Wildlife Areas

The Nature Conservancy owns and manages more than 7,600 acres of critical wetlands in the midst of this world-class natural wonder. The Conservancy is covered with natural marshes, ephemeral wetlands, mud flats, and adjoining grasslands.
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, hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl rest and refuel on their migration journeys.
For untold years, the Big and Little Salt Marshes of Quivira National Wildlife Refuge have attracted thousands of migratory waterfowl, providing them with food, cover, and a place to rest during their long flights between breeding and wintering areas.
This 77-mile byway connects two of the world's most significant natural wetlands—Cheyenne Bottoms and the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. More than 60,000 acres of wetlands host millions of migrating birds each year, including waterfowl, shorebirds, even whooping cranes. No wonder this region has been named one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas!