Saturday July 30, or Sunday July 31, 2016
8:30 am – 1 pm
Registration Closed
Guided walks, transportation, and box lunch
Adults $40 | Children under 12 $20
Reservations are limited
Big Bluestem in the Fall, photo by Patty Reece
The tour will begin at 8:30 am at the Reece Bunkhouse not far from the Volland Store. You will receive directions upon making your reservation.
We will enjoy the early morning light and cooler temperatures.
Both a native pasture and a “go-back” pasture (land that was once cultivated, then re-planted in a native grass mixture) are near the bunkhouse where we can walk and discuss the differences first-hand.
We will learn the names of the native grasses, some of whose roots reach 17′ feet into the earth. The tallgrass prairie once reached from Canada to Mexico and from Kansas to Kentucky. Today only 4% of it remains, and the largest contiguous landscape of this unique grassland lies in The Flint Hills.
With more species than any other ecosystem on earth, except the Amazon Forest, tallgrass prairie is a true Kansas treasure.
Spring Creek, photo by Patty Reece
We will then drive country roads to a cool, clear creek and wade in the water or walk along the shore
We’ll seine for fish (or whatever lies below the surface), collect rocks (if you wish), and learn about the health of the stream and the effects of the big Spring flood. A seine and dip nets will be provided for exploring the waters. We plan to finish by noon and head back to the Volland Store for lunch.
We recommend:
sunscreen, a water bottle, and bug spray
sturdy walking shoes, creek-walking shoes, light clothing with long sleeves and collars, and a hat
a walking stick would be helpful in the creek and on the rocky shore. The ground will be uneven!
Please note that all locations are on private property. Please do not return to the landowners’ property or creek without written permission. Thank you.
Reserve today!