Now is a good time to visit Nine-Mile Prairie, a 230-acre preserve on the outskirts of northwest Lincoln.
Wildflowers uncommon to the prairie are in full bloom, and this fall there are more than usual—particularly in areas where prescribed burns limited thick growth.
An intensely blue flower, the fringed gentian, is usually a difficult flower to find, but this fall hundreds litter the grounds. There are also the red and white hues of blooming of sumac and aster dogwood.
Nine-Mile Prairie, a former missile site and cold war cast-off, is owned by the University of Nebraska Foundation and managed by the School of Natural Resources. The prairie has been relatively untouched since 1968, and is now a preserve of natural flora and fauna, used primarily for educational purposes. Its name derives from its location, five miles west and four miles north of UNL's City Campus. The prairie is open to hikers, walkers and nature lovers.
For more information, visit http://go.unl.edu/9mile.