Flint Hills Scenic Byway
47 miles of K-177 through the Flint Hills, the largest stretch of tallgrass prairie left, from Council Grove past the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.
Also known as K-177
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- Length47.2 miles[2]FHWA rounds it to 48 miles.
- Drive timeAbout an hour of driving, or a day and a half to enjoy it[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
- RoadsK-177[3]
- Start and endCouncil Grove south through Strong City and Cottonwood Falls toward Cassoday[4]
- Fees and passesNo fees on the byway itself[1]
- Best seasonNot verified
- SurfaceNot verified
- Vehicle notesNot verified
- Seasonal closuresNot verified
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
The Flint Hills Scenic Byway follows K-177 through the open, rolling tallgrass prairie of east-central Kansas, from Council Grove south through Strong City and Cottonwood Falls toward Cassoday.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, two miles north of Strong City, is the only National Park System unit devoted to the tallgrass prairie. It has historic ranch buildings, more than 40 miles of trails and a herd of about 100 bison; give them plenty of room.
South of Cottonwood Falls, a pull-off overlook has signs about the prairie. The drive takes about an hour; the towns and preserve can fill a weekend.
Stops along the way
-
Council Grove
Old Santa Fe Trail town at the north end.
Official information · 38.66113, -96.49196 · about 0.4 mi from the route line
-
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Ranch buildings, prairie trails and a bison herd, 2 miles north of Strong City.
Official information · 38.43217, -96.55835 · about 0.1 mi from the route line
-
Cottonwood Falls
County seat with a scenic overlook south of town.
Official information · 38.37224, -96.54279 · about 0.2 mi from the route line
-
Strong City
Small town next to Cottonwood Falls.
Official information · 38.39724, -96.53696 · about 0.2 mi from the route line
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Matfield Green
Tiny prairie town farther south.
Official information · 38.15919, -96.56057 · about 0.2 mi from the route line
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
Farmers markets within about 25 miles
- El Dorado Farmers' MarketEl Dorado, KS · about 20.0 mi from the route
Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.
Sources
- America's Byways: Flint Hills Scenic Byway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Things to do on the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway (Kansas Tourism) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Flint Hills National Scenic Byway (Kansas Tourism) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Flint Hills Scenic Byway communities (Kansas Tourism) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Directions, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).