Guided Tour Activity Descriptions
Konza Prairie staff or docents lead walking and driving tours. Your group’s special interests, background knowledge and age are matched to the guide’s experience and expertise for a rewarding, personalized tour.
Visitors may choose a guided hike from one- to six-miles, or a guided driving tour from your vehicle. Expect a total visit time of one- to five-hours, depending on your chosen activities. You may choose to spend the day at Konza Prairie and do both a hike and the driving tour.
Education Topics
While tour information can be tailored to group’s special interests, such as wildflowers or birds, all visitors will learn about:
- History and mission of Konza Prairie,
- Value of prairie research and ecology,
- Prairie conservation and management by grazing and fire,
- Local history of Native Americans and European settlers,
- Flint Hills geology,
- Signs of animals and seeds of prairie plants, and
- Plant and animal diversity of the prairie.
Education Program Activities
Nature Trail Loop. Part of the public trail system, our 2½-mile Nature Trail winds through lowland gallery forests, crosses Kings Creek, and climbs over ancient limestone ledges until it reaches upland tallgrass prairie, and at the highest point gives a spectacular view of the Flint Hills and the Kansas River Valley. Please allow minimum 2-hours to enjoy this 2.5-mile hike.
Enjoy similar vistas as the Nature Trail Loop, on the Kings Creek Loop (allow minimum 3½-hours for this 4.4-mile hike) or the Godwin Hill Loop (allow minimum 4½-hours for this 6.0-mile hike).
Hokanson Homestead. Just off the 2½-mile Nature Trail is Hokanson Homestead, settled by Swedish immigrants in 1878. Situated near Kings Creek within the gallery forest, the homestead site features an original limestone barn and other foundations, as well as a wildlife observation lean-to and outdoor seating area. Discover man’s impact on the land as you hike a short trail around the homestead. This hike is also recommended for groups with young children or varied ages. Allow an additional 1-hour to enjoy investigation of the site.
The following areas are open by reservation only.
Butterfly Hill Trail. A shorter trail and easier walk, recommended for groups with young children or varied ages. The Butterfly Hill Trail has all of the components of the 2.5-mile Nature Trail in a more compact area and with fewer and less steep hills. This trail overlooks the bison enclosure and provides a chance to see the herd at a distance. Allow minimum 1½-hours to enjoy this 1-mile hike.
Bison Loop Driving Tour.
Take a driving tour into Konza Prairie's 2,375-acre bison enclosure for the opportunity to stop and observe the herd of approximately 300 bison close-up. The 10-mile drive winds through lowland and upland prairie with spectacular views of the Flint Hills, and highlights fire and grazing research and management. Depending on the seaon, watch for flowering forbs and grasses, and deer, turkey, and other wildlife. Allow minimum 1½- to 2-hours for the driving tour.
For the Bison Loop Driving Tour, you must furnish your own vehicles and leave one seat in each vehicle available for a guide. The number of vehicles is limited to two or three for large groups, and large vans or a school bus are preferred. Tour buses are not permitted.
Konza Prairie Research. For a quick overview of Konza Prairie fire, grazing, and climate research, you may arrange a guided tour of Station Headquarters. This walk affords an up-close look at several on-going projects, including the bison corral, weather stations, Rainfall Manipulation Plots, and Lloyd C. Hulbert Fire Demonstration Plots. These small-scale examples of the fire management areas on Konza Prairie show the effects of various burn treatments on the plant community. This walk is recommended for adult groups and children in middle to high school. Allow minimum 1-hour for this 3/4-mile walking tour.
More Information: Activities | Guidelines | Reservation Policy | Fees