Mount Talbot State Preserve

Mount Talbot State Preserve is a 90-acre area featuring a rugged Loess Hills landscape with forested slopes and prairie-capped ridges. It is located in the northern part of Stone State Park, in Plymouth and Woodbury Counties. 

About the Land

In 1885, Daniel Talbot acquired much of the hilly land north of Sioux City. He had an interest in nature, specifically birds. A high grassy ridge of the Talbot farm became locally known as “Mount Talbot.” 

In 1895, Thomas Jefferson Stone acquired the Talbot land, and after his death, his son Edgar developed it into a private park. 

In 1912, Sioux City bought the area and designated it as “Stone Park,” a recreational area for city residents. In 1935, Stone Park was tranferred to the Iowa Conservation Commission and became a state park. 

In the 1980s, a series of biological surveys by The Nature Conservancy and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources identified the Mount Talbot area of Stone State Park as a high-quality prairie. 

It was dedicated as a biological state preserve in 1989. 

Directions

1. From the intersection of I-29 and Highway 12 (Exit 151) on the west edge of Sioux City, drive north for 5 miles on Highway 12 through the town of Riverside and past Stone State Park to Talbot Road (about 0.75 mile past the entrance to Stone State Park). 
2. Turn east (right) and go 0.75 mile to the preserve on the south side of the road (sign: Mount Talbot State Preserve). 
3. Park on the roadside and walk uphill into the preserve.

Plants

The preserve contains about 35 acres of prairie on narrow ridge tops adjoining a large tract of oak woodland in the deep ravines. It supports a rich prairie flora of over seventy-five native plants. The site is very scenic with panoramic views of the Loess Hills landscape. 

The prairie is characterized by a flora including:

•  Little blue­stem
• Sideoats grama
• Big bluestem
• Indian grass
• Leadplant
• Skeletonweed
• Pasque­flower
• Silky aster
• Nine-anthered dalea 

In the spring, pasqueflower is seen as early as March. Appearing later are:

• Bastard toadflax
• Lotus-flowered milk-vetch
• Large-flowered beardtongue
• Snow-on-the-mountain
• Prairie turnip 
• Cutleaf iron plant
• Yucca
• Hoary vervain
• Narrowleaf bluets
• White sage
• Gaura
• Dotted gay­feather
• Toothed evening primrose 

By fall, showy goldenrod and aromatic aster are in bloom. 

Birds & Species

A rich butterfly fauna of forty-two species has also been documented in the preserve. 

Prairie species include:

• Wild indigo duskywing
• Gorgone skipper
• Olympia marble
• Leonard’s skipper
• Dusted skipper
• Melissa blue
• Arogos skipper
• Ottoe skipper
• Iowa skipper
• Crossline skipper
• Tawny emperor
• Regal fritillary
• Pawnee skipper
• Reakirt’s blue 

Visitor Information

Hunting is not permitted. 

Other Loess Hills natural areas include Broken Kettle Grasslands and Sylvan Runkel, Five Ridge Prairie, and Turin Loess Hills State Preserves. The Carolyn Benne Nature Trail is found along the southeast border of the preserve.