A Wanderer's Look Up To Kansas City
For those of you who have a penchant to explore the wilderness and the beauty that nature stores in its nooks and corners, Kansas is the place to go. It may be disappointing for those who expect mountain ranges and beaches as the only form of natural beauty though. Kansas can be breathtaking if you travel with no pre conceived notions about beauty .The east central Kansas extending from the south and the north borders of the city have a narrow region called the Flint hills. The beauty of the place is captivating for those who understand the beauty and peacefulness that wild flowers and sunsets on landscaped hilltops can bring.
Very close to the Flint hills lies the Tall grass Prairie National Preserve. It is one of the rare places where one can see the tall grasses of the Prairie as almost 70 percent of it has disappeared in these areas with the only 4 percent that can be seen in this national preserve. It is considered one of the 8 wonders of Kansas and is one of the most upcoming national preserves in Kansas.
West to the Castle Rock area of the Govey county at Kansas driving along the highway 83 south at Oakley and taking the Kansas exit on I-70 is a graveled road on both sides of which are enchanting landmarks of chalk pyramids. These were once covered by a large inland sea .The beauty of the monument rocks are so spectacular that the US government has made these monumental rocks as the official landmark of the United States. The monuments lie on private land and the owners have been gracious enough to share it with tourists. Thus utmost respect to the area is highly desirable when on a visit to sightsee.
For those interested in camping ,hiking ,horse-riding and exploring the outdoors including fishing can be organized in the Cimarron National Grassland situated in the Great Plains that are separated by the Cimarron river. Hunting of rare lesser prairie chicken can be done on special permit on the grassland. To access this great recreational hideout one can approach Elkhart via highway 27. The National Grassland recreational area also allows turkey trails and picnicking. Several fish ponds organized by the Cimarron Recreation area are a wonderful place to fish for Trout, Sunfish and largemouth bass. The white tail deer and Pronghorn are some of the animals that can be seen in these grasslands while on a trail.
An annual pilgrimage to the Cheyenne bottoms is recommended for those who consider themselves as wildlife watchers. Considered as the impressive banquet hall of nature, this area lying to the north, south and west is surrounded by steep bluffs from above which breathtaking views of the 8 million year old huge basin of Cheyenne bottom can be witnessed. This bottom is one of the major stopping points for birds like shore birds and waterfowls that migrate over the Western Hemisphere. Have a nice time in Kansas city, dont forget to visit all the places discussed above...