Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a National Preserve in Kansas. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Tallgrass Prairie the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:30 PM | 244° | 9h 47m |
| February | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:05 PM | 255° | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:38 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 283° | 13h 12m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:31 PM | 295° | 14h 15m |
| June | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:53 PM | 301° | 14h 50m |
| July | 6:15 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:51 PM | 299° | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:41 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:22 PM | 289° | 13h 40m |
| September | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:36 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:50 PM | 260° | 11h 14m |
| November | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:15 PM | 247° | 10h 06m |
| December | 7:37 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:07 PM | 241° | 9h 30m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.4402, -96.5671); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Tallgrass Prairie, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:23 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| March | 4:42 AM – 6:02 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 2:37 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:38 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.7 | 23° |
| June | 10:50 PM – 4:00 AM | 5.2 | 23° |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:33 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:30 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 9:06 PM – 10:36 PM | 1.5 | 19° |
| October | 8:17 PM – 8:37 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Typical weather for the preserve ranges from lows of 0 degrees in the winter and highs of 90 + degrees in the summer. Prevailing prairie winds attribute to winter blizzards and occasional summer storms. Thunderstorms that form on the Great Plains have a rare chance of producing tornadoes. Lightning poses a danger when hiking into the prairie. Please check current weather conditions at NOAA before hiking into the preserve.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
The preserve is located in northern Chase County, Kansas 2 miles north of intersection U.S. Hwy 50 and Flint Hills National Scenic Byway 177 (K-177) west of Strong City. Watch for brown attraction signs. **2 miles north of Strong City, KS on K-177** **16 miles west of Emporia, KS on U.S. Hwy 50 and 2 miles north on K-177** **17 miles south of Council Grove, KS on K-177** **85 miles northeast of Wichita on I-35, U.S. Hwy 50, and K-177** **60 miles southwest of Topeka on I-335 (Kansas Turnpike) to Emporia**
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hands-On
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Living History
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
KS
KS
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