Of the 400,000 square miles (1,000,000 km2) of tallgrass prairie that once covered the North American continent, less than 5% remains, primarily in the Flint Hills.

[4] There are over 40 miles (64 km) of maintained hiking trails in the preserve allowing visitors access to the tallgrass prairie.

This was a marked change that swept across the Plains in the 1880s, caused in large part by overgrazing in open range operations.

[8] Historic interest in the property began in the 1960s, when local groups organized the restoration of the Lower Fox Creek School.

[9] Legislation introduced in 1991 called for the creation of the Preserve, but local interests objected to the condition that the National Park Service would own it all.

Senator Nancy Kassebaum convened a group of stakeholders to seek agreement on the formula for a tallgrass prairie park.

[4] Though the National Park Trust was named in the legislation, the law allowed for successor non-profits to own the land and continue the unique public/private ownership and management relationship.

Additionally Texas billionaire Ed Bass owns grazing rights to nearly 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) until 2035; his cattle dot much of the hills and valleys of the preserve.

[15] This article incorporates public domain material from Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, KS.