Tallgrass Prairie Reviews

See thousands of Bison grazing as they have for thousands of years on a remaining portion of America's tall grass prairie. Try to time it when the Nature Conservancy has an event going,like the Bison roundup. Docents are knowledgeable about the history of the preserve and the historic Chapman-Barnard ranch. Eat at Bad Brad's Barbecue in Pawhuska before or after. Can also be combined with a trip to Wooloroc Museum about 40 mikes away.

My wife and I went hiking here a few years ago in the late spring/early summer. We son TONS of bison and went hiking. Only bad thing about the hiking is that the ticks in this area are out of control. Even with the strongest Deet bug spray, we had to stop every 2-3 minutes and take ticks off our legs and clothes. My wife and I hike alot so aren't strangers to ticks, but there were so many it was just miserable.

I went alone a week ago to shoot some video/photo of bison and didn't see ANY. Not one. Not hiding in the shade, not on the plains, no where. I'm guessing it might just be too hot for them.

Because of the unpredictability of bison viewing, and the miserable hiking conditions I'd only say go if you are close, otherwise skip it.

This is such a beautiful place to get lost in. Bison are scattered throughout the place, sometimes in the road or right next to it. We went in the Spring, so we saw baby bison. The flowers were beautiful and it is just a wonderful nature preserve.

Drove up for a first time visit on a 100 degree day in Sept. It was hot and dusty, but we saw hundreds of bison and even sat surrounded on the road for a half hour or so as others drove on thru. We arrived to late to visit the visitor center.

Visited mother in law in Oklahoma and wanted our girls to see wild bison(other than the zoo).Talk about a serene place . It's been a long time since all of us felt one with nature.
Drove around in there for a few hours.Stopped at the visitor/gift area.Wonderful people in there.The gentleman that worked there told us everything we wanted to know and answered all of our questions.Wonderful place, will definitely come back.We even saw a rainbow driving away from there.

My wife and I went here today and drove all of the places that we could. We saw one bison from about a quarter-mile away. There is a nice information center and a bunkhouse that is from the 1920's. We hiked the one-mile trail on a 95 degree day - the trail was fine for beginners. Unless you are in the area for another reason, I wouldn't come to this preserve. It is a preserve first, then an attraction second.

We saw several small herds but if you take the "buffalo loop" (from Pawhuska, go to the left and take the road around until you reach the "T" -- turn left and that will take you through the "buffalo loop") you will see a large herd of probably 500 buffalo. They are magnificent animals and often they are on the road and are very close to your vehicle. I would advise everyone to remember that these are wild animals -- a buffalo may look tame but they are very dangerous. This park is a great way to see what the prairies once looked like (minus the roads and oil derricks). The buffalo are so magnificent and it was worth the horrible roads into the park (much of the roads are rough gravel and dirt roads).

Kudos to the Natural Conservancy for preserving the tallgrass environment and giving us a chance to see the magnificent Bison in their natural habitat. With your car as protection you can get out and watch them. When they are close by it was fascinating to hear the Bison. Sometimes the sounds was snorts and grunts and at times it almost sounds like they are purring. You can also hear them pull the grass. When they are farther away they seem to flow across the prairie, calmly moving together. This was a good time of year to see the calves. If you also like birds this is a great place to visit. I saw my first Dickcissel.

We stayed in Pawhuska at the Grandview Inn Bed and breakfast which was also a good experience. We visited the preserve at end of day and then the next morning as well. We saw Bison on both visits.

The Tall Grass Prairie Preserve affords the visitor the opportunity to see what it was like on the prairie before the advancement of modern civilization. The size and quietness of the prairie is awesome. To see in every direction and see very little of the modern world and to hear no cars or machines is so very peaceful. One can see many bison, buffalo, as there are 2700 on the preserve. We were lucky this visit as we saw many, maybe close to 1000. We had to stop a few times to let them cross the road in front of us. Some visits we see fewer or more bison. There is a small gift shop at an old ranch headquarters that is open from 10 to 4 everyday. There is a restroom near the gift shop near where the cowboys used to bunk. The ranch headquarters is in an area of the preserve where bison cannot roam. This preserve is approximately 1 hour west of Tulsa, Oklahoma and 17 miles north of Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Take a lunch as there are no locations to buy food on the preserve, remember this is all about preserving a piece of the prairie as it used to be. Do not get out of your car while in the preserve as the bison are dangerous wild animals. We ate our lunch at a scenic overlook, with our windows down and enjoyed the solitude and peace the prairie offered.

