Kansas Wetlands & Wildlife National Scenic Byway

This 87 mile scenic byway tucked away in the farmlands of central Kansas is a must see for those that love wildlife. The trip connects Quivira National Wildlife Refuge and Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area. This scenic byway covers 60,000 acres of wetlands located within the Central Flyway migration route and hosts millions of birds each year on their trips to and from winter homes and summer breeding grounds.

At the Southern Edge of the Byway lies the entrance to Quivira National Wildlife refuge. One of 560 National Wildlife Refuges nationwide. Quivira, established in 1955, covers 22,135 acres comprised of a unique combination of inland salt marsh and sand prairie. The Refuge has a gravel road covering the area that includes “Wildlife drive” located at the north end of the refuge. Maps are available at the visitors center and at convenient kiosks along the route or can be downloaded from Quivira’s website linked in this post.

Just 40 miles to the North of Quivira you will find Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area. In 1950 The state of Kansas acquired the 19,998 acres that comprise Cheyenne Bottoms. The facilities are managed by the Kansas Departments of Wildlife and Parks. To allow for water management, the area is divided by a system of dykes into 5 pools with most of the 5 subdivided further into approximately 9 separate pools. An extensive road system provides great access for bird watchers.

Although the peak migration times in the spring and fall are the absolute best times to view hundreds of thousands of birds of many species, visiting Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira during the summer provides unique views such as the one of this Great Blue Heron nestled in the brush that has grown in the marsh where the water levels have been drawn down as part of the water management process. Water management has been a particular challenge during the time this picture was taken in 2024 due to several years of extreme drought in the Midwest.

Attaching Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms is a system of rural Kansas highways. You are easily able to plan your trip around starting locations at Great Bend Kansas northwest of the wildlife areas or Hutchison Kansas to the southeast. Following the signs will not only take you to the two wildlife areas but through small Kansas towns such as the gateway to Quivira Stafford Kansas and Ellinwood Kansas where you can tour the Ellinwood Tunnels and stay at the historic Wolf Hotel. Get a feel for a time when the area was full of folks heading down the Santa Fe trail for a new life in the wide open west. If you are looking for a new and different experience, don’t miss this trip through the US heartland.