Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area |
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Development is centered around an existing public water access
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 Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area
Location in Minnesota
Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area
Location in the United States
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| Location | Meeker, Minnesota, United States |
| Area | 1,230 acres (5.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,083 ft (330 m) |
| Established | 2007 |
| Governing body | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area is a special park in Minnesota, USA. It's still being developed, but it's a great place to enjoy nature. This area includes parts of the shorelines of both Greenleaf Lake and Sioux Lake. You can find it halfway between the cities of Hutchinson and Litchfield in Meeker County.
Some parts of the park are already open for visitors during the day. However, there aren't any buildings or special facilities there yet. The park's boundaries were decided by the Minnesota Legislature, which is like the state's law-making group. The state is still buying land from people who want to sell it. About two-thirds of the land is still privately owned.
Contents
Exploring the Park's Location
Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area is located on the southern end of two connected lakes: Greenleaf Lake and Sioux Lake. It covers most of the land that sticks out between them, like a big finger of land. The park officially covers about 1,230 acres (about 500 hectares). This includes 3.1 miles (5 km) of shoreline on Greenleaf Lake and 5.7 miles (9.2 km) on Sioux Lake. This means the park protects almost half of the natural shorelines of these lakes.
The water from these lakes flows into three other lakes before reaching the South Fork of the Crow River. The Crow River then flows into the mighty Mississippi River. The park is about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Hutchinson and 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Litchfield.
Nature and Wildlife at Greenleaf Lake
The Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area has many different kinds of natural areas. You'll find rolling hills covered in northern hardwood forest, wet wetlands, open grasslands, and even some farm fields.
Unique Forests and Water Quality
The land between the lakes and an island in the park have a special kind of forest. It's unusual for Minnesota! This forest has Rock elm and American elm trees mixed with basswood, green ash, bur oak, and red oak. The southwest shore of Greenleaf Lake also has an open forest with bur oak, basswood, green ash, red oak, hackberry, and bitternut hickory.
While most of these forests have grown back after being cut down, some parts are very old. These old forests were protected from most wildfires by the lakes. They were also not badly affected by the Dutch elm disease that spread in the 1970s.
Both Greenleaf and Sioux Lakes have good water quality. However, Greenleaf Lake sometimes has a lot of algal blooms, which are like big green patches of tiny plants. The shallower Sioux Lake is a great spot for waterfowl (like ducks and geese). Greenleaf Lake is home to game fish like panfish and smallmouth bass.
Amazing Animals
The park is full of different animals! You might see many kinds of birds, such as bluebirds, various owls, sandhill cranes, loons, and different types of ducks and swans. You might also spot snipe, falcons, and hawks.
Mammals that live here include raccoons, white-tailed deer, muskrats, beavers, red and gray foxes, mink, coyotes, skunks, badgers, river otters, opossums, and many wild turkeys.
How the Park Was Created
The Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area has not been fully studied for ancient Native American sites. After European settlers arrived, some of the open grasslands, forests, and wetlands were used for farming.
A Dream Becomes a Park
The story of this park began in 1985 when Mark Geyer bought land on Greenleaf Lake. He wanted a quiet place for his family. In 1990, a company wanted to build many houses by the lake. Mark Geyer and other landowners didn't want this to happen. So, Geyer decided to buy the land himself. At that time, Greenleaf was one of the last two lakes in Meeker County that hadn't been developed. Mark Geyer kept buying more land to protect the area.
In the late 1990s, he heard that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wanted to create a new state park in the area. Mark Geyer suggested his property. After several years of talks, the Minnesota Legislature approved Greenleaf Lake State Park in 2003. They set aside $500,000 to buy land from Geyer and other willing sellers.
However, the DNR said they didn't have enough money to run their existing parks, let alone a new one. So, the project slowed down. In March 2007, the DNR and the legislature agreed on a plan. They decided to make Greenleaf Lake a State Recreation Area instead of a full State Park. This meant it would cost less to operate and maintain.
In December 2007, the first piece of land was bought from Mark Geyer. The Meeker County board and a group called Minnesota Parks & Trails Council helped with extra money for the $3.2 million deal. More land is expected to be bought as funds become available and as more landowners want to sell. Until the park is fully developed, the state is renting out some of the land for farming.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area is close enough for many people from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area to visit for a day trip. The park is being planned for lots of day-use activities.
You can enjoy hiking, fishing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. A large part of the park will also be open for hunting during certain seasons. Future plans include a picnic area, more hiking trails, a campground, cabins for campers, special spots for hunting, and a visitor center.
Right now, you can get into the park through a public access point on Greenleaf Lake. This spot has a fishing pier and a parking area. Greenleaf Lake has been stocked with fish like largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, northern pike, and walleye. About 1 mile (1.6 km) of trail is open for walking, biking, and other non-motorized uses. Hunting for deer, turkey, pheasant, and small game is allowed when it's in season.