You really do have to be there to understand it. As you drive North from Pawhuska, the landscape transforms into the sea of grass. There are sweeping vistas as far as the eye can see, sunsets and moonrises like nowhere else, and the hosts of wildlife from the tiniest insects and wildflowers to the thousands of massive bison wandering past your car as though you were part of the landscape. This is truly the place to watch the sunset with your special one and feel that you are the only two people on the planet.

Saw lots of buffalo, several singles and one herd of the magnificent animals.
So quiet in this area, except for the local trucks zooming down the dirt and gravel road.
Drive slowly and keep ones eyes out for the many buffalo and occasional coyote.
YOU will get the car dirty.

I've visited during hailstorms, blazing heat, bitterly cold winds-- and the trip is always worth the beautiful vistas. Take time to go to visitor center to talk with volunteers at the gift shop and look through displays. Restrooms are warm, clean, with plenty of hot water. Ask to tour the ranch house. Interesting view of ranchers' lives in 20th century. And there is a nature trail with loops of varying distances -- just below visitor center. You can't walk elsewhere--too many bison. This is good place to go on " wild safari" by car. Turnouts give you information about bison herd (about 2500) on the 30,000 acre sight. You'll drive about 20 miles north of Pawhuska. About 40 miles from Bartlesville to visitor center. No food except candy bars, so pack a lunch. This is a Nature Conservancy site.

As we crossed on to the Preserve we instantly saw a small herd grazing. About 1/2 mile in a larger herd was crossing the road, with 2 more herds behind them. As we looked further off we saw a continuous line as far as we could see. It took us about 45mins to get from the opening cattle guide to the Preserve Headquarters because of the many herds we saw crossing the road. We thought it was so great that we went back the next morning and once again we were surrounded by several herds with many of them crossing not only in front of us , but also behind us and a few to the side us. Great!

This preserve is a hidden jewel.The road out there will keep some people away and that is good.Every Oklahoman should go at least once.It is like going back in time.

The title sums it up...very remote, a long drive without seeing any gas stations or rest stops (including many miles on dirt roads), then you arrive at the preserve. Lots of bison doing their thing, and not much else. If you're in the area and want to see bison, definitely go.

. . . and also to the kind of prairie lands the first European/American settlers found -- relatively short when we visited in March, head-high by midsummer. It's a drive-through (although one stop in the middle, with some walkways) in which we could lean out the car window to take close-up photos of large groups of bison.

I visited the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska on a pleasant day in early October. The Nature Conservancy is restoring the land to as close to original as is possible. I saw two herds of some 50 bison each. They are large, impressive animals who act as if they own the place - and they do. The preserve headquarters is quite a distance into the preserve, all over gravel roads. There are 2 walking trails by the HQ: a 1-mile nature trail and a 2-mile prairie earth trail. An interpretive brochure is available outside the HQ. You will see everything from big bluestem grass 7 feet high to cottonwoods to Sand Creek and a gallery forest.

There are some cautions. Be sure to carry water with you. A hat is a good idea. No food is available on site; you might want to take a snack. Despite the posted hours, the HQ may or may not be open. Bathrooms and a soft drink machine are available even if the HQ is closed.

Bugs: Chiggers are plentiful and invisible. Be sure to use bug spray on your legs at a minimum. Take a shower or bath after your visit and scrub well.

The road: It's all gravel. You probably won't want to drive more than 25, and sometimes less. Locals and oil service trucks will roar by you at 50. Avoid taking the entrance on the east side of the park; it adds miles of gravel road to your drive. Instead, go to Pawhuska and use the paved county road that runs straight north into the preserve.

