There is a parking lot and signage for this area.  A loop trail leads south from the parking lot.  This trail passes through native prairie remnants, near a couple wetlands, and along the ridge at the edge of the floodplain which has some brushy thickets.  The area below the ridge, in the floodplain, has restored prairie and wetlands and can accessed by walking in on service roads and trails located farther west along 118th Street.  

The grasslands are good for Henslow's, Grasshopper, and Field Sparrows.  The ridge thickets are consistent spots for Bell's Vireo, Yellow-breasted Chat, Willow Flycatcher, and Orchard Oriole.  The larger wetlands can have Sandhill Crane and migrant waterfowl, including very large flocks of Greater White-fronted and Snow Geese.

On the south side of 118th Street west of Highway 65.  The area is well signed.

Criteria 1. Endangered species: Northern harrier regularly seen during Spring and Fall migrations, short-eared owl observed on the refuge during migration and winter. Threatened species: Henslow's sparrows have been seen and heard singing regularly during the past several summers. Criteria 2. HIgh Conservation Priority. Loggerhead shrike, grasshoppper sparrow, and bobolink have all been observed by me either on the refuge or directly adjacent to refuge property during the last two breeding seasons. Grasshopper sparrow and bobolink have been recorded on breeding season points on the refuge during at least the last two years. Criteria 3. Neal Smith NWR supports one of the largest expanses of tallgrass prairie habitat in Iowa and provides vital breeding habitat for grassland songbirds including both eastern and western meadowlarks, grasshopper and vesper sparrows, bobolink, dickcissel, and sedge wren. Upland sandpipers have also been seen in the area. Criteria 5. As a national wildlife refuge, Neal Smith NWR is a natural site for long term research and montoring. In addition to the potential for monitoring and research, the mission of the refuge is to provide for education about the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.