Quivira is truly "Nature in the Backyard" for several area communities, all within a 40-minute drive of the Refuge.
Below are the communities nearest Quivira. Mileages and directions are from the Refuge Visitor Center to the city limits of each town.
13 Miles to the southwest. Stafford, the southern "Gateway to Quivira", has lodging, gas/fuel, and several restaurants and retail stores. The Stafford County Historical Society Museum is a popular local attraction. To reach Stafford, proceed south 1 mile to NE 70th Street, turn right (west) and proceed 6 miles to NE 80th Avenue, then turn left (south) and proceed 6 miles. A privately-owned campground is located along U.S. Highway 50, about 5 miles west of town.
Stafford County businesses information (check for lodging, restaurants, and shopping)
Stafford County, general information
Stafford City website
19 Miles to the southwest. St. John, the county seat of Stafford County, has similar amenities to Stafford.
St. John, Kansas Website
17 Miles to the northeast. Sterling is a small town with a four-year college (Sterling College). It has the same basic amenities as does Stafford. To reach Sterling, proceed north on Raymond Road (located 2 miles east of the Visitor Center) to 95th Avenue. Turn right (east) and proceed about 15 miles to where it ends at Highway K96. Turn left (north) to Sterling. A city-owned campground is located in Sterling Lake Park on the south side of town (first-come first-serve basis only).
Main Street SterlingCamping link: City of Sterling or call 620-278-2423 for more information.
30 miles east. Hutchinson is a full-service community of about 45,000 people located in Reno County. It has a full complement of lodging, retail, gas/fuel, and restaurants, as well as a shopping mall. It is the home of Dillon Nature Center, Hutchinson Community College, the Cosmosphere, the Underground Salt Museum, Carey Park, and several other points of interest. To reach Hutchinson, go south one mile to NE 70th Street and turn left (east). This road becomes 4th Avenue in Reno County and goes right into downtown Hutchinson.
City of Hutchinson
Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce
Dillon Nature Center
35 miles northwest. The Gateway to Cheyenne Bottoms, Great Bend is located along the Arkansas River and serves as one of the northern "anchors" to the Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway. It is a full-service community of about 25,000, and has several attractions including the Barton County Historical Museum and Village, the Great Bend Zoo and Raptor Center, and the nearby Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, including the Kansas Wetlands Education Center. To reach Great, proceed south to NE 70th Street, turn right (west) and proceed 14 miles to U.S. Highway 281, then turn right (north) and proceed 20 miles to Great Bend.
Great Bend Chamber of Commerce
Great Bend Convention and Visitors Bureau
Great Bend Zoo and Raptor Center