Bison: They are not tame and can easily run faster than you can. Respect them and keep your distance.

With a few precautions, you can have a great time and really enjoy this wonderful example of the natural prairie.

If you are 'into' wildlife and the wilderness and a view of what much of the US looked like "before the plow," this is a wonderful place to visit. Maybe the biggest patch of unplowed ground in the country-- grasses wonderful, birds and butterflies all over the place. And the buffalo can get up close and personal.

The visitors' center is small and just okay, but the overall experience is outstanding.

The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Northeast Oklahoma is a reestablished portion of the prairie by the Nature Conservancy. Educational programs that include controlling invasive plants, controlled burns and better grazing practices help continue the ecosystem. The reintroduction of bison to the prairie has also helped to maintain the prairie. The original herd of 300 bison that was introduced in 1993 has grown to about 2,500 head. The bison are monitored to control disease and genetic mixing. The bison can be viewed safely from your vehicle while driving the ten-mile bison loop. There are some marked hiking trails available. Travel Safe_JAGIN

The grasslands are mesmerizing and we visited when the grass was young and short - we will return in September when the grass reaches 10 feet!
The bison herds are immense, stretching from horizon to horizon, like 2 centuries ago.
The Tall Grass Prairie HQ is a classic OK ranch house and the photographs show the bunkhouse history and pay tribute to the prize-winning cowboys who worked there in its heyday.
And the current collaboration between The Nature Conservancy and OSU mean cutting edge research for agriculture methods.
It's an inspirational place to visit.

This is a pretty cool place. I didn't stay long enough to do the trails, but I may go back to try them out. Whether you are an adult or a child, you'd enjoy this preserve. It is a little out of the way and is definitely in the middle of nowhere. I'd recommend making this trip at least half a day. Pack a lunch, do the drive in, go to the visitors center, do the trails, have lunch, and then finish it off with the loop for to see the bison. There are several places where you can pull off on the loop to take pictures. Do drive slowly, especially once you start seeing the bison, because people pull over/stop to take pictures. It would probably be a good idea to stay in the car to take pictures since bison can be unpredictable.

As I said, you could make at least half-a-day at the preserve. It would be a great way to spend a time to let kids see wildlife, learn a little about history and science, and get some exercise/break from traveling. It's definitely off the beaten path. Of course, if you are on a time limit, then I'd recommend doing the bison loop and the visitor's center. There are restrooms and vending machines. Well, I remember seeing drink machines, but I didn't go that way so I don't know about snacks. There are some snakcks in the visitor's center though.

Went today on a "day trip" - in a corvette. All of the roads in the preserve are gravel and very rough. It was horrible - the car will never be the same. Locals flying by, rocks flyng everywhere. We didn't think we would ever get out of there. I couldn't drive over about 10 mph. If we had known, we would have gone in the truck and would have had a great time - because we saw hundreds of bison. Maybe a dozen different herds of 50 to 100 or more each - up close and personal. I think the "loop" is actually about a 1000 miles.

Wife and I were in Pawhuska and drove out to the preserve. Very pretty drive, and lots of bison. Visitors center was nice and informative - knowledgeable and dedicated docents.

if you are big on mountains or streams, this is not for you. If you love the prairie, go to see the bison, and have someone explain the difference between the green fields (which have been burned) and the brown ones, which have not been burned. Whoa it was fascinating!

Natural prairie land viewed w/ buffalo roaming freely over a vast area. The tall grass is
only evident in the fall after a growing season. The tall blue stem grass grows to over six feet. The rest of the year it is much shorter due to burning and grazing. Do visit the Head Quarters. The volunteer we visited w/ was very informed about the grasses and the buffalo herds. There are on exhibit artifacts of the area including some shed very soft buffalo hair. The herd numbers from more than 2000 and is culled when the population ages over ~ seven years or becomes too numerous. Calves are born in the spring and the males separate from the herd. Buffalo are large wild animals and must be treated as such. But the viewing of this magnificent animal is fascinating.

