Kiowa: Prairie, History and Birdwatching

At Monument Hill in the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, an overlook sits above Big Sandy Creek; the site also includes the Repatriation Area. This is a distinctive historical highlight of a trip to Kiowa. The surrounding area also offers nature watching, waterscapes and buildings with very different stories.

Prairie, Water and Birdwatching

South of Eads are the Great Plains Reservoirs, including Nee Gronda and Nee Noshe. The bodies of water formed naturally in depressions in a rolling shortgrass prairie. The landscape combines open water with open grassland, creating a distinctive setting for experiencing nature in Kiowa County.

The Great Plains Reservoirs are part of the Queens State Wildlife Area. Opportunities for hunting, fishing and camping are available there, and guided tours are also offered. The reservoirs are described as having public access, as well as opportunities for hunting, birdwatching and boating. Fishing is possible in some areas. Water levels, access and regulations may change. Before your trip, check with Colorado Parks and Wildlife for current rules and conditions.

Jackson’s Pond offers a different natural setting: The eight-acre pond is the centerpiece of the Kiowa Creek Natural Area. There is a picnic shelter, tables and restrooms; facilities may change. Birdwatching is not limited to a single season, either: The Snow Goose Trail section of the Colorado Birding Trail offers year-round opportunities for watching and photographing birds in Kiowa County. Check local trail conditions in advance.

Sand Creek: Overlook and Getting There

The Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site combines the overlook at Monument Hill with a visitor center. It offers educational and orientation materials, as well as a sales area for educational and informational items. Hours and offerings may change; check current visitor information before your visit.

Plan for road conditions when getting there: The site is reached via at least eight miles of unpaved roads. Conditions may vary after rain or snow; check with the site before driving. There is currently no public transportation between the site and nearby communities. Check this travel information in advance as well.

Architecture and History in Kiowa County

In Eads, Eads Community Church is a locally significant church building in the Jacobean Revival style. It is also the oldest, largest and best-preserved religious building in Kiowa County. Eads School Gymnasium dates to 1929 and is significant in the areas of entertainment and recreation, education and social history. Sheridan Lake School also represents educational and social history; it operated from 1929 to 1962.

Jackson Barn is a well-preserved example of a three-part horse barn built using balloon-frame construction in the early 20th century, around 1915 to 1920. The Haswell Jail was built in 1921 as a small concrete building with a footprint of 14 by 16 feet and remains a visible local landmark. The Haswell Hotel, also known as the Holly Hotel, was built by Acquilla Hollingsworth in 1907 and operated as an inn for about sixty years.

The Kiowa County Museum in Eads features exhibits on the county’s school history, the Towner bus tragedy and the Sand Creek Massacre. Other exhibits focus on early movie theaters and banks, agriculture and ranching, local businesses and churches, military veterans, and life on farms in the early prairie era.

Travel Information

Eads, the Kiowa County seat, is at the junction of Colorado Highway 96 and U.S. Highway 287 on the Ports to Plains Corridor. For cyclists, the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail is another point of reference: It runs through Kiowa County on State Highway 96 and is known there as the Prairie Horizons Trail. The name change applies to the county section of the route.

Whether you’re interested in historic buildings, nature watching or activities on the water, your trip planning will benefit from taking the conditions at each destination into account. At the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, the unpaved access road and lack of public transportation are key considerations; at the reservoirs, water levels, access and current regulations are important.

Discover more destinations: Eads, Washington County, Grand, Otero, Broomfield, Rio Blanco County, Custer, Boulder.

Return to the main travel overview: Colorado.