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.
Photo: NPS
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.
- LocationStrong City, KS
- Entrance No fee listed
- HoursOpen 24 hours, daily
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Weather now82°F Clear
- Alerts 1 active alert
Overview
Topics
- Animals
- Architecture and Building
- Birds
- Bison
- Farming and Agriculture
- Fire
- Fossils and Paleontology
- Geology
12 more topics
- Grasslands
- Native American Heritage
- Night Sky
- Prairies
- Ranches
- Scenic Views
- Schools and Education
- Tortoises and Turtles
- Trails
- Trains and Railroads
- Transportation
- Westward Expansion
Alerts (1)
CautionDangerous Highway Crossing Highway 177 is 60 mph with a blind spot directly across from the house. Safely use the highway underpass to the Fox Cree… Read more
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.
Things to Do
7 experiences from the National Park Service. Check details on NPS.gov before you go.
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Bison viewing on the Scenic Overlook Trail
Walk along the gravel trail into the unplowed Flint Hills. Here an array of prairie wildlife make their home. The trail winds uphill through Windmill Pasture where a bison herd grazes. It continues…
Learn more about Bison viewing on the Scenic Overlook Trail on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab) -
Break on the Bottomland Trail
The Bottomland Trail offers many amenities and a short walk through the prairie. It's an ideal stop for passing through with a tight schedule. The fine gravel trail loops through a small meadow by…
Learn more about Break on the Bottomland Trail on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab) -
Explore Tallgrass Visitor Center
Park rangers attend the visitor center with a range of exhibits. Geology, ecology, history, and culture all shaped today's Tallgrass Prairie. A modest gift shop provides souvenirs and the park stamp…
Learn more about Explore Tallgrass Visitor Center on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab) -
Nature Trails
Three nature trails (shorter in length) allow visitors to experience the tallgrass prairie first-hand, while remaining in closer proximity to visitor services. These trails are dog friendly, but…
Learn more about Nature Trails on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab) -
Take 12 to West Branch
Up for a full day hike? Set out for marker 27 on the north end of the preserve. This 12 mile rounder provides a grand view of the landscape, bison, and who knows what else. Learn more about…
Learn more about Take 12 to West Branch on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab) -
Take a Self-Guiding Tour of the Ranch
Stephen F. Jones named his ranch the Spring Hill Farm and Stock Ranch for the springs found on the hill west of the house. The house was built on a hillside with a two-story exposure on the upper…
Learn more about Take a Self-Guiding Tour of the Ranch on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab) -
Try Catch and Release Fishing
Three preserve ponds and Fox Creek are open to the public for catch and release fishing under the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Park and Tourism's Fishing Impoundments and Stream Habitats (F.I.S.H.)…
Learn more about Try Catch and Release Fishing on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab)
Showing 7 of 7
All 21 activities in the park
Pick one to find other parks that offer it.
Facilities & Services
Find visitor services available in the park. Check current hours and availability before you go.
Other Visitor Services
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Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Visitor Center
Facility
Begin your preserve visit with the visitor center, complete with 10-minute orientation video, exhibits, indoor and outdoor restrooms, and water fountains. The visitor…
2480B KS Hwy 177, Strong City, KS (620) 273-8494 Directions
Details
Begin your preserve visit with the visitor center, complete with 10-minute orientation video, exhibits, indoor and outdoor restrooms, and water fountains. The visitor center is located on the left side of the breezeway. Rangers attend the visitor center during regular business hours. Summer hours run from May through October. Shorter winter hours run from November through April.
Plan Your Visit
Hours
Open 24 hours, daily · Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Hours
Hours details
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Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve HoursOpen 24 hours, daily
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.
Entrance fees
No entrance fees listed.
Address
2480B KS Hwy 177Strong City, KS 66869
Contact the park
Weather & conditions
82°F
Clear · feels like 85°
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Today
93° 66°
Sunny65% rain -
Tomorrow
72° 66°
Light rain shower94% rain -
Thursday
78° 56°
Overcast90% rain
Updated 12 min ago
What to expect by season
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.
Photos
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Historic 1882 Spring Hill Ranch barn — NPS -
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Getting There
Strong City, KS 66869
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.
Full directions
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**
Mailing address: 2480B KS Hwy 177, Strong City, KS 66869
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