Cedar Mountain SNA

317 Acres Located Located from Franklin 1.35 miles S on Co Rd 5 (becomes Co Rd 11 in Redwood County). Take minimum maintenance road W 0.5 miles, to parking area for Cedar Mountain WMA. Walk from parking area along field road W to SNA, about 0.5 miles. Redwood County Twp 112N Rng 34W Sec 14 Type: Prairie Grasslands ECS Subsection: Minnesota River Prairie

Description:

Cedar Mountain lies on bedrock knobs and ridges that, at 3.4 billion years old, include some of the oldest rocks known to occur in North America. These knobs were once islands in Glacial River Warren, the huge river that drained Glacial Lake Agassiz at the end of the last glacial period and cut the valley now occupied by the Minnesota River. The central knob in the area includes two rock types known only from this site; Cedar Mountain Gabbro and Cedar Mountain Granodiorite. The SNA supports areas of native dry and mesic prairie, rock outcrop, flood plain forest, and oak woodland habitats. The high quality prairies and rock outcrops of Cedar Mountain are uncommon in Minnesota and becoming increasingly rare due mostly to human activities. They also contain several rare plant populations, including the state and federal threatened prairie bush clover (Lespedeza leptostachya); a state endangered lichen, Buellia nigra; and three rare plant species found in Minnesota almost exclusively on rock outcrops; plains prickly pear cactus (Opuntia macrorhiza), water hyssop (Bacopa rotundifolia), and Carolina foxtail (Alepocurus carolinianus).

Bird List

Plant List