Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge The Friends of Neal Smith NWR has existed since 1993 to support the USFWS in their mission to rebuild the tallgrass prairie.

The refuge is located just to the west of Prairie City, Iowa, which is 20 miles east of Des Moines. The Refuge includes a Prairie Learning Center with exhibits and Nature Store. Check the Refuge website for hours, as they change with the seasons. The trails and roadways are open from dawn to dusk. The refuge is just west of Prairie City, Iowa. http://www.tallgrass.org/neal-smith-national-wildlife-refuge/

05/13/2026

Here's an example of why the signs tell visitors to remain inside vehicles. Be smart and keep yourself,loved ones and the animals safe! (Linda Frazier video of bison running toward vehicle).

05/13/2026

Many visitors were treated to this sight this evening at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City, Iowa. (Linda Frazier video of family bison herd, with the rare white calf among the group)

Another thanks going out to Kristie Burns for sharing these photos. Kristie was able to take these photos from the lower...
05/12/2026

Another thanks going out to Kristie Burns for sharing these photos. Kristie was able to take these photos from the lower part of the Tallgrass Trail.

Informative article!
05/12/2026

Informative article!

Conservation efforts are helping iconic wildlife thrive again.

05/12/2026

For some reason, they were in a hurry this evening. (Linda Frazier video of bison running at Neal Smith NWR)

05/11/2026

Kristie Burns saw that the herd was toward the southern part of the enclosure. A 15 minute walk down the Tallgrass Trail took her to this point to take this video. Thanks,Kristie. We appreciate your video and your timing info on the walk.

It's a picture perfect day at the refuge. It appears that a lot of Moms decided that they wanted some time with nature t...
05/10/2026

It's a picture perfect day at the refuge. It appears that a lot of Moms decided that they wanted some time with nature today. Thanks to the families that agreed to have their photos shared.

05/10/2026

Check out how lucky Megan Evans was on Friday evening. Thanks for sharing with us, Megan!

Happy Mother's Day. (A huge thank you to Jessica DeLeon for allowing us to use her photo.)
05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day. (A huge thank you to Jessica DeLeon for allowing us to use her photo.)

05/10/2026

A video taken this afternoon from the enclosure road. The herd was moving northeast. The wind was blowing the camera a bit So many visitors!! (Linda Frazier video).

05/09/2026

World Migratory Bird Day is a global celebration of the incredible journeys birds make each year as they travel thousands of miles between their breeding and wintering grounds. This year's theme is water, which is fitting since migratory birds rely heavily on aquatic ecosystems throughout their life

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