Fults Hill Prairie State Natural Area

Fults Hill Prairie State Natural Area is a protected landscape covering more than 1000 acres along the Mississippi River in Illinois. The terrain features limestone bluffs, steep ravines, and rolling hill prairie covered with native grasses and wildflowers.

The land escaped plowing during 19th-century settlement and remained as one of the few surviving examples of original prairie landscape. It received official protection as an Illinois Nature Preserve in 1970.

The area represents the original landscape of Illinois, known as the Prairie State, with native grasses and forbs characteristic of tallgrass prairie ecosystems.

The site is open to visitors, but large groups should arrange advance entry. Pets are prohibited throughout the preserve to protect wildlife and vegetation.

The preserve is home to fire-resistant bur oak trees and unusual creatures like plains scorpions and fence lizards. These species thrive in the dry prairie environment where few other locations support them.

Location: Illinois

GPS coordinates: 37.97750,-89.80060

Latest update: December 9, 2025 12:22