Hythecker Prairie SNA 

About

Depending on your perspective, this native prairie remnant could be considered small or large. A map of Minnesota prairie at the time of the Public Land Survey (1847-1908) shows Dodge County with over 203,000 acres of prairie. Measured against this history, the 26.1-acre remnant preserved at Hythecker Prairie is small indeed. Yet it ranks among the largest of the surviving bits of prairie scattered across the county today.

If you are a novice to the world of native prairie, this SNA is a fine place to begin. Be aware that this site contains both mesic and wet prairie, so waterproof boots may be in order. Bring a book of prairie wildflowers and grasses and learn as you go. Watch for prairie smoke, leadplant, swamp milkweed, bottle gentian, rattlesnake master, hoary puccoon, compass plant and many others, referencing the plants lists provided (see above). You'll find that it takes only a minute or two to be pleasantly lost in a prairie, whatever the size.

This site has no maintained trails or other recreational facilities.