Galium boreale)

northern plains blazing star (Liatris ligulistylis)

pale bulrush (Scirpus pallidus)

panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)

perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis)

plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides ssp. acanthoides)

prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya)

prairie cordgrass (Sporobolus michauxianus)

prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus)

prairie goldenrod (Solidago ptarmicoides)

prairie lettuce (Lactuca ludoviciana)

prairie onion (Allium stellatum)

prairie rose (Rosa arkansana)

prairie wedge grass (Sphenopholis obtusata)

purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)

purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum)

purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea var. purpurea)

purple-stem aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum)

pussy willow (Salix discolor)

quackgrass (Elymus repens)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea)

redtop (Agrostis gigantea)

reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

Riddell’s goldenrod (Solidago riddellii)

rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra)

rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)

sandbar willow (Salix interior)

Sartwell’s sedge (Carex sartwellii)

scratchgrass (Muhlenbergia asperifolia)

Scribner’s panic grass (Dichanthelium oligosanthes ssp. scribnerianum)

seaside arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima)

shorthair goldenrod (Solidago altissima var. gilvocanescens)

showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula)

silky aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum)

silverleaf scurfpea (Pediomelum argophyllum)

slender wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus)

slender willow (Salix petiolaris)

slim-stem reedgrass (Calamagrostis stricta)

smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

smooth scouring rush (Equisetum laevigatum)

spiked muhly (Muhlenbergia glomerata)

spotted Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum)

spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

stiff sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus)

swamp betony (Pedicularis lanceolata)

swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata)

tall cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta)

tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense)

toothed evening primrose (Oenothera serrulata)

tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)

Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum)

western ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata ssp. corymbosa)

white camas (Anticlea elegans ssp. glauca)

white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides)

white prairie clover (Dalea candida var. candida)

white sage (Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana)

white sweet clover (Melilotus albus)

wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota)

wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

wolfberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis)

yellow foxtail (Setaria pumila ssp. pumila)

yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)

yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis)

 

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Agrostis gigantea (redtop)

Agrostis scabra (rough bentgrass)

Allium stellatum (prairie onion)

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)

Amorpha canescens (leadplant)

Amorpha nana (dwarf false indigo)

Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem)

Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone)

Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone)

Anticlea elegans ssp. glauca (white camas)

Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp)

Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata (field sagewort)

Artemisia dracunculus (tarragon)

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (white sage)

Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed)

Asclepias speciosa (showy milkweed)

Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)

Astragalus canadensis var. canadensis (Canadian milkvetch)

Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (sideoats grama)

Bromus ciliatus (fringed brome)

Bromus inermis (smooth brome)

Bromus kalmii (arctic brome)

Calamagrostis stricta (slim-stem reedgrass)

Campanula intercedens (intermediate_bellflower)

Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle)

Carex praegracilis (freeway sedge)

Carex sartwellii (Sartwell’s sedge)

Cichorium intybus (chicory)

Cicuta maculata (spotted water hemlock)

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium flodmanii (Flodman’s thistle)

Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata (bastard toadflax)

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (red osier dogwood)

Dalea candida var. candida (white prairie clover)

Dalea purpurea var. purpurea (purple prairie clover)

Deschampsia cespitosa (tufted hairgrass)

Dichanthelium leibergii (Leiberg’s panic grass)

Dichanthelium oligosanthes ssp. scribnerianum (Scribner’s panic grass)

Drymocallis arguta (tall cinquefoil)

Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower)

Elymus repens (quackgrass)

Elymus trachycaulus (slender wheatgrass)

Equisetum laevigatum (smooth scouring rush)

Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass)

Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane)

Euthamia graminifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod)

Eutrochium maculatum (spotted Joe Pye weed)

Fallopia convolvulus (black bindweed)

Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Galium boreale (northern bedstraw)

Glycyrrhiza lepidota (wild licorice)

