• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Homestead on the Range

Abundant Living in Flyover Country

  • The Lifestyle
  • The Farm
  • The Garden
  • The Skills
  • The Business
  • The Sunflower State

Red Hills

September 11, 2013 by hsotr

Red Hills

Red Hills, Gypsum Hills, Gyp Hills, Medicine Hills—they go by all of these names. But whatever they’re called, there’s nothing quite like this region of rust-colored buttes, mesas, sinkholes, and caves to give a person a strange feeling that “we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

We are, though! The Red Hills are located along the south-central border of Kansas.

Soil

The soil is generally sandy and well-drained, though most of it is not tillable. Silt is present along waterways. Sinkholes, some of them still unstable, are common throughout the region.

Vegetation

The Red Hills region is the second largest intact piece of native prairie in the state, second only to the Flint Hills, of course. The Gypsum Hills, however, are mixed prairie, a combination of both tall and short species of grasses fostered by the semi-arid climate.

Cedar trees and wildflowers also make their appearance throughout the region, as well as brushy growth along the streams. Vegetation of all types can be sparse in some areas.

Water

Red Hills

Stewardship and restoration of the spring-fed waterways is a major focus in this area. The Red Hills boast some of the cleanest streams in the state, and the residents would like to keep it that way.

Interestingly enough, one of the alternative names for the region, the Medicine Hills, came from the healing powers the Indians attributed to those pristine waters. There is actually some truth to this health claim. Much of the water in the Red Hills contains calcium and magnesium sulfates—think Epsom salts.

Climate

This is a region that annually loses more water through evaporation than it gains through precipitation. The air is dry, and rain falls infrequently enough that the climate can be described as semi-arid. However, there is still enough moisture in the ground to support a diversity of plants.

Red Hills
© 2013 Homestead on the Range

 

Agriculture

The Red Hills are cattle country. True, irrigation and dryland farming are practiced on some of the rare tracts of level ground, enabling the production of hay, wheat, sorghum, and soybeans. Most of the Red Hills soil, however, is not tillable, so the region maintains a rich ranching heritage.

Also of Interest

One characteristic of the ranchers carving out their living in this remote part of Kansas seems to be a strong interest in land stewardship. Besides water conservation, a major focus is combating the invasion of red cedar trees that spring up in the absence of controlled burns. The cedars choke out the native grasses and possibly deplete the precious water resources.

Helpful Resources

Red Hills—Bluff Creek
A picture of the Red Hills from the Kansas Geological Survey.

Red Hills (Gypsum Hills) Around Medicine Lodge
A photo of the Red Hills demonstrating red cedar invasion.

Complete Series
Kansas Regions

Kansas Regions

Keep Reading...

Filed Under: The Sunflower State Tagged With: Native Americans, Nature, Soil, Travel, Water, Weather

Avatar for hsotr

About hsotr

Motivated by her experience growing up on a small farm near Wichita, Kansas, Michelle Lindsey started Homestead on the Range to supply Kansas country living enthusiasts with the innovative resources that they need to succeed and has now been keeping families informed and inspired for over five years. Michelle is the author of three country living books. She is also a serious student of history, specializing in Kansas, agriculture, and the American West. When not pursuing hobbies ranging from music to cooking to birdwatching, she can usually be found researching, writing, or living out the country dream.

Before Footer

Footer

Stay Posted

Enter your email address to receive new posts via email.

Topics

Animal Health Birdwatching Books Breeding Cattle Dairy Dogs Draft Animals Enterprises Faith Family Field Crops Food Fruit Goats Health & Fitness History Horses Insect Pests Links Livestock Marketing Music Native Americans Nature Nutrition Ornamental Plants Outdoors Pastures Pets Planning Plant Health Poultry Quotes Scripture Passages Sheep Small-Scale Farming Soil Stewardship Supplies The West Travel Vegetables Water Weather

More Resources

  • Our Books
  • Our Guides
  • Our Newsletters
  • Quick Start Pages
  • The Gallery
  • The Homestead Bookshelf
  • Your Path to Abundant Living in Flyover Country

Affiliate Disclosure

Throughout this site you will find affiliate links to items that we have read or used and highly recommend. If you decide to use the links to make a purchase, please be aware that we will receive a small compensation. For more information, please read our affiliate disclosure. Thank you!

  • About
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Updates

Copyright © 2013–2021 All rights reserved. No content on this site may be reproduced in any way without prior written permission. By using this site you are agreeing to our terms of use.