Sheeder Prairie State Preserve

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State Preserves

Sheeder Prairie is a 25-acre tallgrass prairie. It is located five miles west of Guthrie Center in Guthrie County. 

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About the Land

The property was purchased in 1961 by the Iowa Conservation Commission from Oscar and Clara Sheeder, the son and daughter-in-law of the original homesteader. It was dedicated as a biological state preserve in 1968. 

This preserve lies within the Southern Iowa Drift Plain, a landform region of gently rolling terrain. 

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Directions

  1. From the intersection of I-80 and County Road N54 (exit 76, by Adair), drive north on N54 (Frontier Road) for 11 miles to a T-intersection with Highway 44. 
  2. Turn east (right) and go 3 miles to Indigo Road (sign: Sheeder Prairie State Preserve 1 mile). 
  3. Turn north (left) and go 1 mile to 220th Street (Tintersection—watch for sign). 
  4. Turn east (right) and go 0.1 mile to a small parking area on the north side of the road (sign: Sheeder Prairie Preserve).
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Plants

Over 200 plant species are found in this preserve, including thirty grasses. 

The prairie hilltops and slopes contain:

  • Big bluestem
  • Little bluestem
  • Por­cupine grass
  • Prairie dropseed
  • Leadplant
  • Rosinweed
  • Prairie willow
  • Redroot
  • Prairie phlox
  • Golden alexanders
  • Flowering spurge
  • Rattlesnake master
  • Purple coneflower
  • Gray-headed coneflower 

The wooded ravines are dominated by box elder, wild plum, and black willow. 

In the spring, prairie false dandelion, bird’s-foot violet, prairie violet, lousewort, and hoary puccoon are among the first plants to begin blooming. 

By May, they are joined by:

  • Ground plum
  • Indigo bush
  • Blue-eyed grass
  • Prairie ragwort
  • Tall green milkweed
  • Prairie lark­spur
  • Yellow stargrass

In June and July:

  • Prairie loosestrife
  • Butterfly weed
  • Purple prairie clover
  • Compass plant
  • Ironweed
  • Wild bergamot
  • Rough blazing star
  • Prairie blazing star

Nodding ladies’-tresses, white sage, silky aster, sky-blue aster, showy goldenrod, Canada goldenrod, smooth goldenrod, and downy gentian bloom during the fall months. 

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Birds & Species

A total of sixty-nine species of birds can be found here, with twenty-five nesting on a regular basis. Nearly three-fourths of the nesting species are woodland species. Two grassland species, the bobolink and grasshopper sparrow, nest sporadically. 

Several preferring the woodland edge habitat found here include:

  • Gray catbird
  • Eastern kingbird
  • Brown thrasher
  • Rosebreasted grosbeak
  • Red-headed woodpecker
  • Downy woodpecker
  • Blackcapped chickadee
  • Baltimore oriole
  • Northern cardinal
  • House wren 
  • American goldfinch 

The Conservation Education Center, located at Springbrook State Park north of Guthrie Center, sponsors workshops and interpretive events that often include field trips to Sheeder Prairie. 

Hunting is permitted. 

Another natural area in the vicinity is Springbrook State Park.

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