Cedar Hills Sand Prairie State Preserve

Cedar Hills Sand Prairie is a 36-acre preserve containing a sand prairie, sedge meadow, and small fen. It is located ten miles northwest of Cedar Falls in western Black Hawk County. Formerly known as "Mark Sand Prairie", it was managed by the University of Iowa Biological Preserves after its discovery in 1969, then transferred to the Black Hawk County Conservation Board in 2019. It was acquired by the Iowa chapter of The Nature Conservancy in 1985 from Wayne Mark. The preserve was dedicated in 1985 for its biological and geological features. 

About the Land

Located in the Iowan Surface landform region, the preserve sits atop a broad sandy divide between the Cedar River and Beaver Creek, and is one of a series of aeolian (wind-formed) sandy ridges found along the Cedar River valley. Within the preserve, dry sand prairie occupies the upland ridges and sedge meadow occupies a large swale in the northeastern portion of the preserve. A small fen is found on seepy, peaty soil in a portion of the sedge meadow. Small marshes are found in the southwest corner of the preserve. 

Directions

1. From the intersection of Highway 57 (1st Street) and County Highway T75 (North Union Road) in the northwest part of Cedar Falls, drive north on T75 for 2.5 miles to County Road C67 (Beaver Valley Road). 
2. Turn west (left) onto Beaver Valley Road and drive 2.5 miles to Butler Avenue. 
3. Turn north (right) and drive 1 mile to the preserve. 
4. Park along the road and enter at the gate (The Nature Conservancy boundary sign).

Plants

More than 360 native species of grasses and forbs have been identified here, plus at least 107 species of diatoms. Little bluestem, porcupine grass, big bluestem, Indian grass, and prairie cordgrass are common grasses found along a dry to wet gradient. 

In the spring, marsh marigold is very showy in the swales, followed by hoary and hairy puccoons on the sandy slopes, bird’s-foot violet and thimbleweed on the upland prairies, and blue flag iris and shooting star on the moist lowlands. 

Prairie larkspur, wild rose, and black-eyed Susan bloom in the summer months. In late summer, the purple flowers of rough and prairie blazing stars can be spectacular. 

Asters and bottle gentian are among the last flowers to bloom in the fall. 

Birds & Butterflies

Over fifty species of birds can be found here, including:

• Bobolink
• Yellowheaded blackbird
• Upland sandpiper
• Grasshopper sparrow
• Savannah sparrow

Over fifty species of butterflies have been found at the preserve as well, including:

•  Regal fritillary
• Arogos skipper
• Iowa skipper
• Gorgone checkerspot
• Two-spotted skipper
• Black dash
• Dion skipper
• Broad-winged skipper

In August, migrating monarch butterflies gather by the thousands before they continue their journey south.

Small Mammals

In the dry sand prairie there are many small mammals, including: 

• Plains pocket gophers
• Masked shrews
• Short-tailed shrews
• Western harvest mice 

In the moist swale and transitional zones of the preserve the other small mammals include:

• Whitefooted mice
• Deer mice
• Meadow voles 

 Hunting is not permitted. 

Other natural areas in the vicinity include Clay Prairie State Preserve, Hartman Bluff State Preserve, and George Wyth State Park.