June 20th, 2024 – Published in the Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas Quarterly Newsletter
By Justin Vorndran, Minnesota DNR SNA Communications Outreach Specialist
See the full newsletter on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Website
Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas (SNAs) are typically far off of the beaten path, but at Quarry Park Scientific and Natural Area you might be surprised to find yourself parking in a busy lot, surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands of fellow visitors. This is because of a unique arrangement — Quarry Park SNA is nestled in a shared property with Quarry Park & Nature Preserve, a Stearns County Park and a popular destination for active recreation. Despite the bustling preserve to the north, natural space persists at Quarry Park SNA, ancient and tranquil. These two places seem very different, but they’re an excellent example of the collaborative efforts that it takes to protect natural places for generations of future Minnesotans.
I’m visiting Quarry Park with SNA staff and members of the Natural Heritage Advisory Committee, or NHAC. NHAC brings together citizens and experts from diverse backgrounds to advise the DNR on sustaining the state’s natural heritage and biological diversity. I could feel a sense of excitement among the group to explore Quarry Park and witness a unique effort to protect our state’s natural heritage in action. Minnesotans can be a varied bunch — with diverse interests and differing opinions — but nothing brings us together like our passion for natural spaces.
We’re greeted by a smiling face in a Stearns County Parks ballcap – Ben Anderson is Parks Director for Stearns County, and he’s a big part of Quarry Park’s unique management structure. The county park to the north of the SNA is home to the historic quarrying operations, including water-filled pits, old equipment, and vast piles of waste boulders. To the south, Quarry Park SNA protects a few of the remaining granite outcrops in a natural state. Each area takes a different approach to management and allowed uses, and Stearns County leads them both. “It is the best of all worlds, when it comes to recreation, as this park truly has something to offer for everyone,” says Anderson.
Ben Anderson, Stearns County Parks Director, sharing information about the granite quarrying process in front of one of Quarry Park & Nature Preserve’s larger pits. Photo by Justin Vorndran, MN DNR.
Ben’s voice echoes through the woods on the quiet spring day as we walk among the remains of a century’s worth of industrial history. We pass by the derrick, which would have been hauling 20,000+ pounds of granite when this place was known as “Hundred-Acre Quarry.” Now, the derrick remains for interpretive purposes, the water-filled quarry pits are a popular summer swimming destination, and trails lace between the piles of rock left behind as waste. “We call them Stearns County mountains”, Ben adds jokingly. Visiting the north section of Quarry Park & Nature Preserve is a lesson in Minnesota’s industrial history, and an example of thriving active recreation opportunities drawing visitors from far and wide.
A granite waste pile behind the trees at Quarry Park & Nature Preserve. Photo by Justin Vorndran, MN DNR.
The SNA portion to the south couldn’t be more different than its counterpart to the north. Quarry Park SNA is rugged and natural, the smooth lobes of natural granite outcrops are a sharp contrast to the great piles of jagged boulders in the county park. It’s a glimpse into what this landscape looked like before the quarries extracted most of the outcrops. Humans have been mining this area for over a century, but the story of the outcrops themselves is much older — 1.9 billion years ago, Minnesota was home to a significant period of mountain-building. As tectonic plates separated and collided, high-temperature magma rose from deep in the earth’s mantle and mingled with magma from the earth’s crust. This mixture of magma then cooled and rose closer to the earth’s surface. Over time, glaciers have altered this landscape, scraping away layers of sediment and stone – exposing the granite outcrops, among Minnesota’s oldest geologic features.
The outcrops at Quarry Park SNA also hosts an interesting biological heritage. Oak forests carpet the hills, wetlands hide in the valleys, and on the granite outcrops some of Minnesota’s most unique species carve out their home. Where there isn’t bare rock, a thin layer of lichen and soil hosts grasses, shrubby bur oaks, and Quarry Park’s most charming resident — brittle prickly pear. These small cacti are surprising to see in a place that’s as cold and wet as Minnesota. However, in a place as exposed as these ancient outcrops, one must learn to expect the unexpected. Quiet solitude and natural space persists here — even at a popular tourist destination like Quarry Park.
Left: Brittle prickly pear. Photo by John Gregor, ColdSnap Photography.
There isn’t much iron in St. Cloud granite, but it’s magnetic, nonetheless. As our tour group strolled through the forest, and stood upon the granite outcrops, a palpable sense of enthusiasm filled the air. Conversations brimmed with excitement about the unique ecosystem and geology of Quarry Park SNA, and how we can continue protect and enhance these natural places in Minnesota. Places like Quarry Park & Nature Preserve bring people together – to learn about our past, to immerse ourselves in special places, and to preserve the natural heritage of our state.