When you walk into the PLC, there are nice bathrooms, a guest desk with maps and lots of information, a gift shop, and lots of places to explore. At the middle of the far side on the Tallgrass Trail, you can often see the buffalo up close through the fence. It was pretty icy on the day that we went, so we didn’t get far, but I appreciate that it’s paved and accessible for everyone. There is no wind or sun cover – so keep that in mind if you’re visiting. I have walked the Tallgrass Trail on a Hike It Baby hike before, and I think it is a *long* two miles. You can see a covered kiosk-y type building off to the far right of the top picture, that is where the below trail map is. When you park and pull up, the PLC is impossible to miss, and then there are some informative signs to your right, where the trails all start. As you drive further, you’ll see another sign that shows the PLC is straight ahead and the auto-tour is to the left. My GPS takes me the back way from the west side, it feels like you’re in the middle of absolutely nowhere until you finally turn on to a paved road and then see this sign. Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge – Prairie City, Iowa You can see more specific details on the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge page below or check out its location on the interactive map. My son is 4 and my daughter is almost 2 – but I think any walking toddler would be amused! We opted to go and check out the PLC on a cold January day – it’s free, has lots of open room to run, and has some really cool, interactive displays for kids to check out. This is a little bit out of the way, technically I think the address is Prairie City, but it’s worth the drive! There are several miles of paved trails amidst the prairie and alongside the buffalo/elk enclosure, in addition to a drive-through buffalo/elk area, and a large, indoor Prairie Learning Center. If you’ve driven on I-80, you have probably seen the big brown sign for the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge and Prairie Learning Center.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |