Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas
Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas (SNAs) are public lands in the state of Minnesota that have been permanently protected to preserve any one or combination of the following:
- Native plant and animal communities
- Rare species
- Places of biodiversity significance
- Geological features or formations
- Seasonal havens for wildlife and vantage points for observing them
- Successional processes
- Relict flora or fauna
- Fossil evidence
The SNA Program is housed within the Division of Ecological and Water Resources at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The primary goal of the program is to ensure that none of Minnesota's natural heritage is lost from any ecological region of the state. The secondary goal is to provide opportunities for compatible scientific research, education, and nature-based recreation. The Program currently oversees 166 SNAs.
| SNA Name | Hours/Closures | Locale | Ecological
Classification System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agassiz Dunes | All seasons, 24/7 | Fertile | Red River Prairie |
| Antelope Valley | All seasons, 24/7 | Wergeland Township | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Avon Hills Forest | All seasons, 24/7 | Avon | Hardwood Hills |
| Badoura Jack Pine Woodland | All seasons, 24/7 | Badoura | Pine Moraines & Outwash Plains |
| Bald Eagle Bluff | All seasons, 24/7 | Lake City | The Blufflands |
| Big Island | All seasons, 24/7 | Orr | Border Lakes |
| Black Lake Bog | All seasons, 24/7 | Bruno Township | Mille Lacs Uplands |
| Blaine Airport Rich Fen | Due to airport security,
site open by permit only. |
Blaine | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Blaine Preserve | All seasons, 24/7 | Circle Pines | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Blanket Flower Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Pelican Rapids | Hardwood Hills |
| Blue Devil Valley | All seasons, 24/7 | Granite Falls | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Bluestem Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Glyndon | Red River Prairie |
| Boltuck-Rice Forever Wild | All seasons, 24/7 | Cohasset | St. Louis Moraines |
| Bonanza Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Beardsley | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Boot Lake | All seasons, 24/7 | Wyoming | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Botany Bog | All seasons, 24/7 | Grand Rapids | St. Louis Moraines |
| Brownsville Bluff | Sanctuary portion closed | Houston County | The Blufflands |
| Bruce Hitman Heron Rookery | Closed April 1 through
July 15 to protect rare bird breeding areas. |
Glenwood | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Burntside Islands | All seasons, 24/7 | Ely | Border Lakes |
| Butternut Valley Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Madelia | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Butterwort Cliffs | Closed April 1 through
July 15 to protect rare bird breeding areas. |
Grand Marais | North Shore Highlands |
| Caldwell Brook Cedar Swamp | All seasons, 24/7 | Northome | Littlefork–Vermilion Uplands |
| Cannon River Trout Lily | All seasons, 24/7 | Faribault | Big Woods |
| Cannon River Turtle Preserve | Closed May 1 through
October 15 to protect turtle breeding areas. |
Red Wing | The Blufflands |
| Cedar Mountain | All seasons, 24/7 | Franklin | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Cedar Rock | All seasons, 24/7 | Redwood Falls | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Chamberlain Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Le Sueur | Big Woods |
| Cherry Grove Blind Valley | All seasons, 24/7 | Spring Valley | Rochester Plateau |
| Chimney Rock | All seasons, 24/7 | Hastings | Rochester Plateau |
| Chisholm Point Island | All seasons, 24/7 | Cohasset | St. Louis Moraines |
| Clear Lake | All seasons, 24/7 | Clear Lake | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Clinton Falls Dwarf Trout Lily | All seasons, 24/7 | Medford | Oak Savanna |
| Clinton Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Graceville Township | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Cold Spring Heron Colony | All seasons, 24/7 | Cold Spring | Hardwood Hills |
| Compass Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Rushmore | Coteau Moraines |
| Cottonwood River Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | North Star Township | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Crystal Spring | Washington County | St. Paul–Baldwin Plains and Moraines | |
| Des Moines River | All seasons, 24/7 | Windom | Coteau Moraines |
| Eagle's Nest Island No. 4 | All seasons, 24/7 | Ely | Border Lakes |
| East Rat Root River Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Kabetogama | Littlefork–Vermilion Uplands |
| Egret Island | Closed April 1 through
July 15 to protect rare bird breeding areas. |
Ashby | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Englund Ecotone | All seasons, 24/7 | Rice | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Falls Creek | All seasons, 24/7 | Scandia | St. Paul–Baldwin Plains and Moraines |
| Felton Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Felton | Red River Prairie |
| Franconia Bluffs | All seasons, 24/7 | Shafer | Mille Lacs Uplands |
| Frenchman's Bluff | All seasons, 24/7 | Twin Valley | Red River Prairie |
| Glynn Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Windom | Coteau Moraines |
