Outdoor Attractions
Outdoor Attractions
Outdoor Attractions
BARBER COUNTY
Bill & Janet’s Nature Museum
Bill & Janet Smith
301 E Central Ave, #16
P.O. Box 311
Hardtner, KS 67057-8856
(620) 296-4652
Barber State Fishing Lake
North US Highway 281
Medicine Lodge, KS 67104
Equatorial Sun Dial
There are only eight Equatorial Sun Dials like this in the U.S. Watch the shadow and tell the time!
In front of the Jr.-Sr. High School
400 W Eldorado Ave.
Medicine Lodge, KS 67104
Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway
This scenic byway is enchantingly noteworthy for its striking red dirt mesas and canyons amid the green prairie and cedar trees. Picturesque vistas of rugged landscape make this region unforgettable, and very “unKansas-like!” The drive includes two scenic overlooks to help you soak it all in.
US Highway 160 between Medicine Lodge and Coldwater, Kansas
Approximately 40 miles.
Gypsum Hills Scenic Drive
If you “dare to do dirt,” you won’t want to miss this up-close and natural view of the Gypsum Hills. County roads lead you through beautiful, red-colored mesa and prairie topography. This drive is mostly open range, so you may see wildflowers, birds, cattle, and wildlife along the way.
3 miles west of Medicine Lodge, Kansas on US Highway 160
Look for “Scenic Drive” sign, turn south on Gyp Hill Road, then west on Scenic Drive, follow signs back to US Highway 160.
Approximately 22 miles.
Medicine Lodge City Park
Enjoy free camping (first come, first serve) and fishing along Elm Creek. Disc golf course, baseball & softball diamonds, a playground, and swimming pool.
US Highway 160
Medicine Lodge, KS 67104
Medicine Lodge Golf Course
Offering terrific views and challenging play for golfers at every skill level, Medicine Lodge’s golf course is a great choice for your next round of golf. Well groomed fairways and greens keep this course difficult yet friendly. Course is open to the public except for league nights.
2507 US Highway 160
Medicine Lodge, KS
Memorial Peace Park
The site of the Peace Treaty Festival & Pageant, this 300+ acre park offers visitors unique green spaces, magnificent views, and calm prairie. The park has three main areas: the Pageant Amphitheater, the Rodeo Arena, and the Powwow Grounds. Many development projects are underway, including a visitor center, hiking trails and primitive campsites. This is a gorgeous place to go hiking and exploring the natural wonders of nature. The park is on the east edge of Medicine Lodge, accessible to the public from US Highway 160.
East US Highway 160
Medicine Lodge, KS 67104
Statue of Liberty Replica
The Boy Scouts of America decided that for their 40th anniversary (in 1950) they would place replicas of Lady Liberty around America. There are about 200 of them, and we’re lucky to have 25 here in Kansas. This one is in front of the grade school in Medicine Lodge.
320 N. Walnut Street
Medicine Lodge, KS 67104
Z Bar Ranch
Deerhead, KS
Ranch Manager: Keith Yearout
The Z Bar Ranch is a 42,479-acre property owned by Ted Turner. It is located in south central Kansas along the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River.
The ranch is a native, mixed grass prairie with sandy river soils, gyp rock outcroppings and a wide variety of soil types. Its rolling hills, canyons and bluffs are dramatically different from the surrounding areas of flat cropland.
Z Bar is home to a wide variety of native prairie wildlife including bison, whitetail deer, antelope, turkeys, pheasants, bob-white quail, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, and black-tailed prairie dogs. Restoration efforts are also currently underway to increase the number of golden eagles and lesser prairie chickens on the property, as well as reintroduce black-footed ferrets.
Removal of invasive, non-native species such as eastern red cedar and tamarack (salt cedar) are ongoing ranch projects designed to enhance and protect the native prairie and its streams. Patch burning and rotational grazing are utilized to mimic the historical grazing patterns in a native prairie ecosystem.
