Kansas’ Image Problem
If you ask someone to describe Kansas in a single word, they’ll probably say “flat.” Anyone who’s driven along I-70 in western Kansas can vouch for that, and media hasn’t helped the perception. In The Wizard of Oz, Kansas is so flat and bland that it’s shown in black and white (okay, sepia, but still). Courage the Cowardly Dog depicts Kansas as a barren, moon-like high desert. Even our state high point, Mt. Sunflower (elev. 4,000 ft.), has neither a mountain nor sunflowers. It’s just a field in the high plains.
Even science has piled on to boring, flat Kansas. A 2003 tongue-in-cheek study determined that Kansas really is flatter than a pancake. The study actually tells us more about pancake geography than real geography, though. The entire world is flatter than a pancake, and Kansas isn’t the flattest state (it’s Florida, for the record, with Kansas finishing in a distant 7th place). Check out this video (10:28-13:05) by Vsauce, aka native Kansan Michael Stevens, for a better explanation.
However, Kansas is likely stuck with its reputation for flatness. That said, the state is full of hidden badlands, rock formations, and other interesting features. I do not say “hidden” to sensationalize this or turn it into clickbait. These places really are off the beaten path. But as a Kansan, I can safely say that all of them have surprised me, and if you’re in the area, they’re worth a look.
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The Badlands
Along the Smoky Hill River, there are numerous clusters of badlands that look like miniature versions of the ones in the Dakotas. The three main sites are in western Kansas, south of I-70. While none of them are particularly hard to get to, they are isolated. All three of the following badlands require driving on gravel and/or dirt roads, some of which are little more than ruts in the ground. However, I was able to do all of them safely in a front wheel drive sedan. I just wouldn’t go after it’s rained.
My favorite is Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, located just off Highway 83 in Logan County. This is the easiest of the badlands to get to, with only the last stretch being gravel (the gravel here was extra deep when I went, though, and is a bit like driving on snow). Little Jerusalem is also the only group of badlands to be a state park, and it’s got some well maintained trails and a public restroom.
It’s owned by the Nature Conservancy and is one of the most extensive areas of badlands in Kansas. Some of the rock formations are over 100 feet tall, and they make a striking appearance amid the expansive, treeless prairie beyond. Keep an eye out for beautiful, deep red rocks in the distance. I also loved the desert-like foliage. Yucca plants are absolutely everywhere, and if you look closely, you might spot a cactus or two.
Definitely bring a hat and sunscreen in the summer, as it can get extremely hot and there’s no shade whatsoever. Also keep in mind that you cannot go into the badlands without a guided tour from a park ranger, which has to be scheduled in advance. But even if you just stick to the public trails along the rim, you’ll get an amazing view. The entrance fee is $5.
The Castle Rock Badlands were my biggest surprise. I was familiar with Castle Rock itself, which is a formation standing all by itself, but I was shocked to learn that there is an entire section of badlands behind it. If you make it to Castle Rock, I highly recommend going up to and beyond the bluffs to explore the badlands. I just cannot believe that I went my whole life thinking Castle Rock was just one rock. No one ever talks about the badlands right next to it, which are way more interesting.
Castle Rock and its badlands are on a private cattle ranch, but the owner allows access to the site. Please be respectful and leave nothing behind! Also, watch out for cattle droppings – again, this is someone’s ranch, and they have graciously allowed outsiders to explore the badlands on it. I found this site to be the most challenging in terms of driving, as roads inside the ranch have very deep ruts. It’s also unclear which way you’re supposed to go once you enter the ranch. Go left at the fork to get to Castle Rock and the badlands.
Arguably the most photogenic badlands in Kansas are the Monument Rocks, also called the Chalk Pyramids. This site covers a smaller area than Little Jerusalem and the Castle Rock Badlands, so there isn’t much to do besides walk around them, but they are gorgeous. They’re most famous for the arch, and there’s also a keyhole in one of the walls. Monument Rocks are also home to cliff swallows and their distinctive nests. The only other place I’ve seen these birds is Badlands National Park. Anyway, like Castle Rock, this is a private ranch, so be respectful and watch out for cattle and their droppings (when I visited, though, I did not see either). This isn’t a park, but there is a small informational sign on site.
Other Interesting Sites
In south central Kansas, the terrain begins to look more like Oklahoma or New Mexico, home to a vast area of mesas and bluffs known as the Red Hills or the Gypsum Hills. These mesas are Oklahoma-red, although if it’s rained a lot, some of them will be green. I was expecting this to be small and isolated like the previous sites, but these mesas, bluffs, and canyons went on for around 20 minutes of driving. Every time I thought we were through them, the next hill revealed more. If you have to take the drive through southern or southwestern Kansas, it’s worth it to take the detour through Barber County along Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway. It’ll add a few minutes to your trip, but it might be the last interesting thing you see before you get to New Mexico.
Wilson Lake State Park is closer to the center of Kansas, north of I-70, and has some interesting rock formations. The surrounding area is very hilly, and it reminded me of the Flint Hills. Like the Flint Hills, though, photos don’t really capture it. It looks much better in person. Anyway, the state park has a path called the Rocktown Trail, which is home to a few deep red formations along the lake.
In the extreme southeastern part of the state, Schermerhorn Cave is one of the only Ozarks sites in Kansas. For just a few miles, southeast Kansas becomes very hilly and heavily forested just like southwestern Missouri, complete with its own cave system. You can’t explore Schermerhorn Cave, though – the entrance is blocked to protect some rare cave species that can’t be found anywhere else in the state. So basically you just walk up, look inside, and walk back. Still, it’s interesting that the Ozarks – hills, caves, and all – spill into Kansas. It was a decent place to stretch my legs while I was traveling back north to KC from Arkansas.
Sites I Haven’t Been to Yet
I really want to get to Smokey Valley Ranch, which has more red rocks, badlands, and trails, along with some historic sites. It’s not far from the other badlands. While I was in this general area, though, I saw many other outcroppings and formations along the side of the road and along the horizon. How many more Kansas badlands are out there on private land? Judging by Google Maps, a lot! Time will tell if these sites become available for the public to visit too. I also haven’t yet visited nearby Lake Scott State Park, which has some steep bluffs and the only pueblo ruins in Kansas.
Mushroom Rock State Park is home to some weird, toadstool-like rocks, although I have to admit this one doesn’t do much for me. The Arikaree Breaks in extreme northwestern Kansas is a small but photogenic network of badlands and canyons, and I’d love to go, but I just can’t think of a time I’d be heading that direction. Likewise, I’m not sure when I’ll be near Point of Rocks in extreme southwest Kansas. Last time I went through the area, I didn’t know it existed. I’m not sure what to make of Point of Rocks anyway, because in some pictures it looks stunning, but in others it doesn’t look like much. Maybe it’s the sort of place you have to see in person.
Recommendations and Conclusion
I highly recommend all three badlands sites (Little Jerusalem, Castle Rock, and Monument Rocks). While they’re not nearly as impressive as Badlands National Park, they’re pretty cool for Kansas. Likewise, I strongly recommend taking the drive along Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway if you’re in the area. Other sites may or may not be worth the detour, depending on your interests, but they’re out there if you want to see them. After all, Kansas is only boring if you let it be.
Subscribe for more content. I mainly write about medieval and US history, although I sometimes also write about Kansas and its history.
Brandon M. Bender 