The Heartland Prairie at Gordon Moore Park was planted by the Sierra Club in 1977. The land is owned by the City of Alton and managed by The Nature Institute. The Nature Institute keeps the trails maintained, provides incredible trail/plant guides, and does annual and semi-annual controlled burns.

Here, one can find any number of the 150 forbs and 9 grasses in bloom, throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

The Nature Institute and the Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club will be offering free hikes on the prairie. Times of day will vary, to see the plants and land in different light and temperatures. The hikes will continue throughout the fall as we assistance in details of species and history.

Please Click for hike schedule

We were thrilled at the incredible interest that the community showed in the first of the annual prairie hike series. There were over 25 participants on July 08, 2002. The shadows of the evening came quickly - offering photographers great lighting and relief from the heat!

The Heartland Prairie at Gordon Moore Park in Alton, IL. offers upwards of 25 acres of prairie to walk through. There are marked trails and trail/plant guides are available at the trail head.

Please Click for hike schedule