... the prairies we panned for agricultural gold were

not wasteland turned to productivity only by the

industrious hand of man. They were vital communities

of plants and animals, nations both wondrous and

wild, nations now all but gone. As we celebrate what

we have gained shall we not also mourn what has been

lost?

Land of Grass and Sky :

A Naturalist’s Prairie Journey

Mary Taylor Young

Bottomland Prairie,

Why is it different?

The shallow, rocky soils and steep slopes of the upland

areas of the Flint Hills have hindered cultivation, allowing

preservation of the native grasslands. Historically, only

the floodplains (bottomlands) of streams such as Fox

Creek and the Cottonwood River were plowed. There the

bedrock is covered by a layer of stream-deposited

sediments, which develop thick soils that were deep, rich,

and flat, suitable for farming.

Nationwide, less than four percent of tallgrass prairie

remains. The majority of this tallgrass prairie is upland

prairie. The bottomland floodplain prairie community

truly is a rare relic. This prairie community differs in size

and composition from its upland prairie neighbor, because

of deeper, richer soils and access to more available water.

Large plants such as cup leaf sunflower, sawtoothed

sunflower, eastern gama grass, and prairie cord grass are

some common additions to the bottomland community.

The Living Color,

Wildflowers & Wildlife!

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardi

Bottomland prairie is a lush growth of plants and is home to

numerous animals. Trees and grass provide habitat for wildlife;

the creek holds a variety of fish and invertebrates. Grasses and

wildflowers can attain maximum growth, reaching seven to ten

feet high during late summer. Hardwood trees such as black

walnut and hackberry are also common lowland plants that like

the moisture of the soil along Fox Creek. Look for some of these

common plants pictured below.

Buffalo Gourd

Cucurbita foetidissima Giant Ragweed

Ambrosia trifida

Enjoy walking through this bottomland,

a future prairie restoration area. Gain an

understanding of this unique prairie

ecosystem and its importance to the

cultural history of the Flint Hills. The

3/4 mile walk takes you through

bottomland and riparian areas of Fox

Creek, discovering historical points

along the way. The development of the

Bottomland Trail is being supported by a

generous gift from the Cloud Foundation.

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior Bottomland Trail Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Strong City, Kansas
Railroads and Stockyards

The elevated ranch road, that makes up the last section

of this trail, is a remnant of a railroad spur that cut into

the bottomland area. Local rail spurs ended the need

for long cattle drives to main rail stations like Abilene and

Wichita. The stockyard next to the spur was used as a

loading and unloading point for receiving and sending

cattle. The stockyards were also used as water and feed

rest stops for other “traveling” cattle, only the cattle

didn’t get the choice of first class or coach.

Limestone Quarries

Limestone, the abundant rock that guarded the upland

prairie soil from the plow, also provided people with their

shelter. It even comprises the state capitol building in

Topeka, Kansas. The thick, tree-covered area across the

county road from the parking lot hides a limestone quarry

site from the late 1800s.

Restoring the Bottomland Prairie

With the many uses of this rich, deep soil, most of the

original plant communtiy has disappeared. Row crops

(corn), stockyards, rail spurs, and ranch roads were part

of the landscape over the last 120 years. These changes in

the native ecosystem have allowed plants that are

non-native and invasive to dominate the area. The

preserve’s General Management Plan includes restoring

this bottomland area to native prairie grasses and

wildflowers. We invite you to return to the Bottomland

Trail to experience the changes as the restoration

progresses.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a partnership between the National Park Trust and the

National Park Service. The preserve offers a variety of activities: 1881 ranch house tours,

hiking trails, prairie bus tours (May -October), and more. The historic ranch headquarters,

Southwind Nature Trail, and school area are open daily 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. The Bottomland Trail is open daylight

hours year-round.

For information call or write:

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Attn: Park Rangers

Route 1 Box 14, Hwy 177

Strong City, KS 66869

Telephone: 620-273-8494 Fax: 620-273-8950

E-mail: tapr_interpretation@nps.gov

Websites: www.nps.gov/tapr www.parktrust.org

Indian Grass

Common Sunflower Sorghastrum nutans

Helianthus annuus

Bottomland Trail Map

Trail is open year-round

during daylight hours.

Smoking and biking on the trail are prohibited.

Please enjoy the trail by staying on the designated path.

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA

Feedlot

N

Parking County Road Stockyard

Fox Creek

Old Limestone Quarry

Start Here

Stockyard

Ranch Feedlot

Old Railroad Spur

Bench

Wayside

Short Trail - 1/2 mile

Longer Trail - 3/4 mile

St. Anthony

Cemetery