Guided Prairie Walks
Heartland Prairie at Gordon Moore Park
Route 140
Alton, Illinois

Rosinweed		Blazing Star

Wednesdays, June 17 - August 26, 2009
Free

Take a trip back in time to see what Illinois once looked like. Although Illinois still is known as the "Prairie State," less than 0.01% of Illinois' original 21 million acres of prairie remains in isolated patches around the state. One such place is the 27 acre tall grass Heartland Prairie on the north side of Gordon Moore Park. Guides from The Nature Institute in Godfrey and the Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club will lead you along the trails and help you identify a variety of wildflowers and grasses including Rosinweed, Purple and Grayhead Coneflowers, Flat-topped Spurge, Blazing Star, Partridge Pea, Rattlesnake Master, and a variety of sunflowers.

The Heartland Prairie is always open during park hours and hosts nine species of native prairie grasses and 150 prairie wildflowers that are native to Madison County and surrounding Illinois counties. The wildflowers bloom at different parts of the year guaranteeing a different show for repeat visitors. If you want to see wildflowers this is the place to visit!

Meet at the trailhead, located across from the main entrance to the park and make a right at the first road. Field Guides will be provided, Wear comfortable shoes for this half-mile walk, and don’t forget to bring your camera and binoculars!

Insect repellent is recommended as ticks can be a problem

Rattlesnake Master		Grayhead Coneflower

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