The Great Plains Nature Center is a cooperative project between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, and the City of Wichita Department of Park and Recreation. We offer experiences that connect people to the environment, wildlife and conservation measures.For Great Plains Nature Center and beyond, use our Wichita route builder website to get the most from your Wichita vacation.
The adjacent 240-acre Chisholm Creek Park provides our outdoor classroom. More than two miles of wheelchair-accessible trails and boardwalks meander through riparian woodlands, prairies, streams and wetlands.
An indoor wildlife observatory lets visitors relax in front of a stream of cattail-ringed wetland, where beaver, muskrat, ducks and graceful egrets make regular appearances.
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Great Plains Nature Center reviews
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Almost missed the turn off glad we didn’t. Looking out of the landscape it was really interesting to see what the landscape looked like years ago. So glad they are restoring and trying to preserve...
Almost missed the turn off glad we didn’t. Looking out of the landscape it was really interesting to see what the landscape looked like years ago. So glad they are restoring and trying to preserve... more »
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I enjoyed walking through this nature center even though it was very hot. We saw turtles and fish but not much out.
I enjoyed walking through this nature center even though it was very hot. We saw turtles and fish but not much out. more »
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I took my grandson here for a home school field trip. I was pleasantly surprised at how good a nature center surrounded by an urban environment could be. The nature center has a small but comprehensive natural history museum with displays of most of the major fauna in Kansas. There were even a few live exhibits of snakes and reptiles. The nature trails through the attached Chisholm Creek Park were paved and well maintained ranging in length from 1/2 mile to almost 2 miles. A large variety of habitats from wetlands to prairies are contained within this small area. It was very interesting and a well spent hour and half for myself and my 6 year old.
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What a wonderful experience. The trails are clearly marked and there is a map to determine which trail to choose. We went on the Quail Trail (red). It's only .5 miles but this was a test walk. We are moving to Wichita at the end of May and wanted to a comfortable place to walk as well as look at birds. Both my wife and I were pleased with this discovery. I am 70 and not so sure on my feet at times. The paths are paved, free of cracking. The bridges are wood and well maintained. One minute into our walk my wife saw her first Cardinal in Kansas. She was sold immediately.
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