Trenton Bluff Prairie

State Natural Area (No. 136)

Location: Pierce County. T25N-R18W, Sections 28 SE¼, 34 S½NE¼, NE¼SE¼, 35 SW¼NW¼. 110 acres.

Access: From the intersection of Highways 35 and VV north of Hager City, go west on 35 1.5 miles to a small pull-off in a wooded draw north of the road. For the eastern unit, go north on VV 0.4 mile and park along the road. Walk due west through the woods and upslope to the prairie.

Description: Trenton Bluff Prairie consists of two separate dry prairie situated on steep Mississippi River sandstone bluffs capped by massive limestone cliffs. They are some of the best prairie remaining in the region. The western unit has two prairie openings separated by a wooded draw while the steeper eastern portion is much steeper and contains open cliff grading quickly into shrubby oak woods. The bluff summit rises some 300 feet above the flat, sandy river terrace below with vertical cliffs exposing the bedrock layers showing dolomite limestone atop the basal sandstone. Dominant grasses include Indian grass, little blue-stem, big blue-stem, side-oats grama, and needle grass. Located near the far western edge of the state, the prairie contains several Great Plains species at their eastern range limit here: foothill bladder-pod (Lesquerella ludoviciana), prairie sage-wort (Artemesia frigida), ground plum (Astragalus crassicarpus), plains muhly (Muhlenbergia cuspidata), and prairie larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum). The state-threatened prairie thistle (Cirsium hillii) is also found here. The upper cliff area has numerous outcrop crevices that harbor several interesting fern species including slender lip fern and smooth cliff brake. Animal species of concern include the state-endangered peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), bullsnake (Pitouphis melanoleucus), hognose snake (Heterodon platyrhinos) and two butterfly species – olive hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus) and Reakert’s blue (Hemiargus isola). Trenton Bluff Prairie is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1977.