-

- Summer season interpretive

- 17 miles of horse trails

- 19 miles of hiking trails

- Mystery Cave visitor center

- Picnic area with enclosed

- Trailer dump station

- 57 equestrian campsites

- 73 Semi-modern campsites

Forestville/Mystery Cave
Facilities:
Visitor Favorites:
the park

Creek)
Historic markers throughout

Big Spring (source of Canfield

Overlook

Spring wildflowers and birding

Trout fishing

Historic Forestville tours

Mystery Cave tours

stores.
State Parks, and major sporting and map
DNR gift shop, DNR regional offices, MN
(PRIM) are available for purchase from the
These Public Recreational Information Maps

recreational facilities.
federal, state, and county lands with their
The DNR has mapped the state showing

and picnic area

shelter and 60 picnic tables

(23 with electrical hookups)

(23 with electrical hookups)

amphitheater
Canfield Creek
Forestville Creek
South Branch Root River
For camping reservations go online at
www.mndnr.gov/reservations

Looking for more information?

Call our information center at

State Park
www.mndnr.gov

Visit our website at

888 MINNDNR
866 857 2757

(646 6367)
or call

Historic Site Inset

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Because lands exist within the boundaries

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of Forestville that are not under the jurisdiction
1300

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of the DNR, check with park staff if you plan
to use facilities such as trails and roads other
than those shown.

