172nd Ave, Sunburg, MN 56334 - Pope County

Recreational and Hunting Land with 1/2 Mile of Shoreline on Johnson Lake in Pope Co. Online Only Auction in June of 2022

82.4+/- Surveyed Acres in Pope County

Online Only Auction Bidding Opens June 7th, 2022 at 9 AM CST; Bidding Closes Thursday, June 16th, 2022 at 5:00 PM CST

Property Viewing Dates: Sunday, May 15, 1:00 PM 3:00 PM & Sunday, May 29, 1:00 PM 3:00 PM

Legal Description: Government Lot 2 of Section 23, Government Lot 1 of Section 24 and Government Lot 2 of Section 25, all in Township 123, Range 37, Pope County, MN.

Auctioneers Comments: 10,000 years ago the advance of the glacier stalled, then slowly melted over time, and it left behind one of the most stunning natural landscapes in all of Minnesota. The glacier had carved this property, 82.4 dramatic acres of steep rolling hills with views as far as the eye can see, and a glacier lake, what the old timers called fish lake. Later, it was named Johnson Lake, after the Johnson family who settled on this property with their 13 children in a log cabin in the 1890s. With a depth of 36 feet, Johnson Lake is known for bass, northern, sunfish and large crappies, and the only access to it is through private landowners. Across the ridges and burr oak woods roam deer, turkey and an abundance of wildlife. The property has electricity, trails, and a stream that outlets the lake by running through the south 40. The owner, Jerry Skarpness, has created a park-like setting adjacent to the lake where he installed a dock for his friends and neighbors to swim and fish during our classic Minnesota summer days. Jerry has been an outstanding caretaker of this land since 1988, taking steps to preserve the natural prairie by eliminating cedar trees, planting several stands of norway pine and spruce, and selectively grazing it with his cattle to control invasive weeds. He has loved the property dearly, but now in his early 70s he believes the time has come for another family or entity to have the rights of stewardship and ownership. The property is located near the iconic Ordway Prairie scenic overlook on Highway 104 and is adjacent to Sheepberry Fen, a preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy. This is truly a once in a lifetime property