• Artist George Catlin recorded the quarrying activity at the pipestone quarries in 1836

    Pipestone

    National Monument Minnesota

Animals

Painted Lady Butterfly on Lichen-covered Quartzite

Painted Lady Butterfly on Lichen-covered Quartzite

NPS, A. Deming

Pipestone National Monument is home to many animal species. Among the more popular and visible residents are; thirteen-lined ground squirrels, great blue herons, snapping turtles, and beaver. During the spring and fall months, bird watching is a popular activity at the Monument with many migratory species present.

The prairie and riparian (stream) ecosystems support a great diversity of wildlife. There are over twenty-five mammalian species, over one hundred bird species, approximately twenty-six fish species, nine reptiles and amphibians, and numerous insect families. Check out the photos and details under each group of animals for more information.

Did You Know?

Quarry pit showing the quartzite wall and quartzite rubble pile

Pipestone National Monument was the first National Park Service area in Minnesota designated by Congress and signed into existence by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on August 25, 1937.