Attractions & Events

Find a variety of Council Grove, Cottonwood Falls and Emporia restaurants with diverse menus to satisfy any appetite. Need a quick snack? During the summer, guests can also check out The Cantina located next door to the Flint Hills Hideout.

Discover historic sites, unique memorials, and visit the last stop on the Santa Fe Trail.

Flint Hills

Voted one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas, the Flint Hills are a special, magical place. Located west of Emporia, and extending north and south for several hundred miles, the Flint Hills are one of the last remaining tallgrass prairie eco-systems in the world.

Over 250 million years ago, the Flint Hills of Kansas was a vast inland sea that deposited great layers of limestone, shale, and flint. The Flints Hills were created as softer shales eroded away, leaving behind hardened flint shelves, in a process called differential erosion.

With more than 40 grass species, some of which grow taller than your upstretched arms, and hundreds of wildflowers species, the Tallgrass prairie ecosystem in the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas is a sight to behold.

Of the 140 million acres of tallgrass prairie grasslands that once existed in North America, less than four percent remains today. Complimenting the beauty of the grasses and wildflowers, you will find 150 bird species, 30 kinds of reptiles and amphibians, 31 mammal species, and some 10 million insects per acre.

Visit the this link for a myriad of options to enjoy this beautiful land:

David Traylor Zoo

The David Traylor Zoo is a small zoo located in Emporia, KS, and admission to the zoo is free. You can walk through the zoo to view the naturalized exhibits and enjoy the beautiful landscaping along the way.

Lyon County Historical Society

The Lyon County Historical Society was established in 1937 thanks to members from the local chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution who spearheaded the venture.

Red Rocks

The Red Rocks State Historic Site is a Kansas historic site that preserves the William Allen White House, also known as Red Rocks, which was the home of Progressive journalist William Allen White.

Emporia State University: Go Hornets!

Emporia State University is a NCAA Division II school with 15 exciting NCAA Division II teams to watch. They are a part of the Mid- America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

Council Grove Reservoir

Fish the day away at this local fishing spot.

Cedar Point Mill

An 1875 grist mill, historic stone site, currently being renovated.

Flint Hills Discovery Center

Programs and a collection of exhibits that focus on the ecoregion of the Flint Hills of Kansas and the Osage Hills.

Historic Council Grove, Kansas

One of the last stops on the Santa Fe Trail in the mid-1800s.

 Knute Rockne Memorial

The site of the airplane crash that killed the famous Notre Dame football coach and his other traveling companions.

Stone Arch Bridge at Clements

An impressive double-arch structure completed in 1888.

Strong City, Kansas

A nearby town historically connected with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

William Allen White Home

The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist hosted presidents and other famous people in this Emporia, Kansas home.

Chase County Courthouse

Oldest county courthouse still in use in Kansas and the second oldest in continuous use west of the Mississippi River.

Flint Hills PRCA Rodeo

The oldest consecutive rodeo in the state of Kansas located in the heart of the Flint Hills, traditionally held the first weekend of June.

Unbound Gravel

The top gravel endurance cycling race in the US and is owned and produced by Life Time. The signature event is 200 miles of hilly and rocky roads through the Flint Hills.

Dynamic Discs Open

A community event where 1,700 disc golfers from 47 states and 10 countries flock to Emporia for a week filled with fun, camaraderie, reunions, new friends and competition.