McCloud Prairie Maze

September 5 through October 31, 2026

2026 marks the United States’ 250th birthday! Our staff have been asking for a bald eagle prairie maze design for several years now, so 2026 seems the perfect time to do one! Come out to McCloud Nature Park during the months of September and October and explore our 2026 McCloud Prairie Maze celebrating bald eagles and our nation’s birthday!

Starting in the 1950s, bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) were nearly extirpated — a fancy word for extinction in one part of the world while the species still exists elsewhere — in the continental United States. Laws banning the hunting of bald eagles and the use of a pesticide called DDT led to the recovery of the bald eagle population, and by 1995, they were downgraded from “endangered” status to “threatened.” By 2007, bald eagle populations had rebounded enough to remove the bird from concerning statuses altogether.

Bald eagles are fairly commonly viewed at McCloud Nature Park, but our staff have also seen them in a variety of locations in western Hendricks County, including the Vandalia Trail. We’re also starting to see bald eagles at W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park.

Bald eagles are among the largest raptors in the world, and they are carnivores. Their favorite meal is fish, but they also eat other birds and mammals. They have super sharp claws — or talons — that they use to snatch fish out of the water in places like Big Walnut Creek at McCloud and the ponds at Gibbs, as well as the rest of their prey. They’ve also been known to steal prey from other animals! They are not hunted by any other animal in the wild, so they are considered apex predators.

These birds can fly really fast, too, reaching speeds over 40 mph while in flight, and even faster when diving at prey! And here’s a fun fact: unlike most animal species, female bald eagles are actually bigger than males!

But don’t worry — bald eagles won’t swoop down and snatch you up. They’re not big fans of us human beings and prefer to avoid us altogether. It can make them pretty tricky to photograph in our parks because they like to keep their distance.

Want to learn more about bald eagles? Stop in at the Ray & Mary Benson Nature Center and ask our naturalists! They’ll be happy to visit with you about our national bird!

The correct path through the maze is one (1) mile long. Be sure to explore the McCloud Prairie Maze by October 31! Bring the eaglets, too, as this maze is appropriate for all ages.

Admission to McCloud Nature Park and the prairie maze is absolutely FREE, and both are open from dawn to dusk daily. To access the prairie maze, park in the Ray & Mary Benson Nature Center parking lot. Maps to the maze are available in the kiosk outside of the Nature Center, as well as in the kiosk at the entrance to the maze, and at the bottom of this page.