Cimarron National Grassland

The only land in Kansas administered by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, the Cimarron National Grassland contains many vestiges of the Great Plains that have been reclaimed from the Dust Bowl Years, as well as the longest section of the Santa Fe Historic Trail on public land.

Located within Morton and Stevens counties in southwestern Kansas, the grassland covers 108,175 acres. Wildlife found on the grassland includes pronghorn, elk, mule and white-tailed deer, bobwhite and scaled quail, wild turkey, lesser prairie chicken and dove. At last count, 362 bird species use the grassland as either a home or a resting spot during migration.

The grassland has a 19-mile Companion Trail that parallels the Santa Fe Historic Trail and accommodates foot travel, horses, non-motorized bikes and horse-drawn wagons. There is also a 10-mile Turkey Trail that winds along the Cimarron River corridor. Motorized vehicles are permitted on this trail.

Providing habitat to the lesser prairie chicken is an important goal of the grassland. A blind is available to view the courtship rituals on booming grounds from early March through the end of May.

The Sea of Grass Auto Tour is a great way to see the grassland by car. The tour includes 11 stops at unique places and features six points of interest. Tour pamphlets are available at the Cimarron National Grassland district office and the Morton County Museum.

Camping on the grassland falls into two categories. Established site camping is available at the Cimarron Recreation Area located four miles East of Hwy. 27 along the gravel road FS700, south of the river. Here, there are 14 campsites with tables, water, charcoal grills, restroom facilities, stocked fishing ponds and hiking trails. Most of the facilities are wheelchair-accessible, including a fishing dock. The nightly fee for a campsite is $7 and reservations are not available. Only charcoal fires and gas camp stoves are permitted in this area, no open campfires.

Primitive dispersed camping is permitted on the grassland except in the Cimarron Recreation Area and on the Cottonwood and Middle Spring Picnic Grounds. There is no fee for this primitive camping.