The Z Bar Ranch has six solar livestock water well locations that produce a total of 180 gallons per minute under full sunshine.
For more information on outfitting opportunities, please contact Neil Lawson:
Contact: Neil Lawson
Turner Ranch Outfitting
Phone:
(575) 740-1161
BARTON COUNTY
Barton County Historical Society Museum & Village
Interpretive facility. 11 bldgs; 6 original from 1873 to Lustron home. Santa Fe National Trail Assn.
The Village boasts several period original buildings: 1873 native stone house, 1898 church, 1910 railroad depot, 1915 school house, small post office and a Lustron house exhibit...all authentically furnished. Visitors may even pump fresh water at the Waupun wood-vaned windmill, beside a bed of native flowers. The main museum and other buildings allow a peek into rural community life. Permanent and rotating exhibits showcase 5-acre village, Historic Santa Fe National Trail to WWII. Two thousand (2,000) exhibits and displays, monthly meetings, catered dinners, tours, weddings, reunions, special events and gift shop.
Features Western heritage, Ethnic heritage, Military history, Native American heritage, Historic trails exhibits, Aviation history, Transportation history, Other historic themes, Accessible parking/accommodations.
Admission charge.
85 S Hwy 281
Great Bend, KS 67530
Kansas Wetlands Education Center
Exhibits, programs, gift store, and a nature trail teach visitors about wetlands and wildlife Located on the Southeast side of the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area along K-156 Highway, part of the Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway. Dedicated to educating the public about wetland communities, their importance,and the need for conservation and restoration, with emphasis on Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. No admission charge.
Features Picnic areas, Trails, Hunting, Primitive camping, Lodging nearby, Other historic themes, Accessible parking/accommodations
592 N.E. 156 Highway
Great Bend, KS 67530
B-29 Memorial Plaza
Located at WWII B-29 airfield. Honoring the past, educating the future. All veterans honored.
Memorial at the B-29 air field dedicated to those who served in WWII. Located at WWII airfield for B-29 training.
Features Accessible parking/accommodations
6th and Airport Rd Great Bend Municipal Airport, Great Bend, KS 67530 Phone: (620) 793-5125
Great Bend Skate Park
Located in Brit Spaugh Park
Pawnee Rock State Historic Site
Prominent Santa Fe Trail landmark.
For travelers on the Santa Fe Trail, this sandstone citadel was one of the most prominent landmarks on their long journey. Native Americans were said to have met at Pawnee Rock and reputedly used it as a vantage point to spot bison herds and approaching wagon trains. Stand atop Pawnee Rock and you can contemplate the rich history of the Santa Fe Trail and take in the commanding view of the Arkansas River Valley.
Features Accessible parking/accommodations
1/2 mile N Pawnee Rock, KS 67567
SCRA Dragstrip
455 W. Barton County Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
The home of the First NHRA National, offering bracket racing in super pro, pro, sportsman, motorcycle, street legal, high school, and junior dragster.
Sibley's Camp
1825 Santa Fe Trail survey team campsite.
This is the local campsite of the U.S. Government team surveying the Santa Fe Trail. On August 31, 1825 the team stopped in Larned at a location described in George Sibley's diary as "cliffs of soft rock".
2nd and State St
Larned, KS 67550
BUTLER COUNTY
Butler County History Center and Kansas Oil Museum
Ten acres of farming, ranching and oil history featuring the permanent exhibit:Glory of the Hills.
The Flint Hills region is a fountain of energy flowing through the plants, animals and humans. Experience the ecological distinctiveness of the Tallgrass Prairie. The perfect place to start your journey through the Hills is the "Glory of the Hills" exhibit. Discover the land is more than soil and limestone. Be inspired by the landscape and history of the Flint Hills. Over 100 years of history on 10 acres. The museum also features exhibits on farming, ranching and oil. Indoors there are hands-on exhibits, a research facility, Kansas Oil Hall of Fame and the Texaco Theater. Outdoor exhibits feature over 20 pieces of oil field equipment and 7 historic buildings. Research facility and gift shop. Tours available.
