Thursday, October 1, 2009
Contributed photo
Prarielaxing: Katie Oberthaler, Wichita senior, takes a break from exploring the Tallgrass Prarie National Preserve. Tallgrass Prarie is the only national park dedicated to preserving the tallgrass prarie ecosystem.
Venture out of the Lawrence bubble and into the great open prairie — the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, that is. Located in the Flint Hills in northern Chase County, the Tallgrass Prairie was established in 1996 and is the only National Park dedicated to preserving the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. With more than 10,000 acres, the park offers five trails, ranging from one to four miles long. Visitors can also explore different landmarks, including a ranch house and barn, that speckle the prairie.
Katie Oberthaler, Wichita senior, explored the preserve when she hiked one of the frontcountry trails in May. Oberthaler believes the Tallgrass Prairie is a great place for students to go to escape Lawrence for a day. “Students — especially those from Kansas but not rural towns — drive through that area and never stop to realize how beautiful it is,” Oberthaler says. “It gives you a better appreciation of the Kansas landscape.”
Of course, you may want to check the weather before you head into the prairie; Oberthaler and her friends unknowingly hiked around during a tornado watch. “I’d like to go back,” she says. “Without the tornadoes.”
The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, located near Strong City, is an hour and a half southwest of Lawrence. The park is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.
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