History Comes Alive on the Prairie

This past weekend, Maxwell Wildlife Refuge hosted an event giving for visitors a chance to step back in time. The Mountain Man Rendezvous celebrated its annual gathering with 3-days featuring multiple encampments, each offering unique educational opportunities to experience life in the 1800s. From trappers to flintknappers, around 1,300 visitors, including 350 students caught a glimpse of skills vital to prairie life.

The event also featured live music, an elk antler shed auction, and tours of the bison herd. Maxwell Wildlife Refuge is truly a hidden gem of our state. This 2,800-acre refuge is home to a large herd of American bison and a smaller herd of elk. While owned by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, it is largely run by dedicated volunteers.

The refuge offers a wide variety of tours from the winter Freeze Your Buns Off tours for photographers to spring’s baby bison and wildflower tours Maxwell has something for everyone. To learn more about the refuge and to plan your trip visit their website. www.maxwellwildliferefuge.com Article and photos by Tanner Colvin