Field Trips Planned | snafriends

Field Trip to Weaver Dunes

Field Trip to Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA (May 22, 2026)

Sponsored by the Friends of MN SNA’s

What: We will visit the North Unit along Wabasha County Road 84 and a location at the South end along 598th St just east of Wabasha County Road 84.

At Kellogg Weaver Dunes, participants will get to take in sweeping views across a terrace above the Mississippi with the state's greatest expanse of dry barrens prairie and savanna. Geologic studies conducted in the vicinity suggest that this complex of dunes may have originated during one of two major dune-forming periods in this part of the Mississippi Valley, most likely between 18,000 and 14,000 years ago, when sediments deposited by glacial meltwater became "remobilized" by wind.

When: Friday May 22, 2026. If the weather looks unfavorable by 6 am and you think the trip could be canceled call Larry at 763 528 8220 by 6 am for confirmation. The exact date can change based on weather and growing season variables.

Note: Memorial Day is May 25.

Rain Date: Saturday May 23, 2026

Transportation: Unless you have different arrangement, we will car pool and leave from the parking lot at Pilot Travel Center.

Form Car Pool: Meet at 7 am at the Pilot Travel Center along Highway 52 at 11650 Courthouse Blvd., Inver Grove Heights, (651) 438-3397, The travel center is along Hwy 52 just north of Pine Bend Refinery.

What to bring: Water, lunch, camera if desired, wear long pants for ticks.

Travel Directions: From Pilot Travel Center go south about 1½ hours on Hwy 61 and find your way to Kellogg, Mn. Continue south of Kellogg a few miles and take a left on Co Rd 84.

Park along Wabasha County Road 84 near the SNA sign and before the sign for accessing McCarthy Lake WMA. All are just south of the Kiosk.

Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA, North Unit

Tom, Nancy, and I walked this area years ago and saw bearberry, a cactus mystery, deep blowout bowls, and rare species like a 50-foot-long carpet of beach heather, plains wild indigo, purple sand grass, and old field toadflax.

When done, head south and take a left onto 598th Street

Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA, South end. The South end is along 598th Street just east of Wabasha County Road 84. Negotiate a curve to the left and when the gravel road straightens out pull over and park along the pine trees. Look for my blue Camry. This is a short walk intended to see additional species. This area has the greatest concentration of Blanding’s turtles in the world migrating across the road to nest, usually in June.

Rest Break at Mauer Brothers in Elba, Mn after a morning of walking. We can drive (half hour south) to Mauer Brothers Bar in Elba, Mn. to hydrate, relax a bit with food, or meet participants. The bar has lots of taxidermy and has the story of Black Bart a local legend who lived in a make-shift shack in the woods most of his life. It is in the Whitewater Valley. Whitewater WMA is about 28,000 acres. Going to Mauer Bros offers access to Hwy 30, a rural route running straight west (road numbers change) all the way to Hwy 52 at Orinoco, Mn.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=mauer%20bros%20elba%20mn...

For those hearty enough to walk more, Orinoco Prairie SNA is close by.

Trip Leader: Larry Kennebeck

Site Leader: Nancy Falkum, guthrie55981@gmail.com

Nancy requests people register with her and the group be limited to 12 people maximum. If more than 12, a second group can be formed.

Information:

Friends of Minnesota Scientific & Natural Areas

https://www.snafriends.org/

https://www.facebook.com/friendsofMinnesotaSNA/

Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/detail.html?id=sna00979

Orinoco Prairie SNA