Features Western heritage, Native American heritage, Other historic themes, Accessible parking/accommodations, Admission charge
383 E Central
El Dorado, KS 67042
CHASE COUNTY
Bar U Ranch
The Bar U Ranch offers a full range of Dude Ranch experiences including Trail Rides, Cattle Drives, and Horse Training instruction. The Bar U is a AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeder raising, training, showing, and selling Ranch Horses. The Bar U also has a bred heifer program and runs a few grass cattle.
For additional details please contact Rex Buchman at
620-794-5332
or Teresa Buchman at
785-497-2904.
Bates Grove Park
Located north of the Historic Cottonwood River Bridge. Tent camping is free, utilities are limited to portable restrooms only.
Chase County All Veterans Memorial
War memorial to Chase County's veterans built and financed by local Veterans.
The Chase County All Veterans Memorial is located in a peaceful, quiet corner of Swope Park. It honors Veterans of all wars and conflicts. The focal point is the Cenotaph that names all Chase Countians who served from the Civil War to the present. On the grounds you will find a helicopter, tank, and an anchor, which represent the different branches of military service. To the right of the Cenotaph is a spacious gazebo that acts as a band shelter during community events. Each year ceremonies are held to honor our soldiers on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Also a Flag Retirement Ceremony is held on Flag Day. The entire All Veterans Memorial was designed, financed and constructed by local Veterans as a tribute to all Veterans.
424 N Walnut St
NE corner of Swope Park
Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845
Chase State Fishing Lake
109 acres 1.5 miles West of Cottonwood Falls. The lake has a steep to shallow rocky shoreline and shallow mudflats on the upper end. Water clarity is usually very good. Eight fishing piers and many rock and brush fish attractors enhance angling opportunities at the lake. Fair to excellent populations of channel catfish, black bass, saugeye, crappie, white bass, and bluegill are found in the lake. Adjacent uplands primarily consist of native grass prairie. A diversity of wildflowers exists on the property and can provide outstanding viewing opportunities. Several small woody draws also exist on the property, primarily below the dam. Hunting is allowed but game populations are limited. The area does provide opportunities to hunt species such as quail, rabbit, white-tailed deer, turkey, squirrels, waterfowl, and prairie chicken. Camping is allowed (first come, first served) in designated areas along the north shore of the lake.. Check on creel limits and complete regulations.
For general hunting information, hunter education and license requirements visit Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Website or call
1-800-918-2877
Live bait may be purchased at either Clark Farm Store in Strong City.
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 farmland. 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.
All trails are open 24/7 year-round. Access is walking only. No camping or overnight parking allowed. Pet-friendly trails include the ranch area, Nature Trails, and the Fox Creek Trail. The nature trails average taller growth of grasses. Backcountry hiking trails explore deeper into the preserve. The backcountry offers hilly vistas and bison.
Please visit the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Facebook page or website for hours of operation at the visitors' center and historic main house. Self-guided tours of the historic ranch building complex grounds are available via signs and cell phone tour.
The Lower Fox Creek one-room schoolhouse can be visited by either hiking the Southwind Nature Trail or by driving to the location. The one-room schoolhouse is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m from May 1 through December 31. The school will not be open during heavy rain or snow but can always be viewed through the windows.
2480B Highway 177
Strong City, KS 66869
For complete details visit:
https://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm
Cavalry Barn
Native limestone barn built in 1926 that once housed the 114th Cavalry.
Built in 1926, this barn constructed of native limestone. Currently undergoing restoration.
