Nicollet County is home to Minnesota's Seven Mile Creek Park, located along US 169, seven miles north of Mankato and four miles south of St. Peter. The park consists of 628 acres of forested valley with eight miles of multi-use trails and a stocked trout stream. The park has an interesting history, plenty of recreation and is an ideal place for birding and viewing wildlife. Watershed and fisheries restoration and protection are key aspects to the management of the park.
History
Seven Mile Creek Park was created in 1967 when Nicollet County purchased the farm and property of Sid Meyer. In 1976, the park was 383 acres, then expanded over the years to its current size. Most of the recreational facilities, play areas and trails were added in the 1980s and 1990s to make the park what it is today. The park also has a rich geological history, its landscape primarily formed by glaciers during the Great Ice Age between 10,000 and 2,000,000 years ago.
Wildlife
Seven Mile Creek Park is considered one of the best birding sites in the Minnesota River Valley. It is home to dozens of species of woodland songbirds as well as migrating birds. Exciting species such as the Scarlet Tanagers, Cerulean Warblers and Pileated Woodpeckers have been spotted in the park. May is the best time for viewing migrating species. Wildlife in the area also includes eagles, white-tailed deer, red and gray foxes, cottontail rabbits and wild turkeys.
Recreation
The park offers plenty of recreational opportunities. Besides wildlife viewing, its eight miles of trails are open to hikers, bicyclists and equestrians. Seven Mile Creek is stocked with trout for anglers. Other amenities include three park shelters, several picnic areas, playground equipment, a baseball diamond, two volleyball courts and a boat launch to the Minnesota River. Geology buffs will enjoy viewing the 500,000,000-year-old Jordan Sandstone outcrop near the park entrance.
Watershed
The Seven Mile Creek watershed is ever-changing due to erosion from the creek itself as well as area farming. The Seven Mile Creek Watershed Project, a coalition that monitors, evaluates and protects the watershed, has set three sites along the creek to monitor the water quality. These stations, which can be viewed by park visitors, have shown that manure and fertilizer from farming make up the bulk of contaminants in the creek, with upland erosion bringing phosphorus and sediment as well. Area farmers are now attempting to change farming practices to reach a sustainable coexistence between agriculture and watershed health.
Fishery
The trout habitat provided by Seven Mile Creek is of great importance, not just for park visitors who enjoy fishing, but for the health of the trout species and river valley ecosystem. Recently, park managers installed five boulder structures in the park's stream channel to improve the trout habitat. The structures control the flow of water, creating deeper pools for the trout, as well as helping with bank erosion. The next step will be to plant willow trees on the stream banks to further prevent erosion and provide shade for the trout. The willows will benefit park visitors with shade and beauty, as well.
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