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242 East Highway 56
P.O. Box 300
Elkhart, KS 67950
Phone: (620) 697-4621
Cimarron National Grasslands website
Cimarron National Grassland is one of twenty National Grasslands administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Located within Morton and Stevens Counties in southwest Kansas, the Cimarron National Grassland encompasses 108,175 acres.
It is the largest area of public land in Kansas and the only parcel managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Rock cliffs, cottonwood groves, grassy fields, yucca and sage brush are scattered throughout the land. Elevation ranges from 3,150 to 3,540 feet. Seasonal variety is provided by native grasses and riparian vegetation along the Cimarron River. The geology of the area is sandstone, shale, limestone, sand and gravel.
Bird watching, scenic driving, hunting, picnicking, camping, fishing and experiencing history are favorite activities.
530 W. Maple Avenue
Hartford, KS 66854
Phone: 620-392-5553
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 128
Hartford, KS 66854
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge website
Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1966 as an "overlay project" on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control reservoir (John Redmond Reservoir) to provide habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl. Its 18,463 acres provide a diverse habitat and are a haven for an assortment of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibian, and insects.
Located in east central Kansas, Flint Hills NWR lies in the broad, flat, Neosho River Valley. The refuge is located in the tallgrass prairie region of the country and is named for the gently rolling, fossil-studded hills found to the west of the refuge. These hills were laid down when seas blanketed the area 250 million years ago.
The Neosho and Cottonwood Rivers provide most of the water for the refuge, which is located at the upstream end of John Redmond Reservoir. Refuge habitats include wetlands, bottomland hardwood forests, grasslands, riparian areas, and agricultural lands.
702 Xavier Rd.
Kirwin, KS 67644
Phone: (785) 543-6673
Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge website
Established in 1954, Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is the first National Wildlife Refuge authorized in Kansas. The refuge, with nearly 10,778 acres, lies in the heart of the Central Flyway and is one of the last major feeding stops for waterfowl migrating between wintering areas to the south and their northern breeding grounds. It includes the lake, riparian woodlands, nearly 4,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie, and about 2,000 acres of cultivated land.
The primary purpose of Kirwin NWR is to conserve, maintain, and manage wildlife and habitat for migratory birds. It is located in the rolling hills and narrow valley of the North Fork of the Solomon River in north-central Kansas. The refuge lies in an area where the tall grass prairies of the east meet the short grass plains of the west. As a result, grasses and wildlife common to both habitats are found on the refuge. Over 10,000 migrating waterfowl can be seen on the refuge during fall through early winter. Other migratory birds, including the endangered whooping crane pictured above, can be found on the refuge.
24141 Kansas Highway 52
Pleasanton, KS 66075
Phone: 913-352-8956
Marias des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge website
The Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1992 for the protection and restoration of bottomland hardwood forests. Approximately 5,000 acres of the 7,500-acre refuge are available for wildlife-oriented recreation including hunting, fishing, and birding. A wildlife sanctuary encompasses the remaining 2,500 acres of the refuge and is not available for public use. It is adjacent to the state-owned Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area.
The refuge is named after the Marais des Cygnes River which runs through the middle of the refuge and is the dominant natural feature of the region. The name, Marais des Cygnes, comes from the French language and means Marsh of the Swans. It is presumed that trumpeter swans, which were historically common in the Midwest, used the wetlands adjacent to the Marais des Cygnes River during spring and fall migration.
Refuge habitat consists primarily of bottomland hardwood forests around the Marais des Cygnes River. This habitat is somewhat unique to Kansas. Uplands surrounding the hardwood forests are primarily prairie grasslands. Some of which are native tallgrass prairies; an ecosystem in decline.
1434 NE 80th St.
Stafford, St. John, KS 67578
Phone: (620) 410-4011
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge website
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is one of over 500 refuges in the U.S. administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and one of four national refuges in Kansas. The refuge encompasses over 22,135 acres and features a unique combination of inland salt marsh and sand prairie.
It is managed primarily to provide migratory waterfowl with food, water, and shelter; however, other migratory birds, endangered species, and wildlife also benefit from its habitat management programs. More than 300 species of birds, including waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds have been observed on the Refuge.
Quivira NWR is situated along the Central Flyway. Fall migrations of thousands of Canada geese, ducks, sandhill cranes and shorebirds pass through the refuge from September to December. Endangered whooping cranes may make a visit as they migrate, and bald and golden eagles winter on the refuge from November to March. During March and April, Quivira NWR becomes a staging area for over 300,000 of these same birds as well as American white pelicans, gulls and other migrants en route to traditional nesting grounds.
Approximately 8,000 acres of designated hunting areas on the Refuge are open from September 1 through February 28. These areas offer excellent hunting opportunities for waterfowl, upland game, pheasant, and quail. Fishing opportunities are available all year, throughout the Refuge. In addition, the Refuge encourages schools, and wildlife oriented and other groups to enjoy the Refuge Visitors Center, nature trails, auto tour routes and special events.
2480B KS Hwy 177
Strong City, KS 66869
Phone: (620) 273-8494
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve website
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located 17 miles south of Council Grove or two miles north of Strong City, Kansas on the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway.
Established November 12, 1996, the preserve is the only unit of the National Park System dedicated to the rich natural and cultural history of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. This 10,894-acre portion of the once vast tallgrass prairie is being preserved as a critical resource for the benefit, education, and enjoyment of this and future generations. It is a unique private/public partnership between the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy.
The preserve features wide open spaces, beautiful vistas, seasonal wildflowers, wildlife, bison and plenty of solitude. The preserve has over 40 miles of hiking and nature trails. Visitors can enjoy historic house tours of an 1880s limestone mansion, a massive three-story limestone barn, Lower Fox Creek one-room schoolhouse, and two front country nature trails. Cell phone tours of the historic buildings and prairie are available. During the summer months, guided bus tours into the prairie are available daily. Bus tours are wheelchair accessible.