Operating Hours
Irvine Prairie is open sunrise to sunset daily.
Map and Parking
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Find a map and directions to Irvine Prairie on Google Maps.
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Small unmarked grass parking area on the south side of the road near the large rock.
- Parking is limited; please do not block neighboring driveways or the parking entrance.
- The road to the site is gravel and may not be passable during spring thaw or after heavy rain or snowfall.
Facilities
- No portable toilets are available at this time, unless requested in advance. Please visit the page Education at Irvine Prairie for information on how to register a group and request a portable toilet.
- There are no picnic tables, shelters, or trash receptacles - please bring a blanket if you would like to have a picnic, and a bag to carry out your trash.
Field trips/tour groups
For field trips and/or tour groups, please give advance notice so we can do our best to accommodate your needs for a portable toilet or guide. Visit the page Education at Irvine Prairie for more information and to register a tour or field trip.
Please observe the following guidelines when visiting:
- Explore the mowed trails through the prairie, but stay off all adjacent row-cropped agricultural fields.
- Leashed dogs are welcomed, but clean up after your pet. Prairie plantings are habitat for ground-nesting birds and other wildlife that are sensitive to disturbance.
- Bring a bag and carry out your trash.
- No dumping.
- No smoking.
- Alcohol use is prohibited.
- No hunting, firearms, fireworks, camping, or campfires.
- No bicycles or motorized vehicles – native plants and research sites are easily trampled.
- Do not disturb or remove any plants, seeds, animals, or other material such as soil and rocks without prior permission.
- Do not disturb or remove any research materials such as poles and flags.
- Do not introduce any plants or seeds or release any animals at the prairie.
photo credit: Jana Eilderts, an Irvine Prairie visitor
Suggested activities for various times of the year
- Sit, relax, and enjoy the view
- Have a picnic
- Fly a kite
- Snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and sledding
- Look for monarch caterpillars and butterflies
- Meet new prairie plants (best observed on your hands and knees!)
- Meditate
- Photography, nature-inspired art and journaling
- Walk and explore