Rapids Lake Education and Visitor Center 2008 Federal Duck Stamp Contest Phone: 952-854-5900 |
This proposed 2,450 acre unit stretches from the old Hwy. 169 bridge in Shakopee
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| Egrets share the Upgrala Unit with blue herons. |
up the Flying Cloud Bluff into Eden Prairie. Full of marsh, fields, lake and forested riverbanks, much of this area is still farmed. Here you can see a century old hunting club surrounded by high-quality marsh. Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons are commonly seen high up in the trees during nesting season.
Much of the Upgrala Unit is still privately owned. To limit unintentional trespass, trail heads will not be developed until the land is purchased or easements acquired. Currently the Refuge manages the wetlands of this unit by lowering water levels to encourage plant growth. This also concentrates food for egrets and other wading birds. The Refuge also helps to clean the lower Minnesota River by restoring wetlands that filter water before it enters the river.
At this present time the Upgrala Unit is closed to the public due to private ownership. A parking lot north of Shakopee on the east side of Highway 101 provides Minnesota River access for bank fishing.
