Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park

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  from Explore MN Tourism

Fall Colors

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Visitor's Center, picnic area, campground, and woodland... More details

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Faribault: 64° F and cloudy.

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Nerstrand-Big Woods

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Enjoy this park on foot, any season of the year. In the spring, the park is a wildflower garden where hepatica, bloodroot, Dutchman's breeches, and the dwarf trout lily bloom. The dwarf trout lily is only found here. Relax by Hidden Falls in the summer. The autumn brings a burst of red, orange, and gold in the maple-basswood forest, one of the last extensive stands of the "Big Woods." When winter comes, ski or snowmobile the trails through picturesque woods.

Tell me more about this park's wildlife, history, geology and landscape.

Visitor Alert!

Loaner Kits Available

Kit checkouts include GPS units for Geocaching the Wildlife Safari Critter Cache, Wildflower Guidebooks and Bird Identification kits. Check at the office for details.

Park Notes

Gift Cards:

Purchase a Minnesota State Parks Gift Card.

Firewood restrictions information:

Minnesota has enacted legislation that restricts firewood being brought to or used on DNR lands. Complete information and lists of vendors and locations where approved firewood is available are posted on the DNR Web site.
More information
Vendor List

Hiking:

Eleven miles of trails wind throughout the park. Fall is right around the corner: All 11 miles of hiking trails are open with some repair ongoing following the August 13 rain of almost 4 inches. Prairie Creek is running providing Hidden falls with a nice waterfall display.

Birders:

Bird Checklist at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

Birding is great! Red-headed Woodpeckers - look for the young of the season with gray heads that can be seen in early morning visits to suet feeders but mostly found in the campground and picnic area, some on the south side of the park. The feeder birds include most of the woodpecker species with occasional pileated woodpecker visits when traffic is low. Look up in the sky for an occasional eagle and more common turkey vulture. Overnight listen for barred owls calling.

Park Highlights

tree "Big Woods" Landscape

tree Spectacular Spring Wildflowers

tree Fabulous Fall Color

tree Visitor Center

tree Self-guided Interpretive Trail

tree Hidden Falls Waterfall


Hours

During later summer best time to contact the park: Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. , Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. If no one is available, leave a message on the answering machine.

Contact

9700 170th Street East
Nerstrand, MN 55053

tel: 507-333-4840

Getting There

Take I-35 to State Highway 19 east into Northfield. Go south on State Highway 3, east on State Highway 246, then turn right onto County Road 29.





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