National Preserve

21 Activities

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Plan Your Visit NPS.gov

Park Alerts (2)

Bison are in the Breeding Season: A reminder that bison are going about their normal life cycle and may be more aggressive. A raised tail is a warning sign and the animal may charge or give chase. Please give a wide distance, at least...

Dangerous Highway Crossing: Highway 177 is 60 mph with a blind spot directly across from the house. Safely use the highway underpass to the Fox Creek Trail just south of the visitor center parking lot. Be smart, stay alive.

About Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

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.

Available Activities

Arts and Culture

Cultural Demonstrations

Astronomy

Stargazing

Fishing

Freshwater Fishing

Food

Picnicking

Guided Tours

Self-Guided Tours - Walking

Hands-On

Hiking

Backcountry Hiking

Front-Country Hiking

Living History

Junior Ranger Program

Wildlife Watching

Birdwatching

Park Film

Shopping

Bookstore and Park Store

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.

Getting There

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.

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Hours

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Hours

Hiking trails are open 24/7; no camping, no open flames, no drones. Prescribed fire and cattle/bison operations may close specific trails. Watch for signs. Trail maps available at the Visitor Center and most trailheads. Cell phone tour information is available at the kiosk and on the waysides. Visitor Center and historic buildings are open daily from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm May 1st through October 31 and 9 am to 4:30 pm November 1 - April 30. Visitor Center closed Monday and Tuesday, from November 1 to March 31.

Contact

6202738494(Voice)

6202738660(Fax)

tapr_interpretation@nps.gov

Location

38.4402, -96.5671

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