Gypsum Hills

Scenic Byway

With craggily canyons and vibrant red dirt, the earth around here looks a little different. The Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway is a landscape that is straight out of a western film. Whimsical wildflowers dot the route in the springtime, adding a burst of color to this otherworldly landscape. In the winter, a snow-covered mesa with a pop of rust-colored soil underneath feels like an unusual, but beautiful, sight. But this byway is more than a pretty face. The history of the area is preserved and ready for you to discover.

Geological features such as ancient floodplains, buttes, and canyons are rare sights on the Great Plains. Yet the Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway includes all this geologic diversity into a 42-mile-long roadway between the towns of Medicine Lodge and Coldwater. You'll find many museums, restaurants, camping & lodging in the area. In addition to these must-have amenities, the Gypsum Hills include many parks and natural attractions that are excellent for outdoor recreation like fishing, hiking, and horseback riding. For the complete list of activities on the byway, check out the points of interest page.

  • Driving Directions

    Distance: 42 miles

    The route can be driven either east or west, between Medicine Lodge and Coldwater on U.S. 160, with access from U.S. 183 in the west and U.S. 281 in the east. Highways passing near Harper on U.S. 160 east of the byway can also provide additional access.

  • Plan Your Road Trip

    Barber State Fishing Lake

    Barber State Fishing Lake is a 77-acre lake located at the north edge of Medicine Lodge. Camping, picnicking, and fishing are allowed…

    Maker Mercantile

    Housed in a former church, Maker Mercantile, is a one of a kind place. On the main floor, you will find a unique shopping environment…

    Sagebrush Gallery of Western Art

    Earl Kuhn paints from his studio where he creates unique and detailed watercolor paintings that tell the story of the contemporary cowboy…

    Gypsum Hills Trail Rides

    Gypsum Hills Trail Rides is a family owned trail riding and hiking operation that started in 1974. We are located 9 miles west of Medicine…

    Buster's Saloon

    Buster's Saloon, in a building built in the 1870's, offers a full lunch and dinner menu, and don't forget the "fishbowl"! A truly unique…

    Lake Coldwater

    Dedicated in 1980, Lake Coldwater is a wonderful, scenic place for water-related sports including swimming, bird-watching, wildlife…

    Comanche County Historical Museum

    The Comanche Cattle Pool covered the Gypsum Hills from the late 1870's to 1885. Fifteen cattlemen "pooled" their holdings into a herd of…

    Gyp Hills Guest Ranch

    Experience life on the Gyp Hills Guest Ranch, over looking the scenic Gypsum Hills southwest of Medicine Lodge. We have something for…

  • Things to do along the way

    Photos

    Kansas Byways

    Wetlands & Wildlife

    Along the byway, you'll encounter landscapes and communities shaped by the powerful forces of motion and change. You're entering a…

    Land & Sky

    Travelers along the Land and Sky Scenic Byway have the opportunity to experience the Wallace Branch of the Great Western Cattle Trail, scale…

    Western Vistas

    Visit a rugged landscape on the culturally and visually fascinating route known as the Western Vistas Historic Byway. 

    Glacial Hills

    The Glacial Hills Scenic Byway gets its name from the rolling hills and rock-strewn valleys carved by ancient glaciers. 

    Kansas Route 66

    Kansas' Historic Route 66 Byway offers opportunities for visitors to enjoy a variety of experiences to "get their own kicks…

    Frontier Military

    Travel through time, visiting multiple forts along the Frontier Military Historic Byway.  Originally built to move soldiers and…

    Flint Hills

    The Flint Hills National Scenic Byway offers incredible views of the native grasses and flowers of the tallgrass prairie - one of the last…

    Smoky Valley

    Named for their hazy, blue appearance at sunrise and sunset, the Smoky Hills divide the more easterly mixed-grass prairie from the…

    Native Stone

    Discover the natural beauty of the panoramic Native Stone Scenic Byway.

    Post Rock

    Over the Smoky Hills of weathered bedrock, the Post Rock Scenic Byway winds through fields, pastures and prairie.

    Prairie Trail

    When you travel the Prairie Trail Scenic Byway, you follow in the steps of Native Americans, explorers and pioneers as they sought food…

    For more information about the Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway, contact:

    Dollie Mathes
    620-243-3059
     
    Medicine Lodge Tourism
    620-886-9815

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