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Post Rock Country
Post Rock Country
When pioneers arrived in central Kansas, they found few trees to fence the free range. Instead, they quarried limestone posts to substitute for the wooden posts used elsewhere on the plains.
This is one my favorite regions of Kansas. By getting off the highway and onto the dirt roads, you can find beautiful creeks, rolling hills and deserted farm houses. The roads are easy to drive, even in a low-clearance car.
Extra wire
Abandoned
Not-so-free range
Tree and stone
This is a great overview of the history of carving post rocks.
This is a good description of post rock country, including a sample itinerary
A small museum by the Rush County Historical Society
Castle Rock Badlands and Monument Rocks
Castle Rock Badlands and Monument Rocks
There is more to Kansas than meets the eye driving I-70. Just to the south of the interstate lies interesting limestone, chalk and shale formations that are remnants of an ancient sea deposited 80 million years ago. While some of these are off the beaten path (Castle Rock Badlands), others are just a few miles from the highway (Monument Rocks). When I lived in Kansas, this was one of my favorite (if not far-flung) haunts. Rock formations may be a dime a dozen in the southwest, but in Kansas they're photographic gold.
Monument Rocks
Monument Rocks
Castle Rock Badlands
Monument Rocks
Castle Rock
I love this website by Cretaceous Atlas of Ancient Life
Some excellent pictures here, too
This is a great blog post by Colby Sharples-Terry
Roadside Rural America
Roadside Rural America
For photographers, Kansas can be challenging. There are no national parks there, no mountains, or canyons, or forests. Yet, if you drive the backroads, and if you enjoy photographing little landscapes, then it can be highly rewarding. Here are some pictures from the roadside along the backroads of Kansas and New Mexico.
Abandoned Farmhouse, Keyes Oklahoma
Abandoned Farmhouse, Keyes Oklahoma
This beautiful fading farmhouse sits in the middle of a wheat field south of Keyes, Oklahoma. I have photographed it several times, and it's a great place to capture the expanse and isolation of the rual plains. Each time I have been there, the sky has been cloudless. I hope to return some day when dramatic thunderstorm clouds bring even more drama to this house steped in Americana. I would love to know more about this farmhouse, so please contact me if you have further information.
Dyck Arboretum of the Plains
Dyck Arboretum of the Plains
I visited this place on a lark, since I had a bit of time to kill driving south from McPherson to Wichita. I was surprised by how understated and beautiful this little park is. It is well designed and cared for. If you're looking for a peaceful place to take a step back, then don't miss this gem.
Grain Elevators
Grain Elevators
Growing up in rural Kansas and Nebraska, grain elevators were the largest and most distinctive structures around. They are the skyscrapers of the plains, and the lifeblood of local economies. They serve as waypoints between the farmers and grain processors. They also make for great photos.
If you are ever in the area, Maxwell is worth a visit. It's not particularly large, but it is beautiful in its own way. I only managed the catch the Bison herd on one out of three visits, but I was rewarded for my patience.
Village
Coffee
Eatery
Highway Marker
Museum
Photogenic Site
Historic Site
Wildlife
Nature
Shopping
Lodging
Tribes of the Area
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