Clark County: Prairie, Water and History

Clark County in southwestern Kansas combines vast prairie with unusual geological landscapes, fishing waters, and places of significance to regional history. Those who plan a trip around experiences rather than simply accommodation will find a range of focal points here: days by the water, discoveries in nature, and insights into the region’s history. You can choose your vacation rental or vacation home according to your preferred travel theme, without the individual attractions requiring the same location.

Water and Nature at the Center of the Trip

Clark State Fishing Lake is a 300-acre reservoir in Clark County. Camping, picnicking, and fishing are permitted throughout the entire area. Four boat ramps are available for launching boats for fishing. This gives the lake several options for spending time outdoors: You can plan a day of fishing, enjoy a meal outdoors, or combine your trip with camping. When choosing your accommodation, the key consideration is therefore whether you want to focus on time by the water or on other landscape and cultural destinations.

One particularly distinctive landscape is formed by Big Basin Prairie Preserve west of Ashland. The preserve encompasses 1,818 acres of original mixed-grass prairie. Big Basin itself is a natural, circular, crater-like depression approximately one mile in diameter and 100 feet deep. The landscape is also listed in the National Register of Natural Landmarks. Herds of American bison graze in the preserve as part of the natural preservation of the prairie ecosystem. U.S. Highway 283 passes through Big Basin and is therefore an important reference point when planning your excursions.

Geological Features and Trails

Little Basin and St. Jacob’s Well also demonstrate the area’s unusual geology. Little Basin is approximately 280 yards wide and 35 feet deep from rim to bottom. A footpath leads from the parking area at Little Basin to St. Jacob’s Well. This is a natural sinkhole with a permanent spring-fed pool of water. St. Jacob’s Well has attracted travelers for many centuries. Big Basin, Little Basin, and St. Jacob’s Well formed in the recent geological past through solution subsidence. For your daily itinerary, this creates a clear distinction between an excursion to a broad prairie and depression landscape and a shorter path between two specifically named natural features.

The Jay R. Wood Memorial Nature Trail, which crosses Bluff Creek, and Mount Jesus, a high peak seven or eight miles northwest of Ashland, offer further opportunities for exercise and exploring the landscape. Major Inman named Mount Jesus in 1868. These details also give the trip a historical perspective: Here, landscapes appear not merely as scenery but are connected with traditional names and regional stories.

Historic Places and Regional Memories

In Ashland, Ashland Grade School complements the focus on nature and landscape. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places. It was built in 1937 as part of the Public Works Administration. At the Pioneer-Krier Museum, you can see two aircraft belonging to Harold Krier, the “Flying Chipmunk” and the Great Lakes. The same museum’s County History Collection includes photographs and documents about families and events in Clark County before 1900.

Mount Casino Stone east of Ashland commemorates early missionaries. Together with Ashland Grade School and the collection at the Pioneer-Krier Museum, it offers a different way of experiencing Clark County than a day at the lake or in the prairie. Families and travel groups can therefore combine different interests: observing nature, water activities, trails through the landscape, and historical topics can be weighted in whatever order they choose. When selecting accommodation, this primarily means establishing your preferred daily rhythm—with nature as the main theme, culture as an addition, or a balanced mix.

Further Travel Guidance

For further guidance within Clark County, you can also visit Minneola. Other destinations for broader trip planning include Riley County, Sedgwick, Wichita County, Morris County, Labette, Leavenworth County, and Reno County.

For the broader travel overview: Kansas.