Koro Railroad Prairie features a nearly 1/2 mile stretch of mesic prairie along the Mascoutin Valley State Trail in southwestern Winnebago County.  Park on the roadside on either Koro or Meadowbrook Roads, though the former is closer to the prairie than the latter.

Koro has probably been one of the better railroad prairies that I have explored thus far and espectially so when compared to others that are comprised of narrow bands of land such as this.  After parking on Koro Road near the intersection with the Mascoutin Valley State Trail, I walked just a few feet along the trail before reaching the western edge of the natural area.  Beautiful Turk’s-Cap Lilies and culver’s root were the highlights on this day.  Of course, there was the presence of invasive white sweet clover as well, but I have found a pristine railroad prairie to be a rare thing indeed.  With the amount of bicycle and pedestrian traffic and a state trail passing right through many such sites, it is difficult to keep these sites “pure”.  That said, Koro is a nice, albeit small prairie that I would not mind visiting again.

Trail on the Prairie

Turk’s Cap Lily

Insect

Turk’s Cap Lily

Culver’s Root

Fly

Reaching for the Sun

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

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