Fall is the season for another assortment of color on the prairie
Photo: NPS
About
Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America, but within a generation most of it had been transformed into farms, cities, and towns. Today less than 4% remains intact, mostly in the Kansas Flint Hills. Established on November 12, 1996, the preserve protects a nationally significant remnant of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Here the tallgrass makes its last stand.
Location
2480B KS Hwy 177
Strong City, KS 66869
Hours
wednesdayAll Day
mondayAll Day
thursdayAll Day
sundayAll Day
tuesdayAll Day
fridayAll Day
saturdayAll Day
Activities
Arts and CultureCultural DemonstrationsAstronomyStargazingFishingFreshwater FishingFoodPicnickingGuided ToursSelf-Guided Tours - WalkingHands-OnHikingBackcountry HikingFront-Country HikingLiving HistoryJunior Ranger ProgramWildlife Watching
Directions
The preserve is located in northern Chase County, Kansas 2 miles north of intersection U.S. Hwy 50 and Flint Hills National Scenic Byway 177 (K-177) west of Strong City. Watch for brown attraction signs. **2 miles north of Strong City, KS on K-177** **16 miles west of Emporia, KS on U.S. Hwy 50 and 2 miles north on K-177** **17 miles south of Council Grove, KS on K-177** **85 miles northeast of Wichita on I-35, U.S. Hwy 50, and K-177** **60 miles southwest of Topeka on I-335 (Kansas Turnpike) to Emporia**
Get directions →Weather
Typical weather for the preserve ranges from lows of 0 degrees in the winter and highs of 90 + degrees in the summer. Prevailing prairie winds attribute to winter blizzards and occasional summer storms. Thunderstorms that form on the Great Plains have a rare chance of producing tornadoes. Lightning poses a danger when hiking into the prairie. Please check current weather conditions at NOAA before hiking into the preserve.