Long ago, American Indians harvested wild rice
from this lake where today, the shallow waters and marshy edges of Rice Lake
attract many waterfowl during migrations. Rice Lake is a major wetland in the
area. Visitors enjoy camping under the tall hardwoods, photographing spring
wildflowers, picnicking, and birdwatching. For a more secluded camping
experience, paddle across the lake and camp in a canoe campsite. Winter
activities include cross-country skiing and snowmobiling on the trails.Quick
stats:
1,071 acres
47,558 annual visits
Naturalist:
Due to budget reductions, naturalist programs at this park will no longer be
available.
Wildlife
The parks diversity -- marshes, lakes, meadows, and woods -- attract a large
number of birds, especially waterfowl during spring and fall migrations. The
forested areas attract seven species of woodpeckers, including the pileated
woodpecker. During spring migration, look for whistling swans; Canada, snow, and
blue geese; diving ducks, Western and pied-billed grebes. Black terns nest in
the park.
History
Rice Lake is the headwater source for the south branch of the middle fork of
the Zumbro River. The lake was first dammed to provide energy for the
water-powered mill located further to the east at Wasioja. Occasionally, Rice
Lake became depleted, requiring the mill to shut down. North of the park
boundaries, a stagecoach route followed the "Ridge Road" in the mid-1800s. There
was a promising young village of Rice Lake on this road, but the railroads came,
and changed the town's future as newer towns, with more promise, sprang up. The
only sign that remains of this village today is the Rice Lake Church, built in
1857, located on the northern boundary of the park. It can be seen today along
Dodge County Highway 20.
Geology
Five hundred million years ago, a shallow sea covered most of North America,
including southwestern Minnesota. On its bed, layers of sediment turned to rock,
hundreds of feet thick. The bedrock of this area is identical to that found to
the east in Minnesota's blufflands. During this period of time, ice advanced
across Minnesota four times. The surface and land forms found in the park were
formed during the Kansan Ice Age. Rice Lake itself was formed by a depression in
a huge pile of Kansas drift.
Landscape
The land known today as Rice Lake State Park was originally located in a vast
oak savanna, known as Minnesota's southern oak barrens, that covered about seven
percent of the state extending from the Twin Cities on the north to the Iowa
border and beyond. It formed a broad transition zone between the prairies to the
west and the deciduous forests to the east. Originally, the dominant vegetation
was prairie with occasional groves and scattered individual burr oak trees.
Today, remnants of the oaks still remain at the park but the prairie vegetation
has disappeared.
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