"The scenery of the prairie is striking and never fails to cause an exclamation of surprise... the flowers are beautiful; the absence of shade and... profusion of light produce a gaiety which animates the beholder."

Judge James Hall, ca. 1839

NPS Photo

Big bluestem and Indian grass dominate the vast open spaces of the restored prairie.

The National Park Service reconstructed a tallgrass prairie in 1971 to represent the vast grassland that once covered 85 percent of Iowa. Site managers planted five species of grasses on land that had been farm field for more than a century.

Over the years, managers have used many techniques to continue the reconstruction process. Prescribed fire has become the primary tool for prairie management. The result today is a colorful array of flowers mixed with the green, purple, and golden hues of native grasses.

Three trails loop the visitor through this 81-acre sea of tall grasses and spectacular flowering forbs. One can imagine the pioneers crossing over land where mothers feared they could lose their small children in the 6 to 12 foot tall maze of grasses.

Related Documents and Publications

National Park Service

Cross-curricular activities encourage observation, problem solving, and higher order thinking.

Tallgrass Prairie: A Multidisciplinary Curriculum

Grades: Elementary and Middle (4 and above)
Subjects: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Mathematics
Use for: Classroom, Pre-visit, Field Trip, Post-visit

Prepare students for a visit to the park's 81-acre tallgrass prairie. Activities strenghten skills in observation, analysis, and interpretation in the field and in the classroom. Activities are written with middle school students in mind, but may be appropriate for other ages.

Download PDF file (24,899 KB) »

Tallgrass Prairie Walk

Grades: Elementary (3-6)
Subjects: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Mathematics
Use for: Field Trip

Elemetary school classes may use this activity booklet and map for short teacher-guided visits (30 to 60 minutes) to the prairie during a field trip.

Download PDF file (498 KB) »

The Tallgrass Prairie Trail Map (PDF file, 1.68 MB) helps visitors to explore the prairie and experience the area’s natural heritage. The Visitor Center has an exhibit about prairies and an interpretive garden with examples of tallgrass prairie plants (PDF file, 1.11 MB).