The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is your opportunity to experience the natural wonder and rich history of the Kansas Flint Hills. The expansive rolling hills and wide-open vistas of this Great Plains region are a rare remnant of the expanse of tallgrass prairie that once covered 400.000 square miles of central North America.
Once the hunting grounds of the Kansa and Osage Indians, the preserve’s nearly 11,000 acres are home to an astonishing variety of life: over 450 species of plants. 150 kinds of birds, 39 types of reptiles and amphibians. and 31 species of mammals. A cycle of climate, fire, and animal grazing -. once buffalo, now cattle — has sustained this ecosystem. Much of the grassland flora and fauna is too subtle to be seen from a passing car, but careful scrutiny reveals the special beauty. wonder, and complexity of the prairie.
Spring Prairie Flowers
People and Places