Sandsage Bison Range and
A tour group views a bison bull in the north pasture.
- Photo by Tom Norman
|Formerly known as the Finney Game Refuge,
this wildlife area is managed primarily for its herd of more than 100 bison.
divided into three large pastures. For safety, the public is not allowed to enter the
areas containing the bison unescorted. Access is limited, and prior arrangements need to
be made for a tour. Call the Friends of the
Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area (620) 276-9400
for information on bison tours as well as the June wildflower tour and "Breakfast on
the Prairie". (web site link below)
|Notices on the information signs at the office and parking lots explain
which pastures are open to the public as the bison herd is seasonally moved. The sandpit
area next to the north boundary road is always open to the public.
The south entrance gate to
Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area
- Photo by Jim Mason
The sandsage prairie habitat attracts an interesting collection of wildlife species.
Mule deer and coyotes are sometimes seen. The area also supports a small colony of
black-tailed prairie dogs. The diggings of Ord's kangaroo rats are found throughout the
area. Nesting birds include lesser prairie chickens, lark sparrows, Cassin's sparrows, and
You may also wish to visit the 47 acre Lee Richardson Zoo
(web site link below), which is less than a mile
from the refuge. In addition to the confined animals, wildlife watchers will find nesting
house finches and Mississippi kites in summer, and in winter the duck pond attracts large
flocks of migrating waterfowl.
In 1905 the 30,000 acre Kansas National Forest was
established on the sandsage prairie of the Garden City Dune Tract south of the Arkansas
River, and just west of Garden City in Finney County. By 1908 more than 270,000 acres were
added west to the Colorado border. Over 800,000 trees of various species were planted to
determine which varieties were most suitable for the Great Plains, but the experiment
failed, and irrigation turned most of the sand-sage prairie into cropland. A 3,670 acre
sample of this land survives as the Sandsage Bison Range
and Wildlife Area, managed by the Kansas Department
of Wildlife and Parks. First brought up from Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma
in 1924, the bison kept here are the oldest publicly owned herd in Kansas.
Camping not allowed
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No developed trails.
Click the icon to find a birding list for Finney County.
Click the icon to locate nearby Geocaches
Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area is located 1 mile south of Garden City on Business U.S. 83. There are
three parking areas, shown as
Lee Richardson Zoo is located less than 1 mile north
of the refuge just inside the city limits.
For a Google Map for this site,
The entity responsible for management of this site is
Department of Wildlife, Parks &
Tourism. Contact them at (620) 227-8609
if you have specific questions about use or management of the site.
You may download the KDWPT brochure on
Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area from
their web site.
Click here to visit the Friends of
Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area web site.
Lee Richardson Zoo is operated by the City of Garden City,
click here to visit their Web site.
Funded by the
Chickadee Checkoff Program
Click here for a brochure!
Kansas web site
the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks
Re-publication of site content in any form other than for personal use
requires written permission. If you are a Kansas resident, please
assist with this and other wildlife viewing and conservation programs
by contributing to the Chickadee Checkoff on your state tax form.
Questions or comments about Natural Kansas may be directed to
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism