Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Fort Larned National Historic Site, Larned, KS

Photo: Nathan King / National Park Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffFreeFamily Favorite

Fort Larned National Historic Site

1767 KS Hwy 156 · Larned, KS

Why you should go…

Fort Larned is a complete army post of the 1860s and 1870s west of Larned, its sandstone buildings set around a parade ground. You can walk through nine historic structures, among them barracks, officers' quarters, shops and a blockhouse. Troops here were called the Guardians of the Santa Fe Trail, and a separate unit about five miles southwest preserves wagon ruts you can see from a viewing platform.

  • #historic fort
  • #national historic site
  • #santa fe trail
  • #living history

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Fort Larned National Historic Site, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Hays

    Free

    A northwest Kansas city visitor bureau promoting local history, the Sternberg Museum, and Historic Fort Hays.

    49 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Free Entry

    Hays Welcome Center

    Free

    City-run welcome center on Vine Street in Hays, Kansas, with maps, brochures, free coffee, restrooms and a gift shop for I-70 travelers.

    49 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Sternberg Museum of Natural History

    Under $25

    See Kansas sea monsters, a fish-within-a-fish fossil and a walk-through Cretaceous diorama at this Hays museum.

    49 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Boot Hill Museum

    Under $25

    Walk a reconstructed Old West street in Dodge City, with frontier exhibits, gunfight shows and the Long Branch Variety Show.

    53 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums