a day / 43 miles / an hour 25 minutes
Gateway to the tallgrass prairie, the Flint Hills Scenic Byway offers travelers an unchanged view of the grasslands of the Great Plains. Explore historic sites, quaint towns, and scenic vistas as you discover where the West truly begins.
Day 1
9:00 - 0 miles / 0 - 9:00
Kaw Mission State Historic Site and Museum
The Kaw Mission is a starting point for the Council Grove self-guided tour. Built in 1851, the mission served as a school for the Kaw Native American children. Learn of the intersection of cultures and gain a sense of place among the Flint Hills and the Tallgrass Prairie. It is a fine example of limestone architecture nestled on the Neosho River.
9:00 - 15.8 miles / 31 minutes - 9:31
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve consists of 10,894 acres of land including Southwind Nature Trail and the handicap accessible Bottomland Trail. Bus tours run from May to October, and they cover a 6.4 mile tour of the preserve's more remote prairie. It offers sweeping views and endless sky. Park rangers describe the prairie ecosystem of plants and animals, the geology of the Flint Hills, and Native American and ranch history.
13:31 - 3.2 miles / 6 minutes - 13:37
On most days, you can see the red mansard roof from vantage points throughout the county. Standing 113 ft tall, the Courthouse is described as a living communal memory of the 600 county residents who, in the 1870s, had the vision to build the most beautiful building the county has ever seen. It is designed as a French Renaissance chateau of local limestone with three-story spiral staircase made from walnut trees from the Cottonwood River.
18:37 - 23.9 miles / 47 minutes - 19:25