Knapp Prairie: A Loess Hills Gem

Knapp Prairie, a Nature Conservancy preserve in Plymouth County, Iowa, offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the beauty of a native tallgrass prairie. This rare mesic Loess Hills prairie, saved from agricultural conversion, is home to a diverse array of plant and animal species. Visitors can explore the prairie on foot, taking in the breathtaking vistas and observing the unique flora and fauna. The terrain is steep and rugged in places, so sturdy footwear is recommended. Keep an eye out for snakes, insects, and grassland birds as you hike. Knapp Prairie is particularly significant as a conservation area for prairie butterflies, including the regal fritillary. More than 900 of these striking orange and yellow butterflies have been observed in a single survey, making Knapp Prairie one of the largest U.S. populations of this butterfly. The Conservancy actively manages the prairie, harvesting seeds from plants that attract these butterflies for use in restoring other prairies in the area. The prairie's plant life is equally impressive, with species such as big bluestem, fringed puccoon, ground plum, heath aster, Indian grass, lead plant, little bluestem, New Jersey tea, prairie larkspur, purple prairie clover, prairie turnip, prairie violet, purple coneflower, purple locoweed, rough blazing star, sideoats grama, silky aster, snow-on-the-mountain, toothed evening primrose, and stiff goldenrod all thriving here.