Monument Rocks – Gove County, Kansas

The History of Monument Rocks

An Ancient Seabed

Monument Rocks is a group of chalk formations standing in open prairie in southern Gove County, Kansas, near the Smoky Hill River. The rock is Niobrara chalk, laid down roughly 80 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, when the Western Interior Seaway covered the middle of the continent. Wind, rain, and the river cut away the softer material over time and left behind the spires, buttes, and arches that stand there now. The tallest of them reach about 70 feet.

The chalk is full of fossils. Fish bones, turtle shell, oyster shell, swimming reptiles, and shark teeth have all come out of these beds, and specimens from the area are on display at museums nearby, including the Keystone Gallery on Highway 83 between Oakley and Scott City. Collecting fossils at Monument Rocks is not allowed.

The Smoky Hill Trail

The formations served as a landmark on the Smoky Hill Trail, the route that ran west from the Missouri River to the Colorado goldfields starting in 1859. In 1865 David Butterfield had the trail resurveyed and began running freight and stage service over it as the Butterfield Overland Despatch. There was very little to navigate by out here, and the rocks could be seen from miles off. Fort Monument was established the same year to protect traffic on the route. Nothing of the fort remains today.

National Natural Landmark

The U.S. Department of the Interior designated Monument Rocks a National Natural Landmark in 1968. It was the first site in Kansas to receive that designation. It is not a National Monument, and it is not a National Historic Landmark. In January 2008 it was named one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas, sharing the honor with nearby Castle Rock.

Who Owns the Land

Monument Rocks sits on private ranch land. No federal or state agency manages it. The landowners allow the public to visit for free during daylight hours, and being on the property after dark is trespassing. There are no facilities of any kind on site. No restrooms, no water, no trash cans, no visitor center, no interpretive signs, and no guided tours. The landowners ask that visitors do not climb on the rocks, collect fossils, camp, build fires, or leave the established roads.

Know Before You Go

• Region: Western Kansas
• Location: Southern Gove County, Kansas, in the Smoky Hill River valley, south of Oakley and north of Scott City off U.S. Highway 83
• Address: No street address. From Oakley, take U.S. Highway 83 south, then go 4 miles east on Jayhawk Road, 3 miles south, and 1 mile east. From Scott City, take U.S. Highway 83 north, then 2 miles east on Dakota Road, 1 mile north, 3.5 miles east, and 2.5 miles north. The last several miles are unpaved county road. Nearest town with services is Oakley, Kansas 67748.
• Coordinates: 38.79568325740451, -100.76413726069063
• Costs: Free. No fees or permits are required.
• Schedule: Daylight hours only. The site is on private land and the owners allow public access from dawn until dusk. Being there after dark is trespassing.
• Attraction Type: National Natural Landmark, designated 1968. Privately owned chalk formation on working ranch land.
• Activities: Walking around the base of the formations, photography, birding and wildlife watching
• Notes:
  • Nothing on site is maintained. Carry your own water and pack out everything you bring in.
  • No climbing on the rocks, no fossil collecting, no camping, no campfires, and no driving off the established roads. Access depends on the landowners, so treat the place well.
  • The county roads in are dirt and gravel and can turn to mud after rain or snow. Check the weather before you head out.
  • Fill up on gas and water before you leave Oakley or Scott City. There is nothing between the towns and the rocks.
  • There is no shade and no shelter. Western Kansas gets hot with a steady wind in summer and severe cold in winter. Sun protection, water, and sturdy shoes are worth having. The ground is uneven.
  • The drive from either Oakley or Scott City runs about thirty minutes. Oakley is the easier stop of the two because it sits on I-70 and has more services. Scott City is on Highway 96, which is a good two-lane road but a lot less traveled.
  • Cell service out here is spotty. Download your maps before you go.
• Additional Resources: Visit Oakley, Kansas, Travel Kansas, and the Kansas Sampler Foundation

My Visit

This particular landmark was not one that I had planned on visiting during my drive to meet my friend, Brandon, in Colorado near the New Mexico border for some Jeep adventures. I  camped at a fantastic Hipcamp campsite called the C2 Ranch on the Saline River. I highly recommend the location, and the hosts were fantastic.  The hosts suggested that since I was not headed out to Denver or Colorado Springs to work my way south from their place, they gave me some great places to stop and check out and mentioned the monument was not that far away. There were several other historical landmarks in the area as well. My adventurous spirit gave way, with some time to kill before meeting my friend a day later. I left camp that next morning, searching for giant pillars in the prairie.

I had driven many times across Kansas, mostly on I-70, which, if you talk to anyone, they say is just as bad and boring as I-80 is across Nebraska, which I can agree with. Long, boring, empty, and seems to take forever. This was my first time truly wandering around the western part of Kansas with no real destination other than, at some point, meeting my friend in south-central Colorado.

Monument Rocks was a nice stop that allowed for walking around and enjoying the vastness of the prairie and wondering why anyone would want to live out here. Then I remembered life in Arizona and thought, at least there is water out here. I would suggest stopping if you are ever in the area.