0941. Prairie Ecosystem

Beyond the fort’s boundaries, the immense prairie that once thrived here was home to bison, wolves, elk, grizzly bears, pronghorns, and more. Most of these animals have been pushed from their homes in the last two centuries as the land has been converted to agriculture, cities, and roads. Fort Larned National Historic Site protects a small area of grassland, offering a window into this now radically altered ecosystem.

Today, mule deer and white-tail deer are the only hoofed mammals still here. You can still find many small mammals: fox squirrels, thirteen-lined ground squirrels, prairie dogs, pocket gophers, beavers, skunks, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, muskrats, weasels, and badgers. Occasionally, armadillos may be seen in this northern extreme of their range.

Several species of reptiles may also be found at Fort Larned: lizards, toads, turtles, bullsnakes, blue racers, hog-nosed snakes, and garter snakes.

The nature trail’s variety of habitats provide for numerous species of birds such as hawks, orioles, kingbirds, blue jays, and red-headed woodpeckers, among many others. Fort Larned is located on the Central Flyway, a major bird migration corridor. White-fronted geese, sandhill cranes, and many other species pass over Fort Larned during spring and fall migrations.

Dozens of species of grasses, forbs, and shrubs constitute the plant life of the grasslands, providing food and shelter for animals as well as impressive wildflower displays.

Cottonwood trees, dependent on the water available in the river, line the banks of the Pawnee Fork. Historic photos show far fewer trees than there are today, largely because the trees were susceptible to naturally-occurring prairie fires and were also used for fuel.