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Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area
 "All wildlife watchers should make an annual pilgrimage to Cheyenne Bottoms..."
- Bob Gress and George Potts,
authors of Watching Kansas Wildlife.
Considered one of the most important shorebird migration stopover points in the Western Hemisphere, Cheyenne Bottoms is the largest interior marsh in the United States. Here, in waters that average less than a foot deep, hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl rest and refuel on their migration journeys. Bordered on the north, south, and west by steep bluffs, the bottoms lie in a natural basin that traps runoff from the Blood and Deception creeks. From atop these bluffs, you get a bird’s eye view of the impressive extent of this natural banquet hall.
For current water conditions, please call 620-793-7730 or visit the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Web page for Cheyenne Bottoms.
Click here to view live video footage from Cheyenne Bottoms.
Geological Change. The huge basin of Cheyenne Bottoms was formed 8 million years ago, and the geology of the wetland continues to shape the bottoms today.
Wildlife & Weather. Fire is the ultimate embodiment of motion and change. The ecology of the prairie and the survival of the wetlands depend on fire for renewal. Weather is motion and change personified. Two out of every three years, the bottoms are dry because of lack of rainfall. In that third, wet year it is the largest natural body of water between the Rockies and the Appalachians.
Wildlife. Constantly shifting populations of birds and wildlife change day to day at Cheyenne Bottoms. Joining the exaggerated weather and the exaggerated ferocity of wildfire is an exaggerated concentration of birds.
People. While many tribes and trails have passed by the bottoms or tried to turn it to their own purposes, few have stayed. The parade of humanity and its impact on Cheyenne Bottoms is a fascinating part of the story of the wetlands.
Greyhound Coursing. Enjoy a birding stop along one of Cheyenne Bottoms’ unpaved roads and imaging the rustle of silk dresses and the cheering of crowds echoing though the wetland. In 1886, the first greyhound coursing match (dog racing) was held here. Coursing was a popular pastime for Victorians and the Bottoms boasted a fine grandstand for viewing and taking refreshments. Man has not always been a friend to this wetland, but as you continue to drive, you will understand that nature has reclaimed the Bottoms.
Wildlife watching:
For a full listing of downloads, click here.
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