Cimarron Grassland - North River - 600.3

Cimarron National Grasslands is USFS land surrounding 25 miles of the Cimarron river and a portion of the historic Santa Fe Trail, located in the southwest corner of Kansas. The terrain is rolling hills with tall prairie grass and a sandy river bottom full of cottonwood trees. Hiking and 4x4 trails crisscross the area in an extensive network. The closest town for fuel and supplies is Elkhart, KS. North River Road (FR 600.3) is a graded dirt road that serves as a major access artery for the entire grasslands. The route roughly follows the north bank of the Cimarron River and offers nice views and access to all the smaller trails in the area. This section of North River Road starts at Highway 27 on the east and dead ends at a gate to private land on the west. The road parallels and crosses the historic Santa Fe Trail and Companion hiking trail. The Point of Rocks overlook offers spectacular views of the river valley and historic Santa Fe Trail, with some informative signs. This entire area is actively used for cattle grazing and also for oil and natural gas production. Always leave gates as you found them. Dispersed camping is allowed on the USFS land unless otherwise posted. However, there are very few clearings in the brush to set up a tent. There is an improved pay campground accessible from South River Road (FR 700.2)