Cimarron Grassland - South River - 700.2

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. South River Road (FR 700.2) is a graded dirt road that serves as a major access artery for the entire grasslands. The route follows the south bank of the Cimarron River and offers nice views and access to all the smaller trails in the area. This section of South River Road travels between County Road 16 and Highway 27 Cottonwood Picnic Area is at the west end of the road and offers several picnic tables, shade, and vault toilets. The Cimarron Recreation Area is about halfway along the road and has a pay campground, picnic areas, and fishing ponds. 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)