Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Conservation Education Center

What is your knowledge of the prairie? Is it a bleak place where it is hard to survive and there is no shade in the summer and it is cold in the winter? Or maybe you don’t have an opinion not having experienced it very much. What is your knowledge of the area and what naturally is here? Is it trees or farmland? Both Columbus Prairie and the Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Concervation Education Center will help give you an idea of what was here in the past. They are remnants of a huge prairie that existed in this area and extending into Texas and Oklahoma.

Grandview Prairie is the largest conserved area of black land prairie. Most of the prairie has been converted to farmland. Grandview is an educational center that works to preserve and restore the prairie, removing invasive species and others what naturally is there and how to restore the land. In this area, managed by Arkansas Fish and Game Commission, there is fishing and hunting as well as nature trails that can be walked. School groups come out here for events. There is a shooting range for those who want to practice their skills and an area set aside for hunting. There are also lakes where people can fish.

The area has educational staff that travel to counties in the larger area to run programs and teach the larger community. I participated in a seed collection activity in the park that I found both educational and fun. I met people who had traveled from outside the area to participate, including an educator who taught about the identification of different plants within the conservation area. In order to get to Grandview Prairie drive west from Hope heading towards Nashville. Take a left towards Saratoga on State Highway 73. After passing through Cross Roads and going a total of 11 miles across from a church you will see the first entrance towards Rick Evans and Grandview Prairie. To enter by this route turn right onto the dirt road and follow it until you see a sign on the left directing you towards the conservation area.

As this is a long ride down a dirt road to the educational center for those wanting to talk to people and learn more about the area I would recommend instead continuing on 73 till you reach Columbus and then taking a right hand turn on the dirt road there that after 3 or 4 miles will deliver you to the educational center. On the way you will pass Columbus Prairie on the left, a small but unique prairie that is enjoyable to walk. On the right, further on is a walking trail that is part of Grandview that also has campsites.

Further down this road after passing a barn you will see a road leading to the right with a few buildings on the right hand side and a pond on the left. The educational center has knowledgeable staff that can tell you a lot about the prairie as well as hand you a map and brochures that explain the wildlife and plants in the area. There are also pictures of nature that can be bought here among other things. If you drive further down this road, you will find signs explaining the wildlife the history of the area. A fascinating fact is how deep the grass grows and how hardy it is. Personally I found it fascinating talking to the staff and learning to appreciate an area that on first glance appeared a bit overwhelming and maybe a bit hostile. The prairie gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter and so found myself wanting trees yet the open land has its own appeal,. Driving deep into the conservation area there is a died that has a sign that explaining about the original inhabitants of the area. From here, there is a walk that will take you to one of the lakes in the area.