Photo: USFWS · Public domain, cropped and resized
Neal Smith Refugewildflowers
Wildlife refugeAt Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Through the summer, new species of prairie flowers bloom week after week, per the Fish and Wildlife Service (a season, not a peak). Its usual window for this year has passed.
Checked against 3 official sources · How we check →
About Neal Smith Refuge
- What it is
- A wildlife refuge in Iowa
- A little history
- It was established in 1990 to protect, restore, reconstruct and manage tallgrass prairie, oak savanna and sedge meadow. Its first big parcel, about 3,600 acres bought in April 1991, had been targeted for a nuclear power station.
- What you'll see
- Summer prairie flowers · summer (a season)
Your guide to the area
Places on this map (2)
Best spots around Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
Tallgrass Trail
Best spot
A loop through reconstructed and remnant tallgrass prairie, with benches; it starts at the visitor center, which is closed, while the trails stay open
Overlook Trail
Best spot
A loop with views of the prairie and the bison and elk enclosure, with benches and a spotting scope
Around Neal Smith Refuge
Fall waterfowl and winter bald eagles in Nebraska
139 mi away
In stages: Late October through early December
Next season here: Summer prairie flowers, summer.
The year at Neal Smith Refuge
- Apr: Bison calves start arrivingmid-April
- Prairie flowers, a new species blooming week after weeksummer
- Sep: Monarch migration peakSeptember
- Short-eared owlswinter
Questions people ask
When is peak wildflowers in Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in 2027?
Season: summer. Through the summer, new species of prairie flowers bloom week after week, per the Fish and Wildlife Service (a season, not a peak).
Is it blooming in Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge right now?
Not now: its usual wildflowers window for this year has passed. Next time: summer, local timing.
When do the prairie flowers bloom at Neal Smith Refuge?
All summer: week after week new species bloom, from purple spiderwort and orange butterfly milkweed to white prairie clover and yellow compass plant. There's no single peak week.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When is the monarch migration at Neal Smith Refuge?
It peaks in September.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Why was Neal Smith Refuge created?
It was established in 1990 to protect, restore, reconstruct and manage tallgrass prairie, oak savanna and sedge meadow. Its first big parcel, about 3,600 acres bought in April 1991, had been targeted for a nuclear power station.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge?
The best spots are Tallgrass Trail and Overlook Trail. Tallgrass Trail: a loop through reconstructed and remnant tallgrass prairie, with benches; it starts at the visitor center, which is closed, while the trails stay open. Overlook Trail: a loop with views of the prairie and the bison and elk enclosure, with benches and a spotting scope.
What is Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge has something to see in 8 months of the year. Bison calves start arriving: Apr. Prairie flowers, a new species blooming week after week: Jun–Aug. Monarch migration peak: Sep. Short-eared owls: Dec–Feb.
How we know · Sources (3)
How we know
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Oct 1) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Oct 1) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30)