Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

Parks Directory of the United States / National Wildlife Refuges

Address: PO Box 399
Prairie City, IA 50228
Phone: 641-994-3400;
Web: www.fws.gov/midwest/nealsmith
Established: 1990 as Walnut Creek NWR.
Location: 20 miles east of Des Moines, Iowa.
Facilities: Visitor center, viewing sites, hiking trails, auto tour route.
Activities: Hunting, hiking, biking, mushroom colelcting, educational programs.
Special Features: Scientists catalogued 29 species of ants, including one believed to be new to science. A moth survey revealed 530 species, also including one new to science. A nine-year effort to introduce the rare prairie butterfly, the regal fritilaary, resulted in a resident population.
Habitats: 8,000 acres being restored to tallgrass prairie and oak savanna.
Access: Year round during daylight hours.
Wild life: Elk, bison, beaver, badger, weasel, plains pocket gopher, Henslow's sparrow, northern harrier, short-eared owl bobolink and meadowlarks.

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See other parks in Iowa.