Cimarron National Grassland Backcountry Loop

The 108,000-acre Cimarron National Grassland preserves the last remnant of shortgrass prairie ecosystem in Kansas, and this backcountry loop takes you deep into country that hasn’t changed much since wagon trains rolled through in the 1840s. You’ll follow primitive ranch roads past original Santa Fe Trail ruts at Middle Spring, where emigrants carved their names into the sandstone. The route crosses the Cimarron River multiple times—sometimes bone dry, sometimes running bank-full depending on upstream thunderstorms.

Difficult rating due to sandy washes, unmarked two-tracks, and potential for getting genuinely lost in this remote corner of Kansas. 4WD with good ground clearance essential, plus recovery gear for the sand traps near the river. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F with zero shade. Best tackled in fall or early spring when temps are manageable. No permits required, but notify someone of your plans—cell service is nonexistent and you might not see another vehicle all day. This is as close to wilderness as Kansas gets.