Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a timeless landscape that is iconic to the Midwest and much of America. For anyone that wonders what the Great Plains looked like before cultivation, then a trip to Tallgrass Prairie is a must. The rolling hills of Tallgrass Prairie perfectly encapsulates what the plains looked like long before the arrival of civilization. With golden fields in the fall, beautiful wildflowers in the spring and summer, and an abundance of wildlife, a step in Tallgrass Prairie is taking a step back in time.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is about two hours from Kansas City and an hour and fifteen minutes from Manhattan, Kansas. While it is so close to civilization, its beautiful open and vast prairie seems like a world away. The drive through the Flint Hills to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is beautiful and provides a preview of the views to come at the prairie.
After pulling into the prairie, one is immediately drawn to the gravel path behind the visitor center. The path takes hikers to the top of the first of many rolling hills that has a sweeping view of the landscape. It looks like an endless sea of grass, and, on a lucky day, the tall grass dances in the wind. Walking further along the gravel path leads to the Windmill Pasture where the prairie’s iconic bison live. Bison are massive and it is hard to imagine these animals at one time roamed the country uninhibited. While the bison are a large draw to visit the prairie, there is plenty of other wildlife that call the prairie home, to include hawks, song birds (which are abundant and beautiful to hear in the morning and at night), foxes, coyotes, rabbits, owls, snakes, and lizards.
An often forgotten part of the prairie is the Fox Creek Trail and the area across the road from the Windmill Pasture. Less visited, and less crowded, the trails here give visitors an even better glimpse into the remoteness and tranquility that the prairie offers. While it provides ample opportunity to get away from the crowds, having lunch on the banks of Fox Creek is the perfect way to relax and rest the feet.
Whether it is a magical sunset, the abundant wildflowers, the roaming bison, or the starlit night sky, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve will not disappoint.
Trail Reports and Important Considerations
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is remote. There is a small visitor center with bathrooms and a gift shop but visitors should absolutely bring their own water and snacks.
The prairie is a completely open landscape, which means no shade from the sun or trees to block the wind and elements. The summer months can be very hot and sunny. It is not abnormal for temperatures to hit 100 degrees in the summer.
Check the website before you arrive and talk to the park rangers. They have a lot of useful information that is pertinent especially if you are going to hike in the Windmill Pasture. The bison heard is allowed to completely roam throughout the pasture. It is highly recommended that hikers keep a safe distance from the bison. The preserve recommends keeping a distance of at least 125 yards. A decent pair of binoculars is recommended and helps observe the bison from a safe distance.
