Moon Valley Wildlife Management Area

Experiencing the beauty of southeastern Minnesota only takes a moment, but its splendor took millions of years to form. Rolling hills and lush bluffs, winding rivers and gleaming streams—landscapes that were untouched by glaciers during the last Ice Age. The area is popular for hiking, hunting wild turkey and deer, and fishing for trout from one of the many flowing streams. But despite the landscape’s beauty, there’s a great need in this growing area for accessible outdoor space as only 5% of the region is open for public recreation. So when 420 acres less than 10 miles northwest of the booming city of Rochester, MN became available for protection, Trust for Public Land couldn’t pass up this extraordinary opportunity.

With our partners at The Nature Conservancy, we helped protect this treasured space for future public use. The area will now be known as Moon Valley Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and be managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The landscape contains rolling hardwood forests and prairie land, providing habitat to an abundance of wildlife of nearly 180 rare plants and animals. With nearly three miles along the Zumbro River shoreline, the Moon Valley WMA will be the perfect spot for fishing, hunting, hiking, and connecting the growing populations of nearby cities to the beauty and benefits of the outdoors.

Funding for this project was provided by the Outdoor Heritage Fund.