| Glacial Lakes State Park | |
|---|---|
 Kettle lake and rolling hills in Glacial Lakes State Park | |
  Location of Glacial Lakes State Park in Minnesota Show map of Minnesota Glacial Lakes State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Pope, Minnesota, United States |
| Coordinates | 45°32′14″N95°31′19″W / 45.53722°N 95.52194°W /45.53722; -95.52194 |
| Area | 2,423 acres (9.81 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,217 ft (371 m)[1] |
| Established | 1963 |
| Governing body | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
Glacial Lakes State Park is astate park ofMinnesota, USA, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) south ofStarbuck. It was founded in 1963 to preserve some of the remaining rollingprairie which previously covered much of the state. Located in theLeaf Mountains, the park and the area around it contains manyglacial landforms created by theWisconsonian glaciation.
The park has many rare native plants. Prairie grasses andforbs that may be seen includebig bluestem,little bluestem,Indian grass,prairie clover,pasque flowers, coneflowers andgoldenrods.Wolfberry and rose shrubs are also in the park.[2]
Due to its location in a transition zone between prairie in the west and hardwood forest to the east, prairie and woodland birds are found at the park.Squirrels,deer,beavers,wood ducks,raccoons,pileated woodpeckers and occasionallycoyotes can be found.[2]
Swimming, fishing and boating (only electric motors are allowed) are popular activities. At 56-acres, Signalness Lake is the largest body of water in the park and has a maximum depth of 13 ft. Fish includewalleye,northern pike,bass, andpanfish. Due to the shallow water,winterkill can partially affect the fish population and the DNR restocks fish.[3]
Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling are enjoyed during the winter.[4][5]
The remote location with low light pollution means stargazing is another popular activity.[6]
