Trout Ponds / Prairie Preserve in Caledonia

This preserve consists of two adjacent parcels situated along the Root River: the 5-acre trout ponds and 24-acre prairie. It is administered by the Caledonia Conservancy, which maintains a network of marked walking and bridle trails that are open year-round. In some places the trails are shared. There are picnic areas around the ponds.

 

In the floodplain forest and meadows you may find the following flora in season: black willow, green ash, sumac, silver maple, common milkweed, wild bergamot, green-headed coneflower, thin-leafed sunflower, Joe Pye weed, Angelica, jewelweed.

 

Seasonal prairie flowers include Canada anemone, swamp milkweed, New England aster, flat-topped aster, white wild indigo, water hemlock, showy tick trefoil,  northern bedstraw, bottle gentian, prairie blazing star, marsh betony, rosin weed, compass plant, cup plant, goldenrod, purple meadow roe, blue vervain, common ironweed, golden Alexander, yellow coneflower, turtlehead, purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan. Prairie grasses: big bluestem, Canada wild rye, Virginia wild rye, reed manna grass, switch grass and Indian grass.

 

The trout ponds once stocked minnows; they do not contain trout.

 

Gallery (click to enlarge)