| Gneiss Outcrops | All seasons, 24/7 | Granite Falls | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Greenwater Lake | All seasons, 24/7 | Detroit Lakes | Pine Moraines & Outwash Plains |
| Grey Cloud Dunes | All seasons, 24/7 | Cottage Grove | St. Paul–Baldwin Plains and Moraines |
| Gully Fen | All seasons, 24/7 | Gully | Aspen Parklands |
| Gustafson's Camp | All seasons, 24/7 | Baudette | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Harry W. Cater Homestead Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | St. Cloud | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Hastings | All seasons, 24/7 | Hastings | The Blufflands |
| Hastings Sand Coulee | All seasons, 24/7 | Hastings | Oak Savanna |
| Helen Allison Savanna | All seasons, 24/7 | East Bethel | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Hemlock Ravine | Sanctuary portion closed
to protect rare resources. |
Esko | North Shore Highlands |
| Hole in the Bog Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Bena | Chippewa Plains |
| Holthe Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Jackson | Coteau Moraines |
| Hovland Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | East Cook | Border Lakes |
| Hythecker Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Claremont | Oak Savanna |
| Iona's Beach | All seasons, 24/7 | Two Harbors | North Shore Highlands |
| Iron Horse Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Hayfield | Oak Savanna |
| Iron Springs Bog | All seasons, 24/7 | Shelvin | Chippewa Plains |
| Itasca Wilderness Sanctuary | All seasons, 24/7 | Park Rapids | Pine Moraines & Outwash Plains |
| Joseph A. Tauer Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | New Ulm | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Kasota Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Kasota | Big Woods |
| Kawishiwi Pines | All seasons, 24/7 | Ely | Border Lakes |
| Kellogg–Weaver Dunes | All seasons, 24/7 | Kellogg | The Blufflands |
| Kettle River | All seasons, 24/7 | Hinckley | Mille Lacs Uplands |
| King's and Queen's Bluff | King's Bluff is open to the
public. Queen's Bluff is open by permit only. |
Winona | The Blufflands |
| La Salle Lake | All seasons, 24/7 | Solway | Chippewa Plains |
| Ladies Tresses Swamp | All seasons, 24/7 | Cook | St. Louis Moraines |
| Lake Alexander Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Cushing | Pine Moraines & Outwash Plains |
| Lake Bronson Parkland | All seasons, 24/7 | Halma | Aspen Parklands |
| Langhei Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Benson | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Lawrence Creek | Hubbard County | Mille Lacs Uplands | |
| Lester Lake | Chisago County | Pine Moraines & Outwash Plains | |
| Little Too Much Lake | All seasons, 24/7 | Bigfork | Chippewa Plains |
| Lost 40 | All seasons, 24/7 | Northome | Chippewa Plains |
| Lost Lake Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Cook | Littlefork–Vermilion Uplands |
| Lost River Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Big Falls | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Lost Valley Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Hastings | St. Paul–Baldwin Plains and Moraines |
| Lundblad Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Slayton | Coteau Moraines |
| Lutsen | All seasons, 24/7 | Lutsen | North Shore Highlands |
| Luxemberg Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Warroad | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Malmberg Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Fisher | Red River Prairie |
| Mary Schmidt Crawford Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Buffalo | Big Woods |
| McGregor Marsh | All seasons, 24/7 | McGregor | Tamarack Lowlands |
| Minnesota Point Pine Forest | All seasons, 24/7 | Duluth | North Shore Highlands |
| Mille Lacs Moraine | All seasons, 24/7 | Garrison | Mille Lacs Uplands |
| Mississippi River Islands | All seasons, 24/7 | Monticello | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Moose Mountain | All seasons, 24/7 | Duluth | North Shore Highlands |
| Morton Outcrops | All seasons, 24/7 | Morton | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Mound Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Houston | The Blufflands |
| Mound Spring Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Canby | Coteau Moraines |
| Mulligan Lake Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Grygia | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Myhr Creek Ridge | All seasons, 24/7 | Grand Marais | North Shore Highlands |
| Myrtle Lake Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Littlefork | Littlefork–Vermilion Uplands |
| Nett Lake Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Orr | Litttlefork–Vermilion Uplands |
| Norris Camp Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Forest Area Township | Agassiz Lowlands |
| North Black River Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Northwest Koochiching | Agassiz Lowlands |
| North Fork Zumbro Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Wanamingo | Rochester Plateau |
| Oronoco Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Oronoco | Rochester Plateau |
| Osmundson Prairie | Faribault County | Minnesota River Prairie | |
| Otter Tail Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Campbell | Red River Prairie |
| Partch Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Avon | Hardwood Hills |
