Come to the vast grassland empire that remains unspoiled by modern civilization. Walk the fields of wildflowers and waving grasses and scan the undulating prairie hills to distant purple horizons. Follow the trails of forgotten tribes and wagon trains rolling westward. Enter the domain of the rancher, the cowboy, and the herds of cattle grazing on the bluestem tallgrass. Glimpse the prairie chicken, the pronghorn, the white-tail deer, and the wild turkey that remain inhabitants of this yet wild land. Experience the solitude, the sounds of the untamed prairie, and breathe the fragrances in the fresh prairie wind. You will not soon forget your adventure in these eternal hills.
From Council Grove at the northern terminus, where you experience the stepping off point for the Santa Fe Trail, to the Prairie Chicken Capitol of Cassoday at the southern terminus, the Flint Hills Scenic Byway offers an endless horizon of the Tallgrass Prairie. Visit the Kaw Heritage National Park to learn the stories of the Native Americans, then visit the Kaw Mission State Historic Site to learn how the Natives and the Euro-Americans interacted. See the remains of the Council Oak where the treaty was signed allowing safe passage on the Santa Fe Trail, where wagon travelers could obtain supplies at the Last Chance Store, and then travel south on the byway to experience the expanse of the prairie from the window of your modern-day prairie schooner.
A stop at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve tells the story of man's stewardship of the natural beauty of the Flint Hills and provides an opportunity to see wildflowers and tallgrass up close. You can learn about the cattle industry on the Prairie and how the cattle are visitors to the land as well. Next, drive on to Cottonwood Falls to see the beauty of the Flint Hills limestone transformed into the Chase County Courthouse and other buildings in the downtown. From Cottonwood Falls south, stop at the scenic overlook to get a 360-degree view of the prairie. Afterward, drop down into the river valley to enjoy the beauty of the Pioneer Bluffs-Rogler Ranch Historic District and its limestone fences.
At the south end of the byway, enjoy the hospitality of the Cassoday Cafe where, on the first Sundays in May through October, over 3,000 motorcyclists gather for brunch before touring the byway. If you wish to extend your stay overnight, a trip on the Prairie Drifter from the Grand Central Hotel out onto the prairie will showcase not only the grassland beauty but also the beauty of the galaxies at night.
Wildflowers of the Flint Hills Scenic Byway