Chimney Rock is a protected
scientific and natural area in rural
Dakota County Dakota County may refer to:
*Dakota County, Minnesota in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area of east-central Minnesota
*Dakota County, Nebraska
Dakota County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of th2020 United States Census the populati ...
, Minnesota. The area features a
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
rock pillar; the last remaining in the county.
History
Natural sandstone pillars have been noted in two other areas of the county. The community and township of
Castle Rock are eponymous with a similar formation which later collapsed. Lone Rock in
Empire Township was noted by
Zebulon Pike
Zebulon Montgomery Pike (January 5, 1779 – April 27, 1813) was an American brigadier general and explorer for whom Pikes Peak in Colorado was named. As a U.S. Army officer he led two expeditions under authority of President Thomas Jefferson th ...
in the early 1800s, but has since eroded significantly.
Chimney Rock was noted as a landmark for settlers who moved to Dakota County in the 1800s. It was described as "the most picturesque and perfect example of columnar rock weathering in Minnesota" in 1905.
Efforts to preserve Chimney Rock began in 2002 with a county bond issue preserving natural areas. In 2011, the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or Minnesota DNR, is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recre ...
bought 76 acres of land surrounding the formation, which became the Scientific and Natural Area. A local group of DNR volunteers, the Hastings Environmental Protectors, maintains the SNA.
References
External links
Chimney Rock SNA official siteat the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or Minnesota DNR, is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recre ...
Chimney Rockat geocaching.com
{{Dakota County, Minnesota topics
Protected areas of Dakota County, Minnesota
Protected areas established in 2011