The Big Basin Preserve

Looking across Big Basin from the southeast. The dark green dot toward the middle is a patch of trees along the highway where it enters the basin. If you follow the line of the highway you can see the historical marker.

An area of Kansas that not many seem to know about is the Gypsum Hills region. This is a formation of old rock from the Permian era, and has a lot of iron in it that turns red when exposed to the air. The western end of this red hill formation is home to The Big Basin Preserve.

The informational sign at the entrance to the Preserve

Springtime has arrived

South of Dodge City on Highway 283 you go down a good sized hill that looks about like most others in the area. However this one is a one mile diameter sink hole that is 100 feet deep. The highway goes right through it and there is a Historical Marker in the bottom. You can also drive up into the Preserve itself, and see Little Basin and St. Jacob’s Well.

A view from the road in the preserve looking across Big Basin

At the top of this high hill there was historically a cairn of rocks as a marker for this constant water source

A look at the northeast rim of the basin.

It is hard to get perspective on the size and distance of the area. The tree helps give a clue.

This windmill and tree are right by the parking area for St. Jacobs Well.

Standing on the rim of Little Basin with the trail to St. Jacobs Well below and the cairn on the high hill.

Down in that little spot is a pool of water that has never been known to go dry.

On the road to the monument looking back across Little Basin

After you climb the hill and get right in front of this thing, it is pretty big!

Looking across Big Basin, you can see a long way from this hill.

Looking northeast across Little Basin

The view to the south shows just how far away this big hill would be seen