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Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Strong City, KS

Photo: NPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFreeHistory Buff

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

2480B KS Hwy 177 · Strong City, KS

Why you should go…

This preserve protects 10,882 acres of tallgrass prairie, a remnant of an ecosystem that once covered a vast area. More than 40 miles of walking trails cross the grassland, including backcountry routes where you can see the bison herd, started in 2009 with 13 animals from Wind Cave National Park. At Spring Hill Ranch you can take a self-guided tour of the 1881 house and limestone barn, which shows a short orientation film. Wildflowers bloom from March through October.

  • #prairie
  • #hiking trails
  • #bison
  • #national preserve
  • #flint hills

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

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

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Emporia

    Free

    Emporia, Kansas's visitor bureau, gateway to the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie and the William Allen White House.

    21 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Wabaunsee County

    Free

    Rural Flint Hills county in Kansas known for scenic byways, the small town of Alma and tallgrass prairie views.

    43 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home

    Under $25

    Explore museum exhibits on Eisenhower's life and presidency, tour his boyhood home and visit his burial chapel.

    48 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Manhattan

    Free

    Plan a visit to Manhattan, Kansas, home of Kansas State University and the Flint Hills Discovery Center.

    52 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    Quirky Fun

    OZ Museum

    Under $25

    Follow the yellow brick road through galleries holding over 2,000 Oz artifacts, from early Baum books to film props.

    55 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums