Christiansen Forest Preserve

New! Popular Trail Bridge Back in Action

Fall 2024 - After two years with the Christiansen trail bridge out, volunteers from a local business partnered with Story County Conservation staff to install a new bridge in September 2024. The bridge is now in place, re-connecting two portions of trail that had been separated during the duration of the bridge vacancy.

55973 310th Street, Huxley IA 50124

Christiansen Forest Preserve is a 45-acre wooded tract near Huxley. In mid-June, it's a great place to pick wild raspberries and mulberries. The area is designated as a wildlife refuge; no hunting is allowed. Bird watching, geocaching, and several other activities are possible however we do not have picnic tables or grills available.

Restoration work is ongoing within the oak savanna ecosystem at the park. One practice we have implemented is goat grazing, to assist in our fight against invasive species like honeysuckle. The goats eat foliage, allowing more sunlight to the understory below, allowing native plants and forbs to grow. 

History

The property was donated to the conservation board in 1985 by Charles Christiansen. We are working to restore the landscape back to an oak savanna through a variety of methods like burning, goat grazing, tree girdling, etc.