Union & Walnut SE
Corner of Union and Kansas Scenic Byway 177
Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845
Pioneer Bluffs
Pioneer Bluffs is the Center for Flint Hills Ranching Heritage, a nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve and share the ranching heritage of the Flint Hills. A National Register Historic District, Pioneer Bluffs is on Flint Hills National Scenic Byway K-177, 14 miles south of Cottonwood Falls or 1 mile north of Matfield Green on the historic Rogler. The historic barn and Rogler Ranch are available for wedding, meeting and event rental.
Pioneer Bluffs is open every day during daylight hours. Whether hiking the nature trail, having a picnic, bird watching, or exploring, visitors can enjoy a quiet refuge found at the historic ranch headquarters. There is a self-guided tour with history, background stories, and a bit of education about this and other ranches, and the generations of ranchers who shaped the Flint Hills. The tour can be accessed using a smartphone on QR codes around the property.
Music concerts, barn dances, rancher Prairie Talks, community celebrations, and school field trips happen throughout the year. Check the latest event schedule at pioneerbluffs.org.
695 Hwy 177
Matfield Green
MOTORCYCLING
Road trip…Experience the magic of the Flint Hills from the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway, KS Hwy 177, a favorite of motorcyclists from across the nation. Explore the scenic vistas of the vanishing Tallgrass Prairie and the challenge of winding curves silhouetted with limestone fences. Visit Cottonwood Falls and its historic Chase County Courthouse, old mill dam and Cottonwood river bridge.
Join motorcycle enthusiasts for the Cassoday Bike Run, held on the First Sunday of each month, March through September. What began as a Sunday breakfast ride for a hand full of local riders has now become the largest bike rally in Kansas. Expect to see bikers and bikes of all shapes and sizes along with a variety of vendors for this monthly event. Learn more by visiting their
website
COWLEY COUNTY
Stone Arch Bridges of Cowley County
Cowley County
Cowley County Barn Quilt Trail
Cowley County
Winfield City Lake
141st Rd.
Winfield, KS 67156
Cowley County State Fishing Lake Waterfall
20467 US Hwy 166
Arkansas City, KS 67005
MCPHERSON
Coronado Heights Castle and Picnic Area
Winner in 8 Wonders of Kansas Geography
Coronado Heights is the southern-most bluff in a series of seven, known as the Smoky Hills. The hill is located northwest of Lindsborg. It is believed that Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and his men viewed the prairie from this lookout point 300 feet above the valley floor. Chain mail from Spanish armor was found in the area by Bethany college professor J.A. Udden in 1915. Others have found Spanish coins, a bridle, and lead bars in the valley.
Sumac, yucca, spiderwort, butterfly milkweed, sand hill plum and gooseberries are just some of the plants you will find. If you are lucky, you might see a lizard or two. Native Dakota sandstone was used to build the castle and picnic areas in 1936 as a project of the Works Progress Administration, creating the perfect opportunity for a picnic, flying kites, hiking or riding the off-road bike trails. Do not forget your camera ! It is a favorite of photographers and artists alike.
At the intersection of Main and Lincoln, downtown Lindsborg head west on Lincoln. Turn north or right onto Coronado Ave / 13th Ave and go 2 miles. Turn west or left onto Coronado Heights Rd and drive 1 mile to the opening to Coronado Heights. Follow the road to the top.
Maxwell Wildlife Refuge
Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, a Kansas State Park, is located a short drive from Lindsborg, in the very southeastern tip of the scenic Smoky Hills. Visitors will find ever-changing prairie colors with a mix of mixed grass and a variety of native prairie wildflowers. The dominant grass species are big bluestem, little bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass, and sideoats grama. The refuge is the only location in Kansas where herds of both bison and elk can be viewed in a native prairie environment. Maxwell is home to the state's largest public herd of bison. Visitors may view on-their-own from the road and the observation tower or call ahead to schedule a tram tour with the Friends of Maxwell for a close-up view of the bison. Don't miss this one-of-a-kind experience.
2565 Pueblo Road
Canton, KS, 67428
620-654-7230
- Reservations
620-628-4455
- Visitors Center
Visitors Center staffed only during scheduled events.
