The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City was voted as the top National Wildlife Refuge in the United States in a poll conducted by USA Today 10 Best. 

Established in 1990, the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge was founded with the purpose of restoring and preserving the tallgrass prairie ecosystem that once prevailed across the Midwest. The refuge also protects 6,000 acres of wildlife habitat and is home to a herd of 62 bison and a herd of 19 elk. 

In the poll, the USA Today 10 Best asked a panel to nominate their top protected areas to spot wildlife, and then readers voted for their favorites. The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge finished ahead of the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in Decatur, Alabama and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Sanibel, Florida.

The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is open from 9 am to 4 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but the roads and trails are always open to the public.