Event & Trip
Pictures
HOME |
September 15, 2020
Long Lake, MN
Wolsfeld Woods Scientific & Natural Area Hike |
||||
Coordinator: Marcia Switenski |
||||
Click on the small pictures to view the full-size photos |
||||
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
||
| Wolsfeld
Woods is the best remaining metro-area example of the Big Woods habitat
that once covered south-central Minnesota. This area was set
aside to protect the natural plant and animal community and for
scientific and education purposes. It is designated as a
Minnesota SNA (Scientific & Natural Area). On September 15, ten Ullrs set out to explore some of the trails in this preserve. The closed canopy created by huge, ancient hardwood trees (some more than 200 years old) gives you the feeling of walking through a woodland cathedral. This is an unpaved, heavily root-bound trail. A main feature of the area is Wolsfeld Lake. A small creek exits the lake and winds toward the east. With enough rain, this creek carries a trickle or more of water through the bottom of the gully. The challenge for the day was to avoid the mud in the low areas. Some fancy footwork was necessary to find dry spots to place your foot – sometimes while straddling a fallen tree. We followed up the hike with a BYO picnic at Nelson Lakeside Park. We had a wonderful view of the lake from our picnic spot under a spreading shade tree. We are all anxious to go back out to Wolsfeld when the leaves begin to change to their autumn colors. |
||||