Cannon River Turtle Preserve SNA

909 Acres Located 5 miles W of downtown Red Wing on US Hwy 61. Access is easiest along the Cannon Valley bike trail. Goodhue County Twp 113N Rng 15W Sec 19 Type: Deciduous Woods ECS Subsection: Blufflands

Description:

Cannon River Turtle Preserve, located on the lower Cannon River, contains floodplain forest dominated by silver maple and cotton wood. American elm was formerly the most important species in this floodplain forest. The site provides habitat for the state-threatened wood turtle, which nests on the river's sand bars. While it is mostly found in the northeastern states, the wood turtle is rarely abundant anywhere. Low reproductive potential and loss of habitat combine to make the species vulnerable. Woodland turtles prefer small, fast moving streams in forests with grassy meadows on the banks and raised sandbars for nesting; the Cannon River Turtle Preserve appears to be just right. The best time to visit is in the spring, before mosquitoes become too abundant, or during fall leaf color season.

Plant List

Visitor notes:

Sand bars closed to visitation to protect wood turtle nesting habitat. Landing canoes is prohibited.