Lost Springs is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States.

[3] The city was named for a nearby lost spring that was a camping spot along the 19th century Santa Fe Trail.

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans.

In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

The "Lost Spring" was one of the favorite camping spots on the Santa Fe Trail because it generally had an ample supply of good water.

It was located 15 miles west of Diamond Spring, which was a day's travel for a wagon train.

In 1855, Marion County was established within the Kansas Territory, which included the land for modern day Lost Springs.

[8] In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north–south from Herington through Lost Springs to Caldwell.

In 1887, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a branch line from Neva (3 miles west of Strong City) to Superior, Nebraska.

This branch line connects Strong City, Neva, Rockland, Diamond Springs, Burdick, Lost Springs, Jacobs, Hope, Navarre, Enterprise, Abilene, Talmage, Manchester, Longford, Oak Hill, Miltonvale, Aurora, Huscher, Concordia, Kackley, Courtland, Webber, Superior.

At some point, the "Santa Fe" line from Neva to Lost Springs was pulled but the right of way has not been abandoned.

The National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and was routed through Lehigh, Hillsboro, Marion, Lost Springs.

Lost Springs is located in the scenic Flint Hills and Great Plains of the state of Kansas.

[1] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.23 square miles (0.60 km2), all of it land.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

[11] The 2020 United States census counted 55 people, 27 households, and 19 families in Lost Springs.

Lost Springs has one listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

A rail siding is located there for meets with passing trains, before entering UP's Herington, Kansas yard.