Clark County: Prairie, Geology, and History

Big Basin Prairie Preserve showcases the geological side of Clark County: a circular, crater-like depression lies amid pristine mixed-grass prairie. Other highlights include Clark State Fishing Lake, where you can camp, picnic, and fish, and historic sites in Ashland. Nature, water, and history offer different ways to shape your travel plans.

Big Basin: Prairie, Depressions, and a Spring

Big Basin Prairie Preserve lies west of Ashland in Clark County and encompasses 1,818 acres of pristine mixed-grass prairie. Big Basin itself is a natural, circular, crater-like depression. It measures about one mile across and is 100 feet deep. Herds of American bison graze in the preserve; their grazing is part of the natural preservation of the prairie ecosystem. Big Basin is also listed on the National Register of Natural Landmarks.

Little Basin and St. Jacob’s Well are also among the area’s distinctive geological formations: all three were formed in the recent geological past by solution subsidence. Little Basin is about 280 yards wide and 35 feet deep from rim to bottom. St. Jacob’s Well is a natural sinkhole with a permanent, spring-fed pool and has drawn travelers for many centuries. A footpath leads from the parking lot at Little Basin to St. Jacob’s Well.

Their measurements give the two basins different scales: Big Basin is considerably wider and deeper than Little Basin. U.S. Highway 283 crosses Big Basin. Here, geological scale, prairie, and bison come together in the landscape.

At Clark State Fishing Lake

Clark State Fishing Lake is a 300-acre impoundment in Clark County in southwestern Kansas. Camping, picnicking, and fishing are permitted throughout the grounds. This gives the lake a different natural focus than the preserve: the emphasis here is on the recreational activities expressly permitted by the water.

Four boat ramps provide access for launching boats for fishing; boats are restricted to fishing use. The Jay R. Wood Memorial Nature Trail also crosses Bluff Creek at the lake. Fishing from a boat and crossing the creek on the named trail are two specific features that help define the area.

History and Orientation in Ashland

Ashland Grade School is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places. It was built in 1937 as part of the Public Works Administration. The Pioneer-Krier Museum displays two of Harold Krier’s aircraft: the Flying Chipmunk and a Great Lakes. Its County History Collection includes images and documents about families and events in Clark County from before 1900.

Other local landmarks offer different historical perspectives. Mount Casino Stone is a monument commemorating early missionaries east of Ashland. Mount Jesus, a tall peak seven or eight miles northwest of Ashland, was named by Major Inman in 1868. In Ashland, school history, aviation, and regional memorabilia come together; the peak adds a named landscape feature to the area’s points of reference.

Choose the Focus of Your Trip

For travel planning, Clark County can be organized around your preferred focus: Big Basin highlights prairie, geological formations, and bison grazing, while the State Fishing Lake offers fishing and other permitted recreational activities. Visitors with a stronger interest in history will find the school, museum exhibits, and local memorial sites in Ashland. This makes it easy to decide whether nature, activities on the water, or cultural history will shape your trip.

Discover more destinations: Minneola, Barber County, Lyon, Montgomery, Harvey County, Ford County, Cherokee County, Shawnee County.

For the broader travel overview: Kansas.