DIY Field Trip

 

 

GSM – Geological Society of Minnesota
Northwest Corner of Minnesota
DIY Field Trip

Marker name and number
City and County
GPS coordinates

How to find it

The lakes of Minnesota (266)
Detroit Lakes, Becker County

N 46 deg 48' 14.1012”
W 95 deg 48' 42.9012”

Located on US Highway 10 about 1 mile southeast of Detroit Lakes in a wayside park on the shore of Detroit Lake.

Geology of Bad Medicine Lae (270)

 not installed

Lake Agassiz (275)
Hawley, Clay County

N 46 deg 52' 36.3”
W 96 deg 18' 45.7992”

Located on US Highway10 in a wayside park at Hawley

Geology of Minnesota (288)
Itasca State Park, Clearwater County

N 47.191787
W 95.165119

Located at Peace Pipe Springs in Itasca State Park

 

(check location – GPS puts it near Douglas Lodge, whereas driving directions put it near Peace Pipe Vista)

Glacial Lake Agassiz (321)
Fisher, Polk County

N 47.805254
W 96.799293

Located on US Highway 2 at tourist information center near Fisher

 

 

 

 

GSM – Geological Society of Minnesota
Brainerd-Mille Lacs Area of Minnesota
DIY Field Trip

 

Marker name and number
City and County
GPS coordinates

How to find marker

Savanna Portage Continental Divide (200)

Not installed

Geology of Lake Mille Lacs (290)
Garrison, Crow Wing County

N 46.236615
W 93.821762

Located on US Highway 169 in a wayside 0.2 miles south of Garrison (near public water access?)

Brainerd Region (294)
Brainerd, Crow Wing County

N 46.441531
W 94.304667

Located on State Highway 371 at the end of Long Lake, 8 miles northwest of Brainerd

Portsmouth Mine (295)
Crosby, Crow Wing County

N 46.491535
W 93.957497

Located on State Highway 6 in a wayside 0.4 miles north of Crosby (overlooking Portsmouth Mine Pit Lake)

Geology of the Lake Mille Lacs region (306)
Isle, Mille Lacs County

N 46.164240
W 93.471205

Located on State Highway 47 at a scenic overlook 2 miles north of Isle on the eastern shore of Lake Mille Lacs

Glacial crossroads becomes a lake (307)

Father Hennepin State Park, Mille Lacs County

 Not installed

Ripley Esker (308)

Little Falls, Morrison County

 

N 46.114967

W 94.313267

From Little Falls, travel north seven miles on state highway 371. (The esker is the low tree-covered ridge to your right.) Turn right onto county road 48 and travel 0.7 miles, then turn left onto county road 282 and drive 1 mile north. (You are on top of esker.) The marker is on the east side of 282, in tall grass. The Ripley Esker Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) is located a short distance north.

 

GSM – Geological Society of Minnesota

Alexandria and Big Stone Area of Minnesota

DIY Field Trip

 

Marker name and number

City and County

GPS coordinates

How to find marker

Ortonville Region (65)

Ortonville, Big Stone County

 

N 45.297540

W 96.430709

Located 1000 feet west of thejunction of US Hwy 12 and 75, about 0.5 miles east of Ortonville.  In a park showing historic and geologic features of the area.

Geology of the Willmar Region (105)

Willmar, Kandiyohi County

 

N 45.127098

W 95.046381

From the Business Loop of Route 71, turn west onto Ella Avenue.  Travel a short distance to Thompson Park.  Turn into the parking lot.  Marker overlooks Foot Lake. 

Geology of Inspiration Peak (318 and 319)

Urbank, Ottertail County

 

N 46.136494

W 95.575917

Travel north from Alexandria on State Highway 29 to Parkers Prairie.  Go west on State Highway 235.  At Urbank, continue west on county highway 38 to Inspiration Peak State Wayside.

Glenwood Region (322)

Glenwood, Pope County

 

N 45.661889

W 95.382639

Located at Mt Lookout Park at State Highway 55 and 14th Avenue NE . Located at the base of the water tower. 

 

Need to verify directions

 

GSM – Geological Society of Minnesota

Minnesota River Valley Area of Minnesota

DIY Field Trip

 

Marker name and number

City and County

GPS coordinates

How to find marker

Ortonville Region (65)

Ortonville, Big Stone County

 

N 45.297540

W 96.430709

Located 1000 feet west of thejunction of US Hwy 12 and 75, about 0.5 miles east of Ortonville.  In a park showing historic and geologic features of the area.

A Witness to Time (78)

Granite Falls, Chippewa County

 

N 44.796123

W 95.503206

Located on US Highway 212 at a wayside 1.25 miles east of Granite Falls

Minnesota River Valley (114)

LeSueur, LeSueuer County

 

N 44.488646

W 93.876328

Located on US Highway 169 in the rest area north of LeSueur

Water and ice shape the landscape (136)

Not installed

Mankato Region (142)

North Mankato, Nicollet County

 

N 44.165341

W 94.037127

Exit Highway 169 onto Route 14.  Travel west on 14 to intersection with Lookout Drive (County highway 13).  Go south on Lookout Drive to the road sign “Geological Marker”.  Pull into the roadsid parking area.