PAWNEE COUNTY
Fort Larned National Historic Site
One of the most complete and authentic frontier forts remaining from the Indian wars period.
Fort Larned is the most complete and best preserved military post of the Indian Wars era on the Santa Fe Trail. The Fort consists of 9 authentically restored and refurnished buildings including the barracks, commissary, officers quarters, blacksmith shop, quartermasters storehouse, and more. The Visitor Center offers a museum collection of artifacts and exhibits related to the Indian Wars and an audiovisual orientation program. Books and items related to the winning of the West are sold. Free Admission.
Features: Western heritage, Military history, Native American heritage, Historic trails exhibits, Transportation history, Other historic themes, Accessible parking/accommodations.
1767 KS Hwy 156
Larned, KS 67550
Santa Fe Trail Center
Museum certified as official interpretive stop on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.
A large museum tells the history of the Plains Indians, Mexicans and Americans. Their stories are interwoven through exploration, trade, settlement and conflict. Visitors of all ages will enjoy the prehistoric artifacts, the Wichita Indian Grass Lodge and a full size mounted buffalo. An outdoor Museum with sod and dugout houses, a one-room schoolhouse, limestone cooling house, Santa Fe Railroad Depot and Escue Chapel are open to visitors. Living history programs are offered at some special events held at the museum. Tours available with advance reservations.
Features: Western heritage, Ethnic heritage, Military history, Native American heritage, Historic trails exhibits, Transportation history, Accessible parking/accommodations, Admission charge.
1349 K-156 Hwy
Larned, KS 67550
RICE COUNTY
Davis Walking Trails
1145 E Hwy 56, Lyons, KS 67554
SEDGWICK
Old Cowtown Museum
Old Cowtown is a nationally recognized and accredited living-history museum.
Visitors can experience what life was like in an evolving cattle town of the 1870s. Take a wagon ride, stop by the Saloon and drink a sarsaparilla, watch a gunfight in the street, hear the ring of the blacksmith anvil, dress up and take old-time photos and visit the humble home of the Wichita’s founder, Darius Munger. Be sure to stop at the home of Marshall Murdock, who single-handedly promoted the town through his newspaper. The 23-acre site, which is just west of modern-day downtown, is home to 70 historic and recreated buildings, including a marshal's office, Wichita's first jail, a saloon, general store, one-room schoolhouse, church, livery stable, train depot and more. Restored original homes represent both the emerging upper-class as well as more rustic lodgings. The five-acre 1880 DeVore Farm demonstrates 19th century agricultural methods and features livestock, crops and equipment. Before you leave, be sure to visit the Gift Shop that offers unique Kansas-made items and Old West souvenirs. Group rates and tours available.
Features: American cuisine, Western heritage, Accessible parking/accommodations, Admission charge.
1865 West Museum Blvd
Wichita, KS 67203
Mid-America All-Indian Center & Museum
Dedicated to preserving the rich cultural history and heritage of American Indians in North America.
The only facility of its kind in Kansas that is solely dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich cultural history and heritage of American Indians in North America. Indoor and outdoor exhibits of traditional artifacts, full-size tipis and grass houses and contemporary art depict American Indian culture of the past and present. Permanent exhibits include the Gallery of Nations, a collection of flags created to help visitors understand the strength, traditions, pride and sovereignty of the native people of North America. On the path to visit the 44-foot tall “Keeper of the Plains” sculpture are two memorial gardens dedicated to renowned American Indian artists Woody Crumbo and Blackbear Bosin. The gift shop offers handcrafted jewelry, beadwork, books, baskets, pottery, books, music and botanicals. Special events include Community Nights on Wednesdays, Share our Culture lecture series and intertribal powwows that feature dancing, artisans and traditional foods. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.
Features: Accessible parking/accommodations, Admission charge.
650 N Seneca
Wichita, KS 67203