Quarry Park’s Scientific Nature Area is Expanding

(KNSI) – Quarry Park & Nature Preserve visitors will soon have more to explore.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resouces has purchased 80 acres on the west side of the park’s Scientific Nature Area. Stearns County Parks Director Ben Anderson is happy the area will stay natural because the park is home to unique native plant communities. “We have a cactus that lives in the park and it’s a native, the prickly pear cactus. We also have a tuberculed rein orchid and a few other plant and animal species that are found within the park that are either rare endangered species of special concern. So that’s why they were highly interested in these areas, because of these rock outcrops, you don’t find them everywhere in Minnesota.”

The new chunk of land also has oak woodlands, meadows and prairie. Anderson explained to KNSI News that the DNR’s plans for the new territory will differ slightly from the rest of the park. “There won’t be any actual identified trails. So, it’ll be more like going for a walk through the woods for people who want to get off [the path] and have that type of experience.”

The new zone will allow cross-country skiing, educational opportunities, hiking, nature observation, photography, research and snowshoeing.

The addition can be found by walking past Quarry 11 to the SNA gates. Go through the gates and work your way to the west. The DNR still needs to set a date to open the newly acquired space to the public.

Quarry Park is around 600 acres, with over 320 acres managed by the Minnesota DNR.