Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

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.

How to Get 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. Hwy 50, and K-177** **60 miles southwest of Topeka on I-335 (Kansas Turnpike) to Emporia**

Plan Your Visit to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Heading to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)