Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary
Last Review/Updated: May 10, 2002
Seeing muskrats at close range, Canada geese on flax bales installed as nesting platforms, the courtship of American coots and the flights of broad-winged hawks are among the many wildlife experiences to be enjoyed at this sanctuary.
A boardwalk and established trails make it an excellent destination for a family outing. More than a hundred species of birds live in this habitat of marshes, sandhills, meadows, and aspen and pine woods. They include red-necked grebes, American bittern and ruffed grouse.
Spring and fall are the best times to see bird life, but mammals such as snowshoe hares, mule and white-tailed deer, and coyotes can be seen year-round. From May to August, the sanctuary is bright with wildflowers. Lily-of-the-valley and wintergreen both flower in early June. Yellow lady's-slippers bloom at the edge of meadows in June, while a host of meadow flowers blossom in July. Showy fringed gentians and evening primrose round out the flowering season in July and August.