Grindelia squarrosa (curly-cup gumweed)

Helenium autumnale (common sneezeweed)

Helianthus giganteus (giant sunflower)

Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian’s sunflower)

Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. subrhomboideus (stiff sunflower)

Hieracium umbellatum (narrow-leaved hawkweed)

Hordeum jubatum ssp. jubatum (foxtail barley)

Juncus balticus var. littoralis (Baltic rush)

Lactuca ludoviciana (prairie lettuce)

Lathyrus palustris (marsh vetchling)

Liatris aspera (rough blazing star)

Liatris ligulistylis (northern plains blazing star)

Liatris punctata var. punctata (dotted blazing star)

Liatris pycnostachya var. pycnostachya (prairie blazing star)

Linum sulcatum var. sulcatum (grooved yellow flax)

Lobelia kalmii (Kalm’s lobelia)

Lotus corniculatus var. corniculatus (bird’s-foot trefoil)

Lycopus americanus (American bugleweed)

Lysimachia ciliata (fringed loosestrife)

Lysimachia quadriflora (four-flowered yellow loosestrife)

Medicago lupulina (black medick)

Melilotus albus (white sweet clover)

Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover)

(Muhlenbergia asperifolia) (scratchgrass)

Muhlenbergia glomerata (spiked muhly)

Muhlenbergia richardsonis (mat muhly)

Oenothera serrulata (toothed evening primrose)

Solidago riddellii (Riddell’s goldenrod)

Packera pseudaurea var. semicordata (falsegold groundsel)

Parnassia glauca (fen grass of Parnassus)

Pedicularis lanceolata (swamp betony)

Pediomelum argophyllum (silverleaf scurfpea)

Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass)

Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy)

Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Prunella vulgaris ssp. vulgaris (common selfheal)

Pycnanthemum virginianum (Virginia mountain mint)

Rosa arkansana (prairie rose)

Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Salix bebbiana (Bebb’s willow)

Salix discolor (pussy willow)

Salix interior (sandbar willow)

Salix petiolaris (slender willow)

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)

Scirpus pallidus (pale bulrush)

Setaria pumila ssp. pumila (yellow foxtail)

Solidago altissima var. gilvocanescens (shorthair goldenrod)

Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod)

Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod)

Solidago ptarmicoides (prairie goldenrod)

Solidago rigida ssp. rigida (stiff goldenrod)

Sonchus arvensis (perennial sow thistle)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Sphenopholis obtusata (prairie wedge grass)

Spiraea alba var. alba (narrow-leaved meadowsweet)

Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed)

Sporobolus michauxianus (prairie cordgrass)

Symphoricarpos occidentalis (wolfberry)

Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides (white heath aster)

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (panicled aster)

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster)

Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum (purple-stem aster)

Symphyotrichum sericeum (silky aster)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue)

Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard)

Triglochin maritima (seaside arrowgrass)

Typha × glauca (hybrid cattail)

Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Vernonia fasciculata ssp. corymbosa (western ironweed)

Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s root)

Viola sororia (common blue violet)

Zizia aptera (heart-leaved golden alexanders)

Zizia aurea (golden alexanders)

 

American bugleweed

bird’s-foot trefoil

black-eyed Susan

Canada anemone

Canadian milkvetch

chicory

common selfheal (ssp. vulgaris)

common sneezeweed

Culver’s root

dotted blazing star

perennial sow thistle

field thistle

fringed loosestrife

intermediate bellflower

leadplant

Maximilian’s sunflower

mountain death camas (var. elegans)

New England aster

northern bedstraw

northern plains blazing star

prairie onion

prairie rose

purple prairie clover

red osier dogwood

Riddell’s goldenrod

showy milkweed

silky aster

silverleaf scurfpea

spotted Joe Pye weed

swamp milkweed

tall cinquefoil

toothed evening primrose

Virginia mountain mint

yellow goat’s beard

yellow sweet clover

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

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