Chapter 15 - Prairie Dog State Park

CHAPTER 15 - Prairie Dog State Park

The other day I recieved a travel package from the great state of Kansas, so it sparked my interest in continuing to write once more in the traveler's guide.

I opened up the State Parks Guide (there's quite a few guides included in this travel pack, so expect some runs into Kansas in the next few chapters!) and hit some random page, that page --- Prairie Dog State Park!!Th

As with most of these guides, I cruise the Net and steal the information, in the true American way of publishing (but I nice, I give the source, cause I nice that way!)

I sit here drinking my coffee and cruise the Net, looking at all the cool details of this park; couple of primitive camp sites, some modern cabins for those of you who like to pretend you're roughing it by bringing generic toilet paper and not the Macy's toilet paper! ;)

There's wild life to see ---owls, coyotes, turkey, water fowl, bald eagles, golden eagles, and of course the prairie dog. 

Some of these are seasonal.

There's fish to catch from the large mouth bass to channel cat fish.

Location: GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
39.81278, -99.96389
39°48'46"N, 99°57'50"W

From Norton, Kansas, the park is located four miles west on Highway 36 and one mile south on Highway 261.

Mailing Address:

Prairie Dog State Park
13037 State Highway 261 P.O. Box 431
Norton  KS  67654

Phone Number:

Information:  (785)877-2953

Stolen from ---- https://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/prairie-dog-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=KS&parkId=519130

Description: 

A prime place to experience the shortgrass prairies of western Kansas, Prairie Dog State Park occupies 1,150 acres on the shores of Keith Sebelius Reservoir in Norton County. The park is home to a thriving prairie dog colony and is the site of the last remaining adobe house in Kansas. The renovated adobe house was built on the site in the early 1890's.

Campsites at Prairie Dog include 4 reservable cabins (two modern and two primitive), 67 electric/water sites, 12 electric-only sites, and more than 130 primitive sites. Shower and restroom facilities are conveniently located, as are two RV dump stations. A 1.4- mile nature trail complete with interpretive signage is a great way to explore the park and observe wildlife.

Historical interpretation is a hallmark of this park. Two vintage 19th century buildings are preserved here, including a one room school and renovated adobe house. Sebelius Reservoir is well known for its excellent fishing opportunities. In recent years, anglers have found productive fishing for black bass, walleye, wiper, crappie, catfish and saugeye.

---More information!!!!  Go to http://www.naturalkansas.org/prairie.htm 

Prairie Dog State Park and Norton Wildlife Area are located around Keith Sebelius Reservoir. The lake is an impoundment of Prairie Dog Creek, which flows through the rolling mixed grass prairie of the High Plains. Drive south of the park office and over the railroad gorge to reach the sizable prairie dog town. The black-tailed prairie dog, named for its black-tipped tail and dog-like bark, uses mounds as sentinel stations from which to watch for predators such as coyotes, prairie falcons, golden eagles, and badgers. When the burrows are no longer used by the prairie dogs they are taken over by other animals including black widow spiders, ornate box turtles, gopher snakes, and the comical burrowing owl. If you drive along the lake roads during migrations you can expect to see a great variety of waterfowl and shorebirds. On occasion, a migrant osprey can be spotted fishing the waters. Ring-necked pheasants are abundant in the surrounding wildlife area, as are deer and wild turkeys. In early summer, reptiles, including six-lined racerunners, western hognose snakes, and plains garter snakes, can be found around the rocky ridges and open grasslands of the range management area. Lots more information found here ---- https://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Prairie-Dog

From the Wikipedia entry --- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_Dog_State_Park

Prairie Dog State Park is a state park located southwest of Norton, Kansas, United

States. Located in western Kansas, the Prairie Dog State Park had no prairie dog populations living there when it was established. After multiple failed attempts at introducing the species to the park, a pair of prairie dogs entered by themselves and since then the park has been populated with over 300 prairie dogs.

Prairie Dog State Park is a 1,150-acre (470 ha) park that is located around Keith Sebelius Lake in Norton County. The last remaining adobe house is located at the Prairie Dog State Park. The renovated house was built sometime in the 1890s.