Fleming Woods State Preserve

Fleming Woods is a 38-acre preserve containing an upland oak woods. It is located three miles southwest of Montezuma, in southern Poweshiek County. Mr.‑and Mrs.‑Wayne Fleming of Montezuma donated this woodland to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in 1982, which in turn donated the land to the Poweshiek County Conservation Board. It was dedicated as a state preserve in 1983. 

About the Land

The preserve has several forested ravines that are typical of the rolling landscape of Southern Iowa Drift Plain landform region. This upland forest is dominated by white oak, red oak, and shagbark hickory, with basswood and maple appearing in the lower valley of the creek. 

Directions

1. From the intersection of Highway 63 and County Road F7T (495th Avenue) on the south edge of the town of Montezuma, take County Road F7T west, south, and west again for 1.75 miles. 
2. As it twists and turns, F7T is sequentially named 495th Avenue and Forest Home Road. 
3. At the intersection of Forest Home Road (F7T) and 500th Avenue, continue west (straight) on 500th Avenue for 1 mile to the preserve on the north side of the road (sign: Fleming Woods State Preserve).

Wildflowers

Wildflowers are abundant in the understory, especially in the spring. Yellow violets begin blooming in April, later joined by wild geranium, blue phlox, mayapple, and Solomon’s seal. Yellow pimpernel, Jacob’s ladder, and false Solomon’s seal bloom throughout May and into June. By July they are joined by thimbleweed, purple joe-pye-weed and zigzag goldenrod, which bloom among the maidenhair fern and rattlesnake fern. 

Other state preserves in the vicinity include Pilot Grove and Indian Fish Trap.