• The setting sun over the Flint Hills casts shadows across the wide expanse of tallgrass prairie.

    Tallgrass Prairie

    National Preserve Kansas

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  • Our Address Has Changed

    Our new mailing address is: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve 2480 B Ks Hwy 177 Strong City, KS 66869

Special Use Permits

Special uses are short-term activities in the park that benefit an individual, group or organization, rather than the public at large. The National Park Service may permit a special use if it will not harm the park's resources or values, visitor experiences, or is in conflict with the purpose for which the park was established.
Special uses require a permit. Primary consideration will be given to potential resource damage and to anticipated disruption of normal public use. Park staff will help ensure that your event runs smoothly and without interfering with park operations, resource protection, or the public's enjoyment of the park.

For more information about special use permits, contact the Chief of Interpretation at (620) 273-6034. Permit applications, certificates of insurance, and correspondence may be faxed to (620) 273-6099.

Special events, group gatherings, First Amendment activities, and weddings
Sporting events, festivals, concerts, weddings, cultural programs, First Amendment activities, and group gatherings for social or community events are examples of special uses that require permits.
All weddings and ceremonies require permits, regardless of the group size. Weddings at the preserve are authorized at the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse, as it was once a community building and a wedding could have conceivably been performed. To preserve the building, a set of rules (including maximum participants) has been established for resource protection.

  • Please review the wedding permit rules (PDF file, 45 KB) and determine if they are compatible with your event plans.
  • Special use permit application (PDF file, 38 KB). Download, print, and complete the form to apply for a special use permit. Mail the completed application to the address found at the top of the form.

Commercial filming and photography
Commercial filming and photography is defined as digital or film recording of a visual image or sound recording by a person, business, or other entity for a market audience, such as for a documentary, television or feature film, advertisement, or similar project. All commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit.

Did You Know?

Grazing cattle at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Cattle can gain up to 2 pounds per day grazing on the prairie grasses of the Flint Hills.  The calcium found in the limestone erodes into the soil, making the prairie plants more nutritious for grazing animals. Cattle grazing is still the main agricultural use of the Flint Hills today.