Wilson's Prairie

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LocationWilson Prairie is located in the NE corner of Louisa County. It is only 1.5 miles south of the Muscatine County line and 2.5 miles west of the Mississippi. It is located on the paved County Road G44X that stretches into Grandview and is just a mile west of County Road X61. There is a small parking are in the SE corner.

Operating Hours & Seasons Open daily, all seasons to hiking, nature exploration and photography. Louisa County parks are open from 6am - 10:30pm.

Discover Wilson's Prairie in Louisa County

Wilson Prairie is believed to be a native, remnant prairie. This property was purchased with the help of a REAP Grant in December 2019! A HUGE thank you to the Iowa Legislature for supporting REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection) in Iowa and to Tri-Rivers Conservation Foundation who provided matching funds for the project. We have some really great places that are worth protecting and this is one of them!

The land came into the Wilson's family in 1922 and they attest that it had not been row-cropped during their ownership and aerial photos support this statement. In addition, soil samples show high levels of organic materials and no sign of mixing of the A-horizon. The area had been grazed by cattle up until 1999 and was hayed after that. There is a shallow wetland in the NE corner that could potentially have been from a buffalo wallow. This 38-acre parcel is open to the public for wildlife viewing and photography. A burn break/mowed trail circle the prairie for a very flat but beautiful mile-long walk.

Hunting is not allowed at Wilson Prairie (mostly because there is scarcely a place where you could be more than 200-yards from an occupied building or shoot in a safe direction). Quail and pheasant are often spotted or heard in the prairie. This area has a great diversity of native wildflowers and grasses.