Hardscrabble Prairie

State Natural Area (No. 322)

Location: Lafayette County. T1N-R1E, Sections 30, 31. 160 acres.

Access: From the intersection of State Highway 80 and County Highway W in Hazel Green, go east on Highway W 0.7 mile, then go south on Crawford Lane and park at the sewage treatment plant turnabout.

Description: Hardscrabble Prairie is a composite of oak opening and very diverse dry prairie situated on a north-facing slope, an unusual exposure for the dry prairie community type. Abundant species include common ninebark, Culver’s-root, valerian, mountain mint, lead-plant, showy goldenrod, purple prairie-clover, prairie drop-seed, and side-oats grama grass. Other species are little blue-stem, June grass, pasque flower, alumroot, Illinois tick-trefoil, round-headed bush-clover, and shooting-star. The lower area contains a dry creek bed with large open-grown bur oaks scattered throughout. The prairie is important habitat for the globally rare ottoe skipper butterfly (Hesperia ottoe) as well as the state-endangered Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris crepitans blanchardi). Habitat heterogeneity and an abundance of nectaring plants makes the prairie attractive to at least 16 other species of butterfly including silver-spotted skipper, common wood nymph, painted lady, great spangled fritillary, and meadow fritillary. Uncommon birds include yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) and white-eyed vireo (Vireo griseus). Resident birds include great-crested flycatcher, black-billed cuckoo, alder flycatcher, brown thrasher, and field sparrow. Hardscrabble Prairie is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1997.