| Pembina Trail | All seasons, 24/7 | Crookston | Aspen Parklands |
| Pennington Bog | Open by permit only. | Pennington | Chippewa Plains |
| Pig's Eye Island Heron Rookery | Closed April 1 through
July 15 to protect rare bird breeding areas. |
St. Paul | St. Paul–Baldwin Plains and Moraines |
| Pin Oak Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Chatfield | The Blufflands |
| Pine and Curry Island | Closed April 1 through
July 15 to protect rare bird breeding areas. |
Baudette | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Pine Bend Bluffs | All seasons, 24/7 | Inver Grove Heights | St. Paul–Baldwin Plains and Moraines |
| Pine Creek Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Roseau | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Potato Lake | All seasons, 24/7 | Effie | Littlefork–Vermilion Uplands |
| Prairie Bush Clover | All seasons, 24/7 | Lakefield | Coteau Moraines |
| Prairie Coteau | All seasons, 24/7 | Holland | Inner Coteau |
| Prairie Creek Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Nerstrand | Oak Savanna |
| Prairie Smoke Dunes | All seasons, 24/7 | Fertile | Red River Prairie |
| Purvis Lake–Ober Foundation | All seasons, 24/7 | Ely | Border Lakes |
| Quarry Park | All seasons, 24/7 | Waite Park | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Racine Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Racine | Rochester Plateau |
| Red Lake Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Waskish | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Rice Lake Savanna | All seasons, 24/7 | Clear Lake Township | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Richard M. and Mathilde Rice Elliot | All seasons, 24/7 | Barnesville | Red River Prairie |
| Ripley Esker | All seasons, 24/7 | Fort Ripley Township | Mille Lacs Uplands |
| River Terrace Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Cannon Falls | The Blufflands |
| River Warren Outcrops | Renville County | Minnesota River Prairie | |
| Rock Ridge Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Comfrey | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Roscoe Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Paynesville | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Rush Lake Island | Closed April 1 through
July 15 to protect rare bird breeding areas. |
Stanchfield | Mille Lacs Uplands |
| Rushford Sand Barrens | All seasons, 24/7 | Peterson | The Blufflands |
| Sand Lake Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Isabella | Laurentian Uplands |
| Sandpiper Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Twin Valley | Red River Prairie |
| Santee Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Mahnomen | Red River Prairie |
| Savage Fen | All seasons, 24/7 | Savage | Big Woods |
| Sedan Brook Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Brooten | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Seminary Fen | All seasons, 24/7 | Chaska | Big Woods |
| Shooting Star Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Le Roy | Oak Savanna |
| South Black River Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Big Falls | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Sprague Creek Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Roseau | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Spring Beauty Northern Hardwoods | All seasons, 24/7 | East Cook | North Shore Highlands |
| Spring Creek Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Red Wing | The Blufflands |
| St. Croix Savanna | All seasons, 24/7 | Bayport | St. Paul–Baldwin Plains and Moraines |
| St. Wendel Tamarack Bog | All seasons, 24/7 | St. Joseph | Hardwood Hills |
| Sugarloaf Point | All seasons, 24/7 | Schroder | North Shore Highlands |
| Swedes Forest | All seasons, 24/7 | Belview | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Townsend Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Waterville | Big Woods |
| Twin Lakes | All seasons, 24/7 | Stacy | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Twin Valley Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Borup | Red River Prairie |
| Two Rivers Aspen Parkland | All seasons, 24/7 | Greenbush | Aspen Parklands |
| Uncas Dunes | All seasons, 24/7 | Big Lake | Anoka Sand Plain |
| Verlyn Marth Memorial Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Herman | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Wabu Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Deer River Township | St. Louis Moraines |
| Watrous Island | Koochiching County | Agassiz Lowlands | |
| Wawina Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Floodwood | Tamarack Lowlands |
| West Rat Root River Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | International Falls | Littlefork–Vermilion Uplands |
| Western Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Rothsay | Red River Prairie |
| Whitney Island | All seasons, 24/7 | Faribault | Big Woods |
| Wild Indigo Prairie | All seasons, 24/7 | Austin | Oak Savanna |
| Winter Road Lake Peatland | All seasons, 24/7 | Roosevelt | Agassiz Lowlands |
| Wolsfeld Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Long Lake | Big Woods |
| Wood–Rill | All seasons, 24/7 | Wayzata | Big Woods |
| Wykoff Balsam Fir | All seasons, 24/7 | Spring Valley | The Blufflands |
| Yellow Bank Hills | All seasons, 24/7 | Marietta | Minnesota River Prairie |
| Zumbro Falls Woods | All seasons, 24/7 | Zumbro Falls | The Blufflands |