Top Spots To View Bison - Kansas Tourism

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More Categories Back Top Spots to View Bison By Debbie Leckron Miller on Apr. 02, 2025

See Kansas through a pioneer’s wide eyes by watching bison wander the prairie at viewing spots around the state. Here are some of our favorite spots to watch the herds roam.

The party of bison hunters piles into covered wagons for a trek across the prairie. Today, they come armed only with cameras, and they’re as eager as any explorer to encounter the majestic bison that roam here.

Credit: Doug Stremel

Kansas hosts the nation’s fifth-largest bison population. You can see them at ranches and parks across the state, including the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge near Canton, where the state’s largest public herd of 200 resides. Narrated tram tours carry visitors to animal close-ups.

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge

Nearby in the Flint Hills, guides on the wagon rides at the Lazy Heart D Ranch near Westmoreland provide commentary on the sea of tallgrass prairie and the resident bison. “They may appear tame and gentle, but they are a wild species and unpredictably dangerous,” says Lazy Heart D’s Ed Dillinger. Another great spot in the Flint Hills is the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, which is located right off the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway. The array of trails spans over 10,000 acres, and of course, has bison roaming nearby! 

The Flint Hills National Scenic Byway offers incredible views of the native grasses and flowers of the tallgrass prairie - one of the last remaining landscapes of this kind left in America.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Nearly 11,000 acres of wide open space, beautiful vistas, seasonal wildflowers, wildlife, bison herd, history, and plenty of solitude. The…

In western Kansas, you can see bison in unusual white, golden, and multi colors. At Historic Lake Scott State Park,  just 13 miles north of Scott City, go out and view this pure white animal from the Lake Scott Ranger station office. There are also spots to view bison near Oakley at the  Smoky Valley Ranch, which also has great hiking trails open year-round!

Historic Lake Scott State Park and Wildlife Area

Listed by National Geographic as one of the country's 50 must-see state parks, Historic Lake Scott is a stunning oasis of natural springs…

Smoky Valley Ranch

On this land, you'll find a sight that almost vanished from America — bison roaming a prairie as they did hundreds of years ago…

Roam Kansas to experience the thrill of a cattle drive, join in the harvest at a working farm, and more. Explore the state’s variety of farming and ranch experiences here, and don't check out the Official Kansas Travel Guide for more places to wander.

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Author

Debbie Leckron Miller