Beaver Creek Valley State Park
| Beaver Creek Valley State Park | |
| Minnesota State Park | |
 East Beaver Creek, a spring-fed trout stream, has carved the narrow Beaver Creek Valley.
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Minnesota |
| County | Houston |
| Location | Caledonia |
| - elevation | 833 ft (254 m) |
| - coordinates | 43°39′0″N 91°34′58″W / 43.65000°N 91.58278°WCoordinates: 43°39′0″N 91°34′58″W / 43.65000°N 91.58278°W |
| Area | 1,187 acres (480 ha) |
| Founded | 1937 |
| Management | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
  Location of Beaver Creek Valley State Park in Minnesota
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Beaver Creek Valley State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, featuring a steep, narrow valley carved by East Beaver Creek. This spring-fed stream is a fishing destination for its native brook trout, and introduced brown trout. The heavily forested valley, up to 250 feet (76 m) deep in places, is a hidden natural oasis amidst the farmland of southeastern Minnesota. Located near the town of Caledonia, the park was developed in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration. The parkland exhibits the highly stream-carved terrain characteristic of the Driftless Area.
Between 500 and 450 million years ago shallow inland seas covered the region. Sediment built up into a layer called Oneota dolomite followed by a layer called Jordan sandstone, followed by a second layer of dolomite. Today the Jordan sandstone forms the walls of the valley while the upper layer of dolomite caps the ridges. Both types of rock are water-permeable, resulting in numerous springs.
The deep valley of East Beaver Creek is indicative of the Driftless Area. Whereas most of the Midwestern United States was blanketed with till, or drift, by three successive ice ages, the Driftless Area remained ice-free. Therefore, streams and rivers have had a longer time to cut into their beds, eroding deep valleys and leaving high ridges.
East Beaver Creek, which joins with West Beaver Creek at the north end of the park, is in the drainage system of the Root River. Flash flooding can occur after heavy rainfall. The creek supports wild population of brown trout.
Within the valley the vegetation is bottomland hardwoods such as black ash, willow, box elder, cottonwood, and elm. Higher on the valley walls and on the flat ground beyond the forest is a mix of maple, walnut, basswood, and oak. Some south and west-facing slopes bear remnant prairie patches. Several rare or endangered plants are found in the park.
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