Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

The tallgrass prairie once covered 400,000 square miles of North America, but less than 4% remains, most here in Chase County. Explore over 10,000 acres, including five hiking trails, a bison herd, abundant wildlife, catch and release fishing areas, an 1881 historic ranch house, limestone barn, outbuildings, visitor center and the nearby Lower Fox Creek one-room schoolhouse.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Visitor Center is Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays During Winter Months. Beginning November 18, 2024 through March 31, 2025 the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve visitor center and bookstore will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but the historic ranch buildings will remain open seven days per week with normal winter hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Self-guiding trail maps, brochures, and passport cancellation stamps will be available in the breezeway area of the visitor center. The 10-minute orientation film is available in the historic barn. Regular visitor center hours and bookstore will resume April 1, 2025 with seven days per week coverage.

The preserve’s 40 miles of prairie hiking trails remain open 24 hours, seven days per week with trail maps available at the kiosks in the historic ranch area. A self-guiding cell phone tour is available on-site using the information found at the kiosks and waysides throughout the grounds. Downloadable audio files are found via the park website at www.nps.gov/tapr. In the historic barn a 10-minute orientation site film is available daily to help guide your visit to the preserve. Waysides and interpretive panels inside the buildings and around the historic site aid in your experience to the preserve.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve invites you to discover the meaning of national parks and how your park inspires you – both in personal connections and memorable experiences. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located two miles north of Strong City on Kansas State Highway 177 (the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway) and is a unique public/private partnership between the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy. For additional information on Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, please visit www.nps.gov/tapr, email tapr_interpretation@nps.gov, call the preserve at (620) 273-8494, or visit the preserve’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NPS.TallgrassPrairie. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy in Kansas, visit the Conservancy’s website at www.nature.org/Kansas or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TNCKansas .