great plains nature center

matthewallenm

This is hands down, absolutely, positively, my favorite place in Wichita! I visit multiple times a month just to hike or to pick up trash. It's relaxing getting away from the busy city and tall building. So many different paths and trails to take and get lost in all day.

carolcY5784RQ

Great place for a two mile stroll or run. Birders are often about. Lots of ducks , carp and turtles to feed

DarrelB334

The center has a few live snakes and birds, a good gift shop, some educational exhibits and a medium size theater for meeting presentations. There is a good nature walking path through natural Kansas grasses and some birds for the bird watchers to identify. My visits are primarily for the Southwind Sierra Club who meets there.

Vandal72

A visit to the nature center divides into two segments. Each of which is worth your time. Indoors, the habitat hall has exhibits on Kansas' natural environment and wildlife that are of Smithsonian quality. It's not huge...... but it is VERY well done. You could spend an hour there and learn a lot. You could also relax in the lounge with a panoramic view of the natural park outside. And, there is a nice book/gift shop. Nice restrooms off the lobby.Outside is even better. Miles of very well maintained (much of it wheelchair accessible) trail winding through wetlands, woodlands, and (in the process of restoration) prairie. Features include exhibits of the footprints of wild animals frequenting the park and informative signage. But the best feature is the ability to just get away from it all. Once inside the park you could fool yourself into thinking you'd found a wilderness. A long walk here could be very therapeutic. Take the cure. Closed on government holidays, including four days over Thanksgiving weekend. Worthwhile in every season.

RupertW386

Fabulous site with a pocket of prairie under regeneration, although it will take another 200 years to reach maturity, apparently. Full of life, very well maintained board walks and wide accessible trails suitable for all, a wonderful facility for the city. In 3 hours I saw different types of turtles, water snakes, frogs, crayfish, deer, water birds, raptors, woodland birds and about a zillion bugs. Watch out for the poison Ivy in the wet bits off the maintained trails.

JBC71

Trails were laid out well. You can easily plan the distance you will hike. A very nice park and the folks in the visitor center are first rate.

KBH811

I've been visiting here for the past 8 years at all times of the year. My favorite time is in the fall when the colors and the grass are beautiful to look and and we've even seen deer and turkeys! The museum is so fun to visit, especially in the summer when it's to hot to walk the trails. There is a small aquarium inside and plenty of interactive exhibits for children to touch and play with to their hearts content, there is even a small room just for bird/animal watching that overlooks a stream. It's a great place to visit any time of the year, if its in the spring and the museum is open be sure to stop by and buy a cup of turtle food to feed the turtles and ducks you'll see on your walk.

917JulieD

This pretty park in the middle od Wichita is a favorite place for a stroll. In the evening the deer come out. During the day you can see up to twenty turtles sunning themselves i turtle pond. Very easy to walk trails and pretty year round.

JiNaBaek

I love the GPNC. I usually come in a back entrance and just walk the trails, but today I came by the front and browsed the museum and gift shop too. The staff is SO friendly and welcoming, and the whole nature center is just full of wonderful little gems. The trails are great to walk alone or with family at any time of the year. I can't offer enough praise!

KDag22

If you have a few hours to kill but want to avoid an expensive attraction, grab a bottle of water and get out to the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita, KS. Just northeast of the Wichita State University campus, this center has multiple walking trails laced with various foliage types and watering holes. Fishing is permitted by catch and release. I took a strangley beaten path around the main water reserve and discovered a doe drinking from a recessed bank by the pond. Wildlife is present and active in the nature center. I visited in late August and saw many birds, aquatic life, and the single deer in the first hour of expedition. Oh ya, this attraction is FREE!!!!

jamesmK3199ZN

The Great Plains Nature center place consists of two things: a series of trails in where you can walk around or visit a museum/information center. I prefer the hike. Don't get me wrong, the museum is great, its just that I have been to it several times and am more of a nature person. But if you haven’t, definitely give it a shot. There are lots of displays of local animals in where you can touch the fur and see the marine animals in the aquarium, etc. I actually love coming here for the hike. There are several trails to chose from, some leading to nothing etc. It can be a little messy sometimes but that's how it is in nature. The peacefulness and serenity one can find here is just incredible.

leshandab

My husband and I went on an afternoon walk here and we absolutely loved it! We saw plenty of families taking a stroll. We didn't see a lot of animals only turtles and fish which was fine with us. What I liked most about this park is you forget that you're even in a city!! At one point we couldn't hear any traffic which was nice! The restroom located on the west side were very scary and dirty. I would recommend they maintain that a little more. Aside that, this is a great place to take children or a simple stroll for couples!

JAMESB500

Great place to walk amongst wildlife for free, with paved trails of differing lengths. I saw a fox, Canadian geese, a hawk, fish, turtles, and 5 deer on my 1.5 miles walk there one afternoon. Kids love this place. Kansas at its best. In the middle of NE Wichita. When the museum is open during the week, it is very cool too.

JH107

A walk-through exhibit that clearly shows and explains the wide diversity in the Kansas outdoors. In nice weather, there is also an outside experience available following the adjacent trails. The staff are VERY friendly and full of information. Yesterday, on a cool spring day, 4 of us, all recently retired teachers, enjoyed touring the center - learning about all of the woods available in Kansas, touching the furs of many of our native mammals, viewing live native fish in a large floor to ceiling aquarium, and resting for a few minutes sitting in a large panoramic room viewing adjacent wetlands. All of us, native Kansans, learned and experienced so much in our 90+ minutes spent inside the center. The center is beautifully designed and crafted for young and old alike (we were joined by a preschool group during the morning). Don't miss the gift shop - lots of unique items. Nature puzzles, books, games, stuffed animals, products created by Kansas artisans, and the BEST supply of Kansas postcards we've ever seen.

531marilyna

You'd never know it was there. Free (donations only). In its only building there are displays of local animals (some stuffed). A large aquarium where you see live native fish and various interactive things to do. It's situated on a large area in the middle of the city. You can take a hike along wooden paths that cross creeks and little ponds where fish and turtles hang out. I've taken all my grandkids and they loved it