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Hoosier Prairie
Dedicated as both a State Nature Preserve and a National Natural Landmark in 1977, Hoosier Prairie in Lake County hosts a surprising and stunning array of prairie plants.
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About Hoosier Prairie
Rare habitats such as the dry black oak barrens, wetland pools, and wet prairies are conserved at the Hoosier Prairie as well as over 350 native plants, 43 species being uncommon or rarely seen in Indiana. Plants like the white wild indigo, prairie parsley, Indian paintbrush, and rose pogonia can be spotted among the tall Indian grass. Red-headed woodpeckers, Sedge wrens and eyed brown butterflies can also be observed along the prairie and savanna with unusual reptiles and amphibians supported by the wet prairie “potholes”.
Hoosier Prairie is a large remnant of the prairie landscape that was once common in northwest Indiana. This tract preserves the topographic and biotic diversity of the sand plains north of the Valparaiso Moraine. Its size and plant diversity make Hoosier Prairie an excellent place to see native birds and other animals in their natural surroundings.
More to Explore in Lake County, IN
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