This is one of my favorite place to take out of town or out of country visitors. They always enjoy it. The have a nice gift shop and information center. Clean places for picnics if you pack a lunch, which is a good idea since you are out in the middle of nowhere. Very beautiful scenery and lots of buffaloes roaming the grass lands just like the they did here hundreds and fifty years ago. The roads are gravel but very well maintained. Camera is a must.

Positives: No charge; nice scenery
Negatives: Limited parking in turnouts; unpredictable bison

The American plains are a place of amazing variety but you have to look close to see it! The best way to appreciate this variety is to experience these grasslands up close. Visiting the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is a great way to just that!

Located in the interior of the largest county in Oklahoma, this preserve requires some effort to reach. It's not a place you'll stumble into while going down the highway.

You can enter the park from all four directions, but the smoothest access through Pawhuska on the south. Grandview Avenue, a paved street, leads to the preserve where it becomes gravel-covered County Road 4201. Prepare for lots of dust. Tourists share these roads with oilfield vehicles, ranch pickups, and utility trucks. Local drivers are often in a hurry but in our experience they're tolerant of tourists.

Widely spaced scenic turnouts allow you to stop for pictures or to admire the view. More often than not, you'll have to park briefly on the side of the road to take photos. You'll notice a lot of "private road" signs; please honor them as people do live in the area.

A visitor's center and support buildings sit near the center of the park. This complex offers clean restrooms, a few snacks, gifts (naturally), and picnic tables. (It also has a storm shelter, although I don't know how accessible it is.)

A couple of hiking trails of allow to get you even closer to nature if you want. Bring insect repellent: ticks are thick in this area.

The center is staffed during "business hours." (Restrooms remain open after hours.)

Attendants can answer many questions and share the latest bison sightings. They can also provide directions to side roads that lead to common grazing areas. This type of information is invaluable when looking for bison. We know from experience...

On our first visit in June, 2006, we were met by a lone bison bull at the south entrance. The visitor's center was closed so we were on our own. We drove the length of the preserve without seeing another mammal of any kind!

During our second visit in June, 2017, a lone bull again met us at the south entrance. We again drove miles without seeing other bison. (We did see some cattle.) But the visitor's center was open. We learned about the "Bison Loop" and heard where bison had been grazing a few hours earlier. This information led us to three groups spread across the hillside. Success!

The Bottom Line -

These grasslands are home to a remarkably wide array of plant and animal life. The Nature Conservancy and its partners are doing a good job maintaining this sometimes overlooked ecosystem.

The landscape is not entirely unchanged from past centuries. Gravel roads weren't present hundreds of years ago. A few pumpjacks, corrals, electrical transmission lines, and mobile phone towers dot the landscape.

To the southwest you can see wind turbines on the edge of the preserve. Obstructions are minimal, though, and you can certainly get an idea of the way it was long ago before settlers arrived.

Bison have always remained distant in this park. Hoof prints indicate they do come close to roads, but so far not while we're there. We've been a much closer to animals at other preserves (the Wichita Wildlife Refuge near Lawton and Custer State Park in South Dakota come to mind.)

As a photographer I'd like to capture a few photos of individual animals, but realize that although bison are an important part of the story, they are just some of the players in a larger production.

Hopefully we can our third visit won't be another eleven years in the making!

Final note: Traffic in the park was much heavier than in 2006. We saw over 30 vehicles during our stay. They bore plates from Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, and Alabama.

At the visitor's center we heard park tourism has tripled since The Merchantile opened in Pawhuska. Increased awareness will probably benefit preservation efforts, but may come at a price.

The park shows few signs of human intervention, but we did see a styrofoam food container along the road and a scrap of plastic wrap near a scenic marker. Both probably arrived accidentally, but increased visitation will likely increase the amount of incidental debris.

Be ready for a long trek on a well-maintained dirt road--20 miles north of Pawhuska before you get to the visitor center and bunkhouse. It's a good way to see bison herds and learn about the Tallgrass prairie. There is a trail you can hike near the visitor center with loops from 1/4 mile to 3 miles in length.

Remote but worth the trip to see bison being bison. And you might get to see a few bald eagles, too.