Midewin Prairiewildflowers
At Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the timing for wildflowers comes in 3 separate phases, each its own display, none of them a peak: Pale purple coneflower in the seed beds (bed E3), blooms in June; Prairie clovers and compass plant in the seed beds (beds E3 and E10), late June and July; and Prairie dock in the seed beds (bed E1), late July and August. Its usual window for this year has passed.
- JunePale purple coneflower in the seed beds (bed E3)blooms in June
- June–JulyPrairie clovers and compass plant in the seed beds (beds E3 and E10)late June and July
- July–AugustPrairie dock in the seed beds (bed E1)late July and August
Right now at Midewin Prairie
Right now in Midewin Prairie · September
- Welcome Center programs and tours, April to October · Apr–Oct
Your guide to the area
Best spots around Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
- River Road SeedbedsPlanted beds of native prairie wildflowers and grasses grown for seed, not a natural prairie: numbered 1 to 36 from north to south, in an east and a west set, with signs, inside a deer fence. Walk only on the mowed paths, since trampling damages the seed crop; parking is on Boathouse Road
- South Patrol Road prairie restorationOver 400 acres of restored prairie and wetlands east of Boathouse Road: walk north from the seedbeds' parking lot, through the pedestrian gates at the corners of the deer fence, and out into the restoration, where native grasses and wildflowers grow in large stands and the weedy patches thin out the farther you go from the edge
- Supervisor's Office seedbedsThe smallest of Midewin's three seedbeds, four rows of native wildflowers and grasses planted in 1997, directly across the driveway from the Welcome Center on Route 53; open to visit whenever the office is open
Nearby
- Indiana Dunes58 miMost years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-MaySatSlight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny
- Necedah Refuge214 miJune through AugustSatMostly Sunny
- Mammoth Cave307 mispring (March, April, and May)SatRain Showers Likely
- Daniel Boone National Forest335 milate March to late AprilSatRain Showers Likely
- Cuyahoga Valley342 milate March to mid-MaySatSlight Chance Rain Showers
- War Fork and Steer Fork350 mimost spectacular in mid-April
The year at Midewin Prairie
- Welcome Center programs and tours, April to OctoberNowApr–Oct
- Prairie clovers and compass plant flower in the seed beds, late June and JulyJun–Jul
- Jun: Pale purple coneflower blooms in the River Road seed beds, JuneJun
- Prairie dock flowers in the seed beds, late July and AugustJul–Aug
Questions people ask
When do wildflowers bloom at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie?
In 3 separate phases, each at its own spot: Pale purple coneflower in the seed beds (bed E3), blooms in June, Prairie clovers and compass plant in the seed beds (beds E3 and E10), late June and July and Prairie dock in the seed beds (bed E1), late July and August. They're separate displays, not one long season, and none of them is a peak.
Is it blooming in Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie right now?
Not now: its usual wildflowers window for this year has passed. Next time: Pale purple coneflower in the seed beds (bed E3), blooms in June.
Is this a natural prairie in bloom?
No. The River Road beds are planted seed-production stands, set out in big blocks with mowed lanes so each plant is easy to see and its seed easy to harvest. The seed helps restore Midewin, where less than 200 acres of natural prairie remain. For restored prairie, walk to the South Patrol Road restoration.Source: USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Self-Guided Tour of the River Road Seedbeds (PDF) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Can I walk into the beds?
No, please stay on the mowed paths: trampling easily damages the seed crop. Expect some weedy patches too, since the beds are always a work in progress.Source: USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Self-Guided Tour of the River Road Seedbeds (PDF) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When are the trails open, and is there a fee?
Midewin's trails are open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. No fee is required at the Welcome Center, which is open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with restrooms and drinking water.Sources: USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Recreation ↗ (opens in a new tab), USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Welcome Center ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Why is there a tall fence?
It keeps deer out: some of these prairie plants, like prairie clover and shooting star, are deer favorites, and good seed crops began only after the fence went up. Turkeys, coyotes, rabbits, skunks and foxes still come and go.Source: USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Self-Guided Tour of the River Road Seedbeds (PDF) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What birds might I hear?
In the open field, grasshopper and savanna sparrows, eastern meadowlarks, dickcissels, eastern kingbirds and Henslow's sparrows; around the edges, indigo buntings, orioles, bluebirds and goldfinches.Source: USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Self-Guided Tour of the River Road Seedbeds (PDF) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Will I see the bison?
Maybe. The herd roams a very large, rolling pasture, so whether you see it depends on where the animals are that day; the Welcome Center is the place to start.Source: USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Welcome Center ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie?
River Road Seedbeds: planted beds of native prairie wildflowers and grasses grown for seed, not a natural prairie: numbered 1 to 36 from north to south, in an east and a west set, with signs, inside a deer fence. Walk only on the mowed paths, since trampling damages the seed crop; parking is on Boathouse Road; South Patrol Road prairie restoration: over 400 acres of restored prairie and wetlands east of Boathouse Road: walk north from the seedbeds' parking lot, through the pedestrian gates at the corners of the deer fence, and out into the restoration, where native grasses and wildflowers grow in large stands and the weedy patches thin out the farther you go from the edge; Supervisor's Office seedbeds: the smallest of Midewin's three seedbeds, four rows of native wildflowers and grasses planted in 1997, directly across the driveway from the Welcome Center on Route 53; open to visit whenever the office is open.
What is Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie like through the year?
Pale purple coneflower blooms in the River Road seed beds, June (Jun), Prairie clovers and compass plant flower in the seed beds, late June and July (Jun–Jul), Prairie dock flowers in the seed beds, late July and August (Jul–Aug) and Welcome Center programs and tours, April to October (Apr–Oct).
How we know · Sources (3)
How we know
USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Self-Guided Tour of the River Road Seedbeds (PDF) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Recreation (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: Welcome Center (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30)