McCaslin - March 2012

 a greater variety of attractions than does Forestville
/Mystery Cave State Park. The park is rich in both
historical and natural resources including the 1853-
1910 townsite of Forestville, meandering blue-
ribbon trout streams, diverse plant and animal life,
and dramatic Mystery Cave, Minnesota’s longest
known cave.
Duluth •
CAVE TOURS/ INTERPRETIVE SERVICES:
The very popular guided tours of Mystery Cave are
available every day from Memorial weekend through
Minneapolis/
Labor Day and on weekends in spring and fall.
St. Paul • Other interpretive programs are offered on summer
weekends including hikes, field trips, and evening
FORESTVILLE/ campfire programs. The Mystery Cave Visitor Center
MYSTERY CAVE is open during the tour season and contains a number
STATE PARK
of exhibits relating to the cave. Other self-guided
signage in the park relates to natural and cultural
features found here.
FORESTVILLE/ HISTORIC FORESTVILLE: The Minnesota
MYSTERY CAVE Historical Society has restored a portion of the town-
site of Forestville. In the summer months, visitors
STATE PARK discover Forestville’s past by stepping back in the
summer of 1899. Costumed interpreters portray
FOR MORE INFORMATION Forestville residents. Explore the “latest” styles of
merchandise in the brick store or visit the Thomas
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park and Mary Meighen residence. Pass the time with
21071 County Road 118 farm laborers as they go about their daily chores
Preston, MN 55965 around the farm buildings.
(507) 352-5111
While in the historic district, you can help preserve
♦ the 1899 character of Historic Forestville.
Department of Natural Resources
Information Center • Please park vehicles, bicycles, and horses only
500 Lafayette Road in designated areas.
St. Paul, MN 55155-4040 • Pets are not allowed within fenced areas.
• Please refrain from smoking in the restored
(651) 296-6157 (Metro Area) village area.
1-888-646-6367 (MN Toll Free)
Besides the restored portion of the village, there are
TDD (Telecommunications many historic sites to explore including the Zumbro
Device for Deaf) Hill cemetery, south townsite, schools, brick yard,
residences, mills, and distillery.
(651) 296-5484 (Metro Area)
1-800-657-3929 (MN Toll Free) Call Historic Forestville for more information about
summer living history tours (507-765-2785), or see
DNR Web Site: www.dnr.state.mn.us the MHS website at mnhs.org.
State Parks page: www.mnstateparks.info
RECREATION: Camping in Forestville’s lovely
wooded campsites are very popular, especially on
FORESTVILLE/MYSTERY CAVE STATE PARK is summer weekends. For this reason reservations are
located in Fillmore County in southeastern Minnesota recommended. Showers and flush toilets are typi-
about halfway between Spring Valley and Preston. cally available from mid-April through mid-October.
The entrance to the park is located four miles south Each site comes with a gravel parking spur, fire ring
of MN Highway 16 on Fillmore County Highway 5, and picnic table.
and two miles east on Fillmore County 118. Minn-
esota highway map index: M-21 Horse Area – Forestville has the highest horseback
use of any state park in Minnesota. The hilly terrain
Perhaps no other Minnesota state park offers visitors and winding streams provide interesting and scenic
riding. These features also require extra effort on
the part of riders to preserve fragile plants, soils,
and waters for future generations. Many of the trails
are surfaced with crushed rock to prevent erosion.
Because of this, shod horses are recommended.
There are also several streams to ford 57 sites are
available for horse campers (23 with 50 amp electrical
hookups). Other amenities in the horse area include
drinking water, picnic tables, fire rings, hitching rails
and vault type outdoor toilets.
Fishing – Three of Minnesota’s top trout streams
converge within the park. Angler parking is available
in the picnic area and near the main campground.
A special catch and release winter season is in effect
on most park streams from January 1 to March 31.
Slot restrictions apply during the regular season.
Canfield Creek is restricted to artifical lures.
Hiking – Many park trails are shared with horseback
riders. Most trails climb about 200’ in elevation from
valley floors to ridge tops. The scenic overlook,
cemetery, and Big Spring are favorite destinations.
Winter Trails – Cross-country skiing and snowmo-
biling are both popular here in winter. Ski trails are
scenic touring trails and are groomed in classic
fashion. Three Grant-In-Aid snowmobile trails con-
verge in the park, providing access to dozens of
miles of trails outside the park. Snowshoeing is
allowed almost everywhere in the park. Off trail
use is encouraged.
Other popular recreation activities include bird
watching, wildlife observation, photography, and
wading.
GEOLOGY: About 450 million years ago material
was deposited in the bottom of shallow seas which
intermittently covered large portions of North
America. As the deposits increased in thickness, the
layers on the bottom were compressed to form lime-
stone, dolomite, shale, and sandstone. Today in the
park, these rocks are 1300 feet above the sea. In the
past million years, some of the limestone and dolomite
layers have been dissolved by water. This has created
a landscape that is characterized by sinkholes, under-
ground streams, and caves. This landscape is called
karst, and is represented here by features such as
Mystery Cave, Minnesota’s longest known cave. With
over 13 miles of passages, Mystery is a maze of linear
corridors. During dry periods, the entire South Branch
Root River sinks into the cave through gravel filled
crevices in the river bottom. Forestville also exhibits
features of the unglaciated or “driftless” region. The
last major glacial advance did not cover the vicinity
of Forestville. Down-cutting of stream valleys by
powerful glacial meltwater created the steep hills and
bluffs we see in the park and surrounding area today.
VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE: The steep
bluffland topography has created a marked variety
of localized climate conditions. South-facing slopes
are warmer and drier. North-facing slopes are cooler
and wetter. In addition, Forestville/Mystery Cave
is located at the edge of two great biomes: the tallgrass
prairie to the west, and the eastern deciduous forest.
This combination has resulted in a striking mosaic
of plant communities included prairie, savanna, oak
woodland, maple/basswood forest, and even white
pine and fir. The streams that converge in the park
also provide habitat for a rich variety of aquatic life.
The great variety of habitat supports remarkably
different wildlife ranging from rare glacial snails to
timber rattlesnakes. While a few rattlers live in the
park, they are of very little threat if left alone. Please
report sightings.
Other wildlife of note include deer, raccoon, beaver,
mink, opossum, woodchucks, four species of squirrels,
red and grey fox. Coyote numbers have grown in
recent years and can often be heard at dusk. Several
species of reptiles and amphibians are also present.
At least 175 species of birds have been recorded in
the park including several important Neotropical
migrants (scarlet tanager, ovenbird, American redstart)
and a sizeable population of wild turkeys. Barred
owls often wake campers with their evening calls and
soaring turkey vultures delight summer visitors.
HISTORY: In the center of the park along the South
Branch Root River is the townsite of Forestville.
Founded in 1853, the village emerged as a rural trade
center, typical of hundreds that emerged across
southern Minnesota during the 1850s. Area farmers
came to Forestville to trade their farm produce for
goods and services. By 1858, Forestville numbered
100 inhabitants and 20 buildings including: two
general stores, a gristmill, a brickyard, two hotels,
a school, and “mechanics of several trades.”
Forestville prospered until the first area railroad, the
Southern Minnesota, bypassed the community in
1868. Village residents watched their town struggle
to survive while towns served by the railroad
boomed with prosperity. By 1890, Thomas J.
Meighen, son of one of the town’s founders, owned
the entire village. The 50 residents made their living
on Mr. Meighen’s farm. In return for their work, his
employees received housing, board, and credit in
his store. Mr. Meighen also maintained the post
office, the school, and a feed and saw mill.
In 1905, Meighen moved to Preston and in 1910 he
closed his general store. In 1934 he proposed estab-
lishment of the State Park, but it took nearly 30 years
for the park to be formally designated.
SO EVERYONE CAN ENJOY THE PARK…
• State parks were established to preserve natural,
cultural, and aesthetic features, and to help meet
the diverse recreational and educational needs of
visitors. Please observe rules deigned to keep our
parks clean and to protect park resources.
• Daily or annual permits are required for all vehi-
cles entering a state park. They may be purchased
at the park headquarters or the Information Center
in St. Paul (see “FOR MORE INFORMATION”
at left).
• The park is open year-round. On a daily basis,
the park gate is closed from 10:00 P.M. to 8:00
A.M. the following morning except to registered
campers. Loud noises and other disturbances
are not allowed after 10:00 P.M. in the camp-
ground.
• Camp only in designated locations.
• The use of firearms, explosives, air guns, sling-
shots, traps, seines, nets, bows and arrows, and
all other weapons is prohibited in state parks.
• Pets must be restrained on a leash no longer than
six feet. Pets are not allowed in park buildings.
• Motor bikes and other licensed vehicles are al-
lowed only on park roads, not on trails. Park in
designated areas only.
• Bicycles are allowed on park roads but not on
trails.
• Enjoy the park wildlife and plants, but please
respect them. Do not pick or dig up plants, disturb
or feed animals, or scavenge dead wood.
HORSEBACK RIDERS: You can help ensure the
future of riding at Forestville.
• Ride only on designated horse trails.
• Avoid shortcutting at corners and switchbacks.
• Cross streams only at designated ford areas.
• Leave beverage containers at camp or pack them
out in saddle bags.
• Avoid riding on roads.
• Save precious shade trees. Use designated hitching
areas.
♦
This information is available in
alternative format upon request.
Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from
programs of the Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources is available to all individuals regardless of race,
color, creed or religion, national origin, sex, marital status,
status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation,
age or disability. Discrimination inquires should be sent to
the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500
Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 551455-4031;
or to the Equal Opportunity Office,
Minnesota
Department of the Interior, Washington,
D.C. 20240.
DEPARTMENT OF
© 7/2007 by State of Minnesota, NATURAL RESOURCES
Department of Natural Resources DNR Maps