Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
7
County
Madison
Location And Access
From the Rte. 3 and Rte. 67 junction in Alton, take Rte. 3 approx. 1 mile northwest to Levis Lane. Continue along Levis Lane approx. 0.5 mile to second road on left. Follow this road 0.25 mile to the entrance of the preserve.
Description
Steep limestone bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River as well as sink holes, ravines, bedrock outcrops, small streams, a waterfall, upland forest and loess hill prairie characterize this area. Dry upland forest occurs on the ridges and bluff tops and grades from dry to mesic on the slopes and along the streams. The forest is mostly young to mature second growth with the largest trees found on the lower slopes and bottoms of the ravines. Scattered old second growth trees occur in some of the ravines. The forest has a high diversity of tree species with the dry and dry-mesic woods dominated by post, black, white and chinquapin oaks. Mesic woods contain, white, red and chinquapin oak and sugar maple, hickory, ash and hackberry. The sheltered ravine forests provide potential winter roost sites for bald eagles. A small, diverse hill prairie occurs on a southwest facing loess bluff. Little bluestem and sideoats grama are the most common prairie grasses with purple coneflower, bluets and purple prairie clover among the most common forbs.
Ownership
The Nature Institute, Village of Godfrey, and Great Rivers Land Trust
Dedicated
December 1990
Size
342.3 acres with buffer
Topographic Quad
Alton
Topo Map
For Further Information
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686