Newaygo's dry sand prairie.

Located northeast of Newaygo on the corner of Poplar Ave and 56th street, Newaygo Prairie is a great place to visit year round due to the variety of plants that inhabit it. Prickly pear, which blooms in July, is always a sight to see. Over 100 species of prairie plants can be found in the sanctuary, including: foxglove, yellow flax, prairie ragwort, American wild plum and needle grass. Whip-poor-wills in the nearby woods can often be heard singing throughout the prairie in early evening.

This dry sand prairie is a remnant of a complex that once spanned over 19,000 acres in Michigan. Only 4% of Michigan’s original sand prairie is left. Native tall grasses and other fire-adapted species thrive here.