Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program
Belmont Prairie (No. 364)

Overview

Location

Lafayette County. T3N-R1E, Section 15. 36 acres.

Access

From the junction of STH 126 and the Pecatonica State Trail in Belmont, walk or mountain bike (trail is not suited for road bikes) along the multi-use recreation trail 1.2 miles to the eastern boundary of the natural area. Note: The trail seemingly ends in a shallow, wooded ravine at about the 1 mile mark. Bear left at this point into the agricultural field, then immediately hook back right and return to the old railroad bed and continue another 0.2 miles to the natural area. The best portion of this overgrown prairie, albeit narrow and small, is at the far western end. Prairie is located only within the former railroad right-of-way. The areas north and south of the right-of-way are old field composed of non-native cool-season grasses.

Description

Description

Located along the Pecatonica State Trail, Belmont Prairie is a small mesic to dry prairie remnant with over 80 species of native plants. This stretch of prairie lies within a former railroad right-of-way, which is one reason for the prairie's preservation. While most mesic prairies have been nearly extirpated from the state due to human settlement and agriculture, Belmont Prairie was preserved, in part, by the unintentional fires sparked by the rails and stray cinders from passing locomotives. The fires encouraged the growth of native prairie grasses and forbs and kept the area free from woody species encroachment. Common grasses include big and little blue-stem, side-oats grama, Canada wild rye, prairie drop-seed, and June grass. Forbs include lyre-leaved rock cress, field wormwood, Canada milk-vetch, flowering spurge, Illinois tick-trefoil, prairie thistle, compass-plant, and New Jersey tea. This small remnant prairie also contains rare plants and animals including wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium), upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), dickcissel (Spiza americana), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), and bell's vireo (Vireo bellii). Belmont Prairie is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2002.

Maps

The WDNR's State Natural Areas Program is comprised of lands owned by the state, private conservation organizations, municipalities, other governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Therefore, while the majority of SNAs are open to the public, access may vary accordingly. Public use restrictions may apply due to public safety, or to protect endangered or threatened species or unique natural features. Lands may be temporarily closed due to specific management activities. Users are encouraged to contact the land owner for more specific details.

The data shown on these maps have been obtained from various sources, and are of varying age, reliability, and resolution. The data may contain errors or omissions and should not be interpreted as a legal representation of legal ownership boundaries.

• Detailed Map [PDF, 85 KB]

Activities

Please come prepared for your visit. Amenities vary from site to site with most SNAs being primitive and without facilities. See Guidelines for Visitation for details.

Allowable Activities

Most DNR-owned SNAs allow:

• Hiking
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Skiing

Some exceptions apply. Properties closed to the public or closed to specific use, such as hunting, will be posted.

***For non-DNR-owned SNAs: Additional use guidelines may apply. Please verify any use restrictions with the landowner or contact the SNA Program. Landowners may require additional permits or restrict the number of hunters at a given SNA to provide a quality hunting experience. SNA landowners can be found at the bottom of each SNA description page.

Prohibited Activities

• Horseback riding
• Rock climbing
• Vehicles, including bicycles, ATVs, aircraft, and snowmobiles except on trails and roadways designated for their use
• Collecting of plants (including fruits, nuts, or edible plant parts), animals, fungi, rocks, minerals, fossils, archaeological artifacts, soil, downed wood, or any other natural material, alive or dead

Please note that a permit is required for scientific collection and research on State Natural Areas. For more information, contact Thomas Meyer, State Natural Areas Program Specialist.

For more information on rules governing state-owned SNAs and other state lands, please consult Wisconsin's Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 (exit DNR)