Traveling through Kansas (Dodge City, Medicine Lodge, Plains: how much, home, movies)

[Mattie Jo]

My husband and I are going to take a trip through Kansas on our way to S. Dakota badlands. What is there to see? I want to see the plains as it was a hundred or more years ago. Is that possible. I don't want to visit a big city due to traffic. We can take part of I 169 coming up from Oklahoma, or over to 35, and then 70. Unless Witchita has a lot to offer we wouldn't stop there due to traffic.

[ladydeann]

What direction are you coming from?
This web site has a lot of little off the wall things that are in KS (every State actually) http://www.roadsideamerica.com/index.html

[chele123]

I don't know where you are starting from? But, if you can work in going west on Hwy 160 from the interstate to 160/283 to Dodge City, it's a very pretty drive with small rural towns along the way.

[fishbowl]

How much of 70 and what direction on 70 will you be going?

If you look on a map and find Lucas, Kansas, north if I-70. That is THE town to see in Kansas as far as I'm concerned.

Check their hours and days to be sure they'll be open when you get there and go to the Grassroots Art Center. Ask them if it is possible to see the Deeble house. And go see "The Garden of Eden."

Lucas seems to have some kind of art vortex, or an art triangle of sorts. It is a neat place to visit. They don't have fine art, but grassroots art, outsider art, self-trained art.

Be sure to go out the back door of the art center too and see their yard.

If The Flying Pig place is open, go in there and introduce yourself to eric.

Lucas is a very small town and I've never seen any traffic there. It is a town worth seeing, off-beat, obscure, and amazingly friendly.

Seeing all that is worth it and you'll always remember it.

Here's the url to the Grassroots art center:

http://home.comcast.net/~ymirymir/index2.htm

Janet

[Mattie Jo]

Thanks for posting. We are coming from OK, out of Tulsa area. So far I know that I want to see Dodge City but on the way home from Oregon. I also want to see Red Cloud, NE on our way up because that is the home of Willa Cather. I know that they have some land there that looks like it did when she lived there in the old west.

Coming from Tahlequah, we could take 35, 169 or 69.

I will check out those websites.

[chele123]

If you are planning on going to Dodge City on your way home then go south on 283/160. You will go through Minneola, south of Minneola is the Big Basin, if you are lucky you will catch the Buffalo down by the road. There is a turn-out there on the east side of the road. Continuing south you will come to an intersection were 283 splits from 160. Stay straight on 160, do not turn south towards Englewood. You will go through gently rolling hills, through the Red Hills, over Kieger Creek Bridge, and through Ashland. It gets a little tricky around Coldwater, you will be turning right to continue east after you get through town. You will be heading towards Medicine Lodge. Medicine Lodge is really neat, and they have a museum there. I think it's about every three years they do a re-enactment of the signing of the Peace Treaty. The scenery is very much like you have seen in the old western movies, and it stays that way all the way to the interstate! There are plenty of small rural towns so you don't have to worry about fuel or rest stops. Have a great trip!

[Mattie Jo]

Thank you so much Chele. We will do that.

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by jessaka

My husband and I are going to take a trip through Kansas on our way to S. Dakota badlands. ...I want to see the plains as it was a hundred or more years ago. Is that possible. I don't want to visit a big city due to traffic. ....

Off topic for Kansas, but fits Nebraska... go the Witchita route, then go north on Highway 81 up into Nebraska. Take Nebraska Highway 81 north to Nebraska Highway 92 East (this will take you just north of I-80 and you will be running parallel to it heading east).

Stay on Hwy-92 to Hwy-2 (just on the NE side of Grand Island, NE)...
Take Hwy-2 northeast Hwy-385 (going past the Nebraska National Forest - and ending at Alliance)..
Take Hwy-385 north through Chadron and head into South Dakota.

That will put you within 50 miles of the Badlands, but through Nebraska you would have seen the land like it was more than a hundred years ago... You will move from the Plains, through the Sandhills (nothing else like it in the US), and then into the Pine Ridge area (far east start of the Rocky's)... very rural, very unique, and very beautiful.

Here is a quick map showing the path...

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by Dave1215

Off topic for Kansas, but fits Nebraska...
Take Hwy-2 northeast Hwy-385 (going past the Nebraska National Forest - and ending at Alliance)..

For great information on Hwy-2 check out Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway
As it points out... "The late Charles Kuralt called Nebraska’s Highway 2 "one of America’s 10 most beautiful highways" exclaiming, "This road will take you to one of the last unexplored frontiers where vast treasures can be discovered."

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by Dave1215

Off topic for Kansas, but fits Nebraska... northeast Hwy-385 (going past the Nebraska National Forest - and ending at Alliance)..
Take Hwy-385 north through Chadron

A very odd site, but if you are nearby and have the time, check out Carhenge in Alliance.

At Hemmingford you can go to the Box Butte Reservoir (broken link).

At Chadron you can visit the [url="http://www.chadron.com/csp.php"]Chadron State Park [/URL; the Pine Ridge National Recreation Area; or the Museum of the Fur Trade; and the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center.

A quick picture of the Pine Ridge area: