The 1.7-Million Sq. ft. Cressmoor Prairie In Indiana Is A Plant Lover's Paradise
By Tori Jane|Published May 04, 2022
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Tori Jane
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Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
There are some places in Indiana that are, quite simply, a slice of paradise. With 290 different nature preserves scattered all over the state at the time of this writing, one might argue that it’s pretty much impossible to go wrong. We suppose that it might be kind of challenging to decide which incredible nature preserve in Indiana you should visit first, but no worries – you can experience them all in due time. Why not start with one of the most remarkable ones? Come discover why Cressmoor Prairie Nature Preserve is one of the most significant preserves in the entire Hoosier State. Plant lovers beware: you may never want to leave!
Cressmoor Prairie consists of 41 acres - or 1,786,831 square feet - of stunningly beautiful wildflowers, remarkably rare plant species, uncommon insets, and so much more.
However, those species make up just a small portion of Cressmoor Prairie's incredibly diverse list of permanent residents; there are more than 250 species of plants here, so your inner botanist is likely to be thrilled.
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Revel in the fascinating beauty of plants, flowers, bugs, and butterflies that you might have never seen before.
Should you come in the late spring or early summer, you're likely to see the preserve at its best. Brilliantly colored wildflowers litter the landscape and attract plenty of pollinators, like bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and more!
Should you play your cards right and show up at the right time, you can also catch a glimpse of stunning Monarch butterflies as they stop to rest on their long journey south to Mexico.
Some plant species you can expect to spot at Cressmoor Valley Nature Preserve include wild quinine, rattlesnake
master, prairie dock, blazing stars, and more. Which one is your favorite?
Of course, you can always come back as many times as you'd like.