Newark Road Prairie features a wet-mesic prairie found in southern Rock County.  A grassy pull-off with room for perhaps 2 cars is located on the north side of Beloit Newark Road, just west of the intersection with Knutson Road.

From the pull-off, a trail of sorts winds its way through the prairie.  I am not sure how formal a trail it is, as compared to simply the path of the last person who visited the site.  The prairie is densely packed with vegetation and most was waist to chest-high with some wet spots, as to be expected.  Common spiderwort, black-eyed Susan, downy phlox, Canada anemone, and yellow avens were the most abundant flora observed on the mid-June day of my visit.  The highlight was the pale Indian plantain, which is a state-threatened species.  This site is owned by Beloit College and seems to be the subject of a good deal of care including restoration and maintenance efforts, as well as being a site for research and teaching.  I would definitely like to visit it again, perhaps at a different time of year to see what it beholds, and perhaps on a less overcast day too!

Wet-Mesic Prairie

Pale Indian Plantain

Wet-Mesic Prairie

Black-eyed Susan

Wet-Mesic Prairie

Common Spiderwort

Wet-Mesic Prairie

Yellow Avens

Canada Anemone

Downy Phlox

More of my photos (and full-res) from Newark Road Prairie can be viewed here.

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