Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located in the Flint Hills region of Kansas, north of Strong City.
A national preserve inside Strong Township
May is the busiest month
May averages about 4,050 visitors, 7.6 times January. When to go ↓
Falls Township is the nearest base
Falls Township is 6 miles south, with 5 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best month: Apr
April is mild and quieter than average, with a high of 66°. When to go ↓
Established in 1996
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve dates from 1996 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather, month by month
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located in the Flint Hills region of Kansas, north of Strong City. The preserve protects a nationally significant example of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Of the 400,000 square miles (1,000,000 km2) of tallgrass prairie that once covered the North American continent, less than 5% remains, primarily in the Flint Hills. Since 2009, the preserve has been home to the Tallgrass Prairie bison herd.
- Type
- National Preserve
- Established
- 1996
- Area
- 17 square miles
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Wikipedia readers
- 7.7K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/tapr
Before you go
Where to stay near Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Falls Township (5) and Cottonwood Falls (4).
Falls Township
1,065 people
6 mi south of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Visitor Center · 4 mi to the park
Cottonwood Falls
860 people
5 mi south of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Visitor Center · at the park edge
Emporia
24,137 people
20 mi east of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Visitor Center · 17 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Township | in town | — | — | 511 | $111K | — |
| Falls Township | 6 mi south | 10 min | 5 2 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 RV park | 1,065 | $89K | — |
| Cottonwood Falls | 5 mi south | 5 min | 4 2 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 860 | $85K | — |
| Emporia | 20 mi east | 30 min | 24 20 hotels · 2 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs | 24,137 | $133K | C− |
| Council Grove | 16 mi north | 25 min | 4 2 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 2,130 | $135K | — |
| Elmdale | 6 mi southwest | 10 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 41 | $41K | — |
| Township 2 | 20 mi north | 30 min | 4 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds | 646 | $323K | — |
| Township 9 | 14 mi northwest | 20 min | 1 1 inn or B&B | 294 | $76K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Also near Tallgrass Prairie
Other well-known places within 68 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
48 mi MuseumDwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home
68 mi Zoo & aquariumSedgwick County Zoo
120 mi MuseumNational Teachers Hall of Fame
67 mi MuseumExploration Place
68 mi MuseumKansas Aviation Museum62 mi Zoo & aquariumTopeka Zoo
63 mi National Historical ParkBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park18K visitors a year
59 mi MuseumCombat Air MuseumPhoto credits
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home: Unknown, Public domain · Sedgwick County Zoo: Patrick Pelletier, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Teachers Hall of Fame: Corkythehornetfan, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Exploration Place: 04stx, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kansas Aviation Museum: David G. Keith, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park: James Michael DuPont, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Combat Air Museum: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 3.0
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27,531 visitors in 2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2021).
Visiting Tallgrass Prairie
Is Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Strong Township?
Yes. It’s inside Strong Township, KS. The address is 2480B KS Hwy 177, Strong City, KS 66869.
When is the best time to visit Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve?
April, with a high of 66°. May is the busiest month (about 4,050 visitors).
How many people visit Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve each year?
27,531 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 35,001, set in 2021.
How far is Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve from Wichita?
About 67 miles southwest of Wichita, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve?
Manhattan Regional (MHK), about 49 miles away. The nearest big hub is Kansas City (MCI), about 116 miles.
Where should I stay near Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve?
Falls Township (6 mi, 5 places to stay), Cottonwood Falls (5 mi, 4 places to stay) and Emporia (20 mi, 24 places to stay).
Tips from people in Strong Township
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Strong Township’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.