Mockridge Wildlife Preserve

There is nothing like wandering through a Minnesota pine forest. The open canopy, the thick duff of needles on the floor, the smell of evergreens, the profusion of wildlife. Nothing except Mockridge Preserve that is!

North of Calamus, the wind has piled up dunes of sand from the floodplain of the Wapsipinicon River. The dunes, needless to say, don't grow corn too well. Many of the landowners planted stands of scotch & white pine for wildlife and Christmas trees in the sand so the land wouldn't go to waste. Most of these pines were never harvested or thinned making the mature evergreens unique micro-habitats dotting the open farmland of west-central Clinton County.

Mockridge Wildlife Preserve is such a place. Walking under the pine boughs transports me mentally to my favorite vacation spots in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario. The preserve teams with life too. Owls, vultures, deer, turkeys, songbirds and the endangered ornate box turtle all call Mockridge home. The nice thing is that the openness of the woods insures that you will see the animals as well. The ground is thick with needles and little else. This make finding feathers, bones, droppings, pellets, scratchings and other signs easy to see. In the winter, the evergreens act like a magnet for animals from all around the countryside. The boughs block the wind and provide cover when the rest of our landscape is pretty barren.

Mockridge is a great place to hike because the trails are wide and easy to walk. It is also a prime place to cross country ski and snowshoe. The same evergreens that block wind for wildlife also allow snow to fall straight down. What you get is an even layer of white, fluffy fun. Additionally, the pines shade the snow, keeping the sun from melting it when other places are getting too patchy for skiing..

Mockridge is 75 acres, purchased by the Clinton CCB in 1975 for $266/acre. The name comes from William and Helen Mockridge who saw the spot as too special not to be owned by the public for all to enjoy. The 3 miles of trails offer plenty of leg stretching room. Visit Mockridge any time of year, it will quickly become a favorite place for solitude, meditation, nature study, exercise and escape.

Endangered Ornate Box Turtles call Mockridge home.