Hike Santa Fe Lake

Sand Hills Pond Trail in Sand Hills State Park is a 3.5 mile out-and-back hike where during the right season, you may see beautiful wild flowers located near Buhler, Kansas. With minimal elevation gain, this trail is an easy trek for all skill levels and can work for the whole family. This trail has a lot of long grass near it, so be sure to be aware of ticks when hiking the trail. 

Park your car at the Visitor Center and head inside to grab a copy of the trail map. If the Visitor Center is closed, you can take a picture of the map on the display outside of the building. There are several trails you can take in the preserve, and all of them are worth the time. I recommend starting at the Southwind Nature Trail that is just north of the Visitor Center. This trail takes you ...

Near the town of Pawhuska and about a 50-minute drive west of Bartlesville, is the incredibly scenic Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. The 50 mile drive through it spans to the Kansas border. Along all the way, you can see thousands of roaming buffalo, beautiful wildflowers, tallgrass, cattle, and many other kinds of wildlife.The most popular route through the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is to take th...

Just west of the Elk City Lake Dam is a small parking area. The scarcity of foot traffic is highlighted by the size of the parking lot. You'll begin your hike by crossing over a minimal footbridge that spans a small stream. Once over the stream, you begin a slightly moderate climb up the trail to the large rock wall. Once there, you can walk through the 20-30 foot tall rock structure and begin ...