Learn more about Antonino by following the links below:

Buffalo Wallows

Address:
Ellis County, KS
Telephone Number: 785.625.5386

About this Exploration:

Millions of bison once crowded the Great Plains before being hunted to near-extinction in the 1800s.

Visitors who walk the pastures surrounding Antonino and the nearby Smoky Hill River can see large "buffalo wallows" where bison once rolled in mud to cool themselves during the blistering summers. With each roll in the mud, the buffalo gradually removed several hundred pounds of dirt from these wallows, which in turn would make them larger and deeper.

These indents on the landscape have changed little over the past two centuries. During dry weather these buffalo wallows appear to be just a small crater in the pasture, but after a hard rain, they are filled with water and mud. One can imagine the buffalo rolling in the mud with the grass, dirt and debris caked to their hide.

A location where these buffalo wallows can be seen from the county road is 3½ miles south of Antonino on 210th Avenue. The area is not marked, but venturing into the pasture on the west side of the road will provide the best viewing.