Geology of the Minnesota River Valley (152)

Not installed

Geology of the Redwood Falls region (153)

Redwood Falls, Redwood County

 

N 44.553150

W 95.124730

Enter Alexander Ramsey city park on County Highway 31.  Drive down from the top of the bluff to a riverside picnic area.  Marker is located near the river, facing a tall eroded bluff on the opposite side.

 

GSM – Geological Society of Minnesota

Southwest Corner of Minnesota

DIY Field Trip

 

Marker name and number

City and County

GPS coordinates

How to find marker

Geology of the Lake Benton region (116)

Lake Benton, Lincoln County

 

N 44 deg 15' 55.1”

W 96 deg 17' 14.3”

Located on US Highway 75 near the junction with US Highway 14 in Lake Benton, in a wayside by the lake.

Geology of the Adrian Area (143)

 Not installed

Sioux Quartzite and Pipestone (170)

Beaver Creek, Rock County

 

N 43 deg 36' 38.3”

W 96 deg 21' 14.1”

Located on westbound Interstate 90 at the Tourist Information Center in Beaver Creek (near the South Dakota border).

 

GSM – Geological Society of Minnesota

Karst Country of Minnesota

DIY Field Trip

 

Marker name and number

City and County

GPS coordinates

How to find marker

Mystery Cave (84)

Preston, Fillmore County

 

N 43 deg 37' 2.1”

W 92 deg 18' 38.9”

Located off County Road 5 in Forestville State Park west of Preston, near the State Park Visitor Center

Geology of Sinkholes (86)

Fountain City, Fillmore County

 

GPS coordinates are incorrect

Located off US highway in Fountain City park. Park in the parking lot.  Walk east on the Root River bike trail one-quarter mile to a grove of trees that are collapsing into the sinkhole.

Big Spring (101)

Not installed

Geology of Minnesota (147)

Rochester, Olmsted County

 

determine GPS coordinates

Update directions

Geology of the Rice Lake Area (172)

Not installed

Great River Bluffs (185)

Winona, Winona County

 

N 43 deg 58' 30”

W 91 deg 25' 39”

Located on US Highway 61 at the junction with County Road 3, about 3 miles southeast of the County Road 7 junction.

Mississippi River (186)

Winona, Winona County

 

N 44 deg 9' 33.3”

W 91 deg 48' 42.6”

Located on US HIghway 61 in an overlook about 10 miles north of Winona at US Lock and Dam #5

 

GSM – Geological Society of Minnesota

St. Croix River Valley of Minnesota

DIY Field Trip

 

Marker name and number

City and County

GPS coordinates

How to find marker

Glacial Potholes (4)

 

Directions are wrong.  Numbering is wrong. 

Geology of the Taylors Falls Region

Directions are wrong, numbering is wrong.

Stillwater Region (49)

Stillwater, Washington County

Flag is in the wrong place.  GPS is wrong.

 

GSM – Geological Society of Minnesota

Twin Cities Metro Area of Minnesota

DIY Field Trip

 

Marker name and number

City and County

GPS coordinates

How to find marker

Minnehaha Falls (24)

Minneapolis, Hennepin County

 

 

 

 

 

Iron Range Field Trip – GSM Markers

July 2016

 

Marker Name

How to find it

Geology of the Hill Annex Mine (224)

 

N 47o 20' 50.1468”

W 93o 16' 57.6516”

Located off US Highway 169, 2 miles north of Calumet near the mine overlook next to the visitor center

 

 

 

Three-Way Continental Divide (251)

 

N 47o 19' 11.8056”

W 92o 28' 12.5148”

About 5 miles south of Eveleth on US Highway 53 in the Anchor Lake rest area

 

 

 

Geology of the Mesabi Region (252)

 

N 47o 26' 1.4712”

W 92o 56' 13.1532”

In Hibbing, located off US Highway 169 on 13th Street at the west end of Bennett Park

 

 

 

Laurentian Divide (258)

 

N 47o 34' 53.7384”
W 92o 32' 31.218”

Located on US Highway 53 about 5 miles north of Virginia at the Laurentian Divide rest area

 

 

 

Origin of McCarthy Beach (265)

 

N 47o 40' 5.0088”

W 93o 1' 50.7252”

Located off county roads 5 and 65 in McCarthy Beach State Park.

 

 

 

Moose Lake Region (205)

 

N 46o 26' 48.6276”

W 92o 46' 4.944”

From I-35, take exit 214 in Moose Lake.  Turn left onto Route 73 and go west.  This is also known as Industrial Park Road.  It will soon merge with Route 61 (Arrowhead Lane).  At the corner of Arrowhead Lane and Lakeshore Drive is a park – the Ervid Clemons rest stop. Marker is in this park, overlooking the south shore of Moosehead Lake.

Kettle River Rapids (243)

 

N 46o 10' 23.916”

W 92o 50' 57.9048”

From I-35, take exit 195.  Turn right on route 23. Turn right into Banning State Park.  Marker may be near the park office.