Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve · Kansas

West Branch Trail

1.4 mi of trail, end to end · about 150 ft of climbing · 1,327 ft–1,500 ft

1,352 ft 1,500 ft · 1.2 mi high 1,500 ft

Take 12 to West Branch the Park Service's write-up

4-12 Hours · no dogs · season The prairie has a unique beauty during each season. <br /> <span style="color:#e67e22;"><strong>Bison</strong></span> in Windmill Pasture <span style="color:#e67e22;">may be more dangerous</span> during <strong>calving season in spring</strong> and the <strong>rutting season in fall</strong>.

A mown trail cuts through waste high grasssloping down to a line of trees.
Prairie Fire Loop reaches deep into the heart of the prairie. Photo: NPS photo

Set out along the Scenic Overlook Trail for the north end of the preserve. Enter Windmill Pasture where bison graze. Keeping a safe 100 yard distance may take patience or going off-trail. Continue north atop the ridge of Prairie Fire Loop with a grand view of the landscape. Be prepared for full exposure to Kansas weather: wind, sun, or rain. West Branch Trail ends six miles from the visitor center at marker 27 .

Marker 27 provides a tranquil place to rest. Palmer Creek has water to soak sore feet. Fossils are plentiful in the limestone. Take pictures and leave the rocks for others to enjoy. No fires, flames, or camping are permitted in the backcountry. Plan responsibly. Learn more about backcountry hiking at the preserve.

Journey back on the eastern Prairie Fire Loop with rolling hills. The elevation changes only a few hundred feet allowing fresh scenery every few minutes. The Davis Trail winds past the cattle pens connecting with the Scenic Overlook Trail . The Schoolhouse Spur detours a half-mile to a single-room schoolhouse from the 1880s.

Pets No pets are allowed in the backcountry of the preserve.

Accessibility The Scenic Overlook Trail has a grade of 1-2% or 5 degrees. The section is 12 foot gravel width and an additional 2 feet of mown grass. Elevation rises about 230 feet. Trails to the north in Big Pasture are old ranch road varying in width from 6-8 feet of stone to mown grass. Grade is steeper in some sections. Trails along hillsides slope sideways 1-2% or 5 degrees. The creek crossings can be impassable after a heavy rain. Service animals are NOT permitted.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 17 trails in Tallgrass Prairie National PreserveFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.