{"id":"nps-tapr","slug":"tallgrass-prairie-national-preserve","name":"Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve","designation":"National Preserve","category":"national-preserve","categoryLabel":"National Preserve","agency":{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov"},"managedBy":[{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov","unitCode":"TAPR","designation":"National Preserve","sourceId":"nps-tapr"}],"states":["KS"],"stateNames":["Kansas"],"location":{"lat":38.44023613,"lon":-96.5670822},"bbox":[-96.5977,38.3963,-96.5021,38.4966],"acres":{"value":10822,"kind":"gis-estimate","source":"Computed from the simplified boundary","note":"Approximate. The managing agency publishes official acreage."},"firstProtected":null,"established":null,"administrations":[],"designationHistory":[],"summary":"Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America, but within a generation most of it had been transformed into farms, cities, and towns. Today less than 4% remains intact, mostly in the Kansas Flint Hills. Established on November 12, 1996, the preserve protects a nationally significant remnant of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Here the tallgrass makes its last stand.","summarySource":"National Park Service","guide":{},"trConnection":null,"trConnections":[],"trTypes":[],"links":{"official":"https://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm","social":{},"recreationGov":null,"alltrails":null,"alltrailsExplore":"https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=38.4966&b_tl_lng=-96.5977&b_br_lat=38.3963&b_br_lng=-96.5021","recreationGovSearch":"https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=Tallgrass%20Prairie%20National%20Preserve","directions":"http://www.nps.gov/tapr/planyourvisit/directions.htm"},"images":[{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C799F41-1DD8-B71B-0BE449FCE70F95CA.jpg","title":"Fall wildflowers at the preserve","alt":"fall wildflowers at the preserve","caption":"Fall is the season for another assortment of color on the prairie","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C79A1B2-1DD8-B71B-0BC90D06BD8DE993.jpg","title":"Historic 1881 Spring Hill Ranch house","alt":"limestone mansion of the ranch","caption":"Historic 1881 Spring Hill Ranch house","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C79A5B5-1DD8-B71B-0B5E2901D9440F01.jpg","title":"Historic 1882 Spring Hill Ranch barn","alt":"three level limestone barn","caption":"Historic 1882 Spring Hill Ranch barn","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C79A6D7-1DD8-B71B-0BD8C3F1DF87DCC1.jpg","title":"Hike among the tall grasses in the fall","alt":"tallgrass hiking trails","caption":"Hike among the tall tallgrass species in the fall","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C79A80D-1DD8-B71B-0B4393C9BEF437B3.jpg","title":"Summer wildflowers on the prairie","alt":"butterfly milkweed wildflowers","caption":"View a collage of summer flowers among a carpet of green in the spring and early summer","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"}],"activities":["Arts and Culture","Cultural Demonstrations","Astronomy","Stargazing","Fishing","Freshwater Fishing","Food","Picnicking","Guided Tours","Self-Guided Tours - Walking","Hands-On","Hiking","Backcountry Hiking","Front-Country Hiking","Living History","Junior Ranger Program","Wildlife Watching","Birdwatching","Park Film","Shopping","Bookstore and Park Store"],"topics":["Architecture and Building","Farming and Agriculture","Ranches","Native American Heritage","Schools and Education","Transportation","Trains and Railroads","Westward Expansion","Animals","Birds","Bison","Tortoises and Turtles","Fire","Fossils and Paleontology","Geology","Grasslands","Prairies","Night Sky","Scenic Views","Trails"],"fees":[],"passes":[],"hours":[{"name":"Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Hours","description":"Hiking trails are open 24/7; no camping, no open flames, no drones.\nPrescribed fire and cattle/bison operations may close specific trails. Watch for signs.\nTrail maps available at the Visitor Center and most trailheads. Cell phone tour information is available at the kiosk and on the waysides. \nVisitor Center and historic buildings are open daily from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm May 1st through October 31 and 9 am to 4:30 pm November 1 - April 30. Visitor Center closed Monday and Tuesday, from November 1 to March 31.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"All Day","monday":"All Day","thursday":"All Day","sunday":"All Day","tuesday":"All Day","friday":"All Day","saturday":"All Day"},"exceptions":[]}],"directions":"The preserve is located in northern Chase County, Kansas 2 miles north of intersection U.S. Hwy 50 and Flint Hills National Scenic Byway 177 (K-177) west of Strong City. Watch for brown attraction signs. **2 miles north of Strong City, KS on K-177** **16 miles west of Emporia, KS on U.S. Hwy 50 and 2 miles north on K-177** **17 miles south of Council Grove, KS on K-177** **85 miles northeast of Wichita on I-35, U.S. Hwy 50, and K-177** **60 miles southwest of Topeka on I-335 (Kansas Turnpike) to Emporia**","weatherInfo":"Typical weather for the preserve ranges from lows of 0 degrees in the winter and highs of 90 + degrees in the summer. Prevailing prairie winds attribute to winter blizzards and occasional summer storms. Thunderstorms that form on the Great Plains have a rare chance of producing tornadoes. Lightning poses a danger when hiking into the prairie. Please check current weather conditions at NOAA before hiking into the preserve.","contacts":{"phone":"6202738494","email":"tapr_interpretation@nps.gov"},"visitorCenters":[{"name":"Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Visitor Center","description":"Begin your preserve visit with the visitor center, complete with 10-minute orientation video, exhibits, indoor and outdoor restrooms, and water fountains. The visitor center is located on the left side of the breezeway. Rangers attend the visitor center during regular business hours. Summer hours run from May through October. Shorter winter hours run from November through April.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/tapr/planyourvisit/visitor-center.htm","lat":38.43221402186521,"lon":-96.55830340244674}],"campgrounds":[],"thingsToDo":[],"nearby":[{"slug":"flint-hills-national-wildlife-refuge","km":59},{"slug":"brown-v-board-of-education-national-historical-park","km":102},{"slug":"quivira-national-wildlife-refuge","km":172},{"slug":"marais-des-cygnes-national-wildlife-refuge","km":173},{"slug":"fort-scott-national-historic-site","km":176},{"slug":"harry-s-truman-national-historic-site","km":186}],"hasBoundary":true,"boundarySource":{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division","url":"https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2224545"},"sources":[{"name":"NPS Data API","url":"https://developer.nps.gov/api/v1/parks?parkCode=tapr"},{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division boundaries","url":"https://services1.arcgis.com/fBc8EJBxQRMcHlei/arcgis/rest/services/NPS_Land_Resources_Division_Boundary_and_Tract_Data_Service/FeatureServer/2"}],"editorialStatus":"draft","synced":"2026-11-09T02:12:45.623Z","alerts":[{"source":"NPS","kind":"Park Closure","title":"Visitor Center Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in Winter Months","text":"Beginning November 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027 the visitor center and bookstore will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but the historic ranch buildings will remain open seven days a week with normal winter hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.","url":null,"updated":"2026-11-01 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-9131CD93-2F6C-4B82-8740-158A7CBAEB44"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Caution","title":"Dangerous Highway Crossing","text":"Highway 177 is 60 mph with a blind spot directly across from the house. Safely use the highway underpass to the Fox Creek Trail just south of the visitor center parking lot. Be smart, stay alive.","url":null,"updated":"2022-03-26 15:20:42.0","id":"nps-49AA3E71-0DE2-43B6-98CB-6F2E5FB4114F"}],"url":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/sites/tallgrass-prairie-national-preserve/","boundaryUrl":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/boundaries/tallgrass-prairie-national-preserve.geojson"}