Kansas' Flint Hills Scenic Byway

The Flint Hills region, one of the last true prairies in North America, is a rare reminder of the time when open grasslands covered vast expanses of our continent.

Flint Hills.

Lindsborg's Dala horses.

How do you experience autumn in a land of few trees? You watch grasses that ripple like an ocean fade from vibrant green to tawny brown. You peer through binoculars to cross a coot off your birding list. You tell stories around the campfire at the Flying W Ranch. And through it all, you have the tingly satisfaction of knowing this swath of prairie looks just as it did when pioneers crossed Kansas on the Santa Fe Trail.

European detour Among Kansas’ Western-flavored towns, Swedish-settled Lindsborg (a couple hours west of the byway) stands out. Be sure to buy a colorful souvenir Dala horse.