Buffalo River Trail Prairies

State Natural Area (No. 358)

Location: Jackson and Trempealeau County. T24N-R6W, Sections 5, 6. T24N-R7W, Sections 1, 2. T24N-R8W, Sections 15, 16, 17. T24N-R9W, Section 7. T24N-R10W, Section 12. 153 acres.

Access: From the junction of I-94 and Highway 10 in Osseo, go east on 10 3.9 miles to a parking area on the north side of the highway. The largest section of prairie runs about 3 miles west and 2 miles east of the parking area. The other three natural area remnants are all accessible via the recreational trail.

Description: Buffalo River Trail Prairies contains four high quality remnants located along the Buffalo River State Recreation Trail. Once an old railroad right-of-way near the meandering Buffalo River, the trail now harbors diverse stretches of prairie that were historically maintained by the unintentional fires sparked by passing railcars. The four prairie remnants stretch between Eleva and Osseo. One is located west of Eleva, two east of Strum and the largest --a five-mile stretch east of Osseo. The prairies contain numerous species with grasses including big and little blue-stem and Indian grass. Showy forbs include stiff goldenrod, prairie coreopsis, spiderwort, and flowering spurge. Buffalo River Trail Prairies is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002.