Zumwalt Prairie

Why You Should Visit
Zumwalt Prairie is North America's
largest remaining grassland of its type. It is home to remarkable numbers of hawks, eagles and other wildlife.

Location
In Wallowa County in northeast Oregon
(nearest towns are Enterprise and Joseph)

Size
33,000 acres (51 square miles)

How to Prepare for Your Visit
For more information, please see our Preserve Visitation Guidelines.

Directions
There are three public access points for visitors to Zumwalt Prairie Preserve. View and download directions and a trail map. If you would like to visit another part of the preserve, please call our Portland office at 503 802-8100, or send an e-mail to oregon@tnc.org.

What to See: Plants
This diverse preserve hosts nearly a dozen native bunch grasses and over 100 wildflower species. Early in the season, hoary balsamroot, camas and silky lupine put on a spectacular display. Later, goldenrod, pleated gentian, Gardner's yampah and other species continue to provide color and food for pollinating insects. The preserve is also home to one of the largest populations of the threatened Spalding's catchfly which blooms in mid- to late-July.

What to See: Animals
Abundant ground squirrels and other prey support one of the highest known concentrations of breeding raptors in North America. Ferruginous and Swainson's hawks, on the decline throughout the West, thrive here, along with golden eagles and prairie falcons. The prairie is also home to several ground-nesting songbirds including Savannah, vesper, grasshopper and Brewer’s sparrows. During the fall and winter, rough-legged hawks can be spotted after migrating south from arctic breeding grounds.

Large mammals found on the prairie include elk, mule deer, black bear and cougar. The preserve is also a great place to see coyote, short-tailed weasel and badger. Butterflies and snakes (including rattlesnakes) are other animals visitors may observe, and Snake River steelhead, federally listed as a threatened species, spawn in seven miles of the preserve's 51 miles of intermittent and perennial streams, as do inland redband trout.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Studying Zumwalt Prairie's ecosystem for nearly 20 years led The Nature Conservancy to protect this great place, because of its size, intact bunch grass habitats and concentrations of wildlife.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
In 2000, The Nature Conservancy purchased 42 square miles (about 27,000 acres) of Zumwalt Prairie, the largest single Oregon acquisition in the organization's 50+ year history. In 2006, the Conservancy purchased an additional 6,065 acres, making the preserve Oregon's largest private nature sanctuary.

Since acquiring Zumwalt Prairie Preserve, Conservancy ecologists — as well as academic and agency researchers — have learned much about Zumwalt's natural history and ecology, including:

discovery of 58 species of butterflies;
increasing numbers of Snake River steelhead redds (spawning nests) over previous years in Camp Creek, the preserve's main tributary;
affects of past land use and cattle grazing on soils, vegetation, insects and ground-nesting songbirds;
best strategies to protect and restore aspen groves and areas degraded by past farming;
a new study of nesting raptors by OSU researcher Pat Kennedy is replicating and expanding the original research done by Marcy Houle more than two decades ago, recounted in her book Prairie Keepers, which put Zumwalt Prairie on the map as world-class haven for birds of prey;
effective big game and non-game species management. Working closely with state wildlife managers, the Conservancy annually donates bull elk and buck deer LOP hunting tags to local charitable organizations. In addition to contributing to overall herd management on the larger Zumwalt Prairie, this effort has raised significant funds for the recipient organizations.