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

    Pipestone

    National Monument Minnesota

Reptiles

Snapping turtle crossing the road

Snapping turtle crossing the road

NPS, G. Wagner

Only a few species of reptiles occur within Pipestone National Monument. Turtles enjoy the waters of Pipestone Creek and the ephemeral ponds that occur throughout the prairie. Garter snakes and skinks prefer the Sioux quartzite prairie. The following reptiles have been recorded within Pipestone National Monument:

Family
Common Name Scientific name

Snapping Turtles (Chelydridae)
Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina
Pond, Marsh, and Box Turtles (Emydidae)
Western Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta
Colubrid Snakes (Colubridae)
Western Plains Garter Snake Thamnophis sp.
Skinks (Scincidae)
Northern Prairie Skink Eumeces spetentrionalis

Did You Know?

Spiderwort

There are over 500 plant species, including over 70 species of grasses, growing on Pipestone National Monument lands. More...