I know. You non-Kansans think that the words "Kansas" and "Nature Preserve" are mutually exclusive. But - au contraire!!!!
Southeastern Kansas is actually quite the little nature niche - the Tall Grass Prairie, the Flint Hills, and the Arkansas River all make for a very very interesting and diverse ecological area.
The Chaplin Nature Preserve outside of Arkansas city provides a fabulous example of Kansas ecological diversity.
I'd like to say that I visited the Chaplin Preserve all on my own as a result of all the great things that I'd heard about it. And I had heard many many good things about it. But, as you can all guess, I did the Chaplin Nature Preserve because of a geocache....
That being said, I can tell you that I toured almost the entire preserve - and it's a large preserve. My grand tour was the result of getting sort of lost. I wasn't lost lost. But, what I thought was a nature trail was actually a maintenance road that encircled their entire 52 acre tall grass prarie preserve. So, I got an up close and personal view of the tall grass prarie.
In addition to wandering around the tall grass prarie, I also spent time in the deep woods and puttered around on a huge sandy beach along the Arkansas River.
Speaking of Arkansas. In Kansas, the name Arkansas River is pronounced, the "R-Kansas" River.
Anyhoo, the wildlife viewing was great. Tons of white tailed deer. Unfortunately I never actually got a picture of a deer. Unlike moose, deer do not stay put long enough to have their picture taken. I also saw my first wild turkey! Gobble Gobble!!!!
All in all, a most fabulous place. This is why geocaching is so great - you see places that you would never go to on your own!
In the deep woods along the Bluff Trail.
A white tail deer track.
A turkey!
All about Turkeys! Who knew they were pecan afficianados??
How Kansas-like is this shot?? A field of sunflowers about a mile from the Nature Preserve.
9:24:10 PM 
|
