Order of Visit: High Point #29
Date Visited: January 28, 2021
Route Taken: Short, snowy walk from cattle guard – 0.8 miles roundtrip
Type of Terrain: Flat farmland with no prominence.
Elevation: 4,039 feet
Ancestral Lands: Osage, Arapaho, Cheyene
What’s in a name?
Like several other high points in the Midwest, Kansas’ high point derives its name from the state’s nickname – the Sunflower State.
And even though it’s 4,039 feet above sea level (higher than 22 other state high points), calling this state high point a “mountain” must be a tongue-in-cheek reference to how generally flat it is in Kansas. In fact, Mt. Sunflower has no noticeable prominence from the surrounding terrain, making it extremely reminiscent of Nebraska’s high point.
Interestingly, Kansas wasn’t known always known as the Sunflower State. The state legislature only adopted the native wildflower as its state symbol in 1903.
Prior to the 20th century, Kansas had several other monikers – including Bleeding Kansas (due to several violent confrontations in the Kansas Territory prior to the Civil War), the Jayhawker State, the Midway State, the Central State, the Cyclone State, the Grasshopper State, the Squatter State, and the Wheat State.
Of these, the sunflower nickname was the one that stuck. Perhaps that’s because the wildflower grows in all 105 counties, making it universally appealing to all Kansans. A yellow sunflower was even incorporated into the state’s flag!
So, I suppose it’s fitting that this modest high point adopted the sunflower for its name too.
TRIP SUMMARY
My visit to Kansas’ high point was part of a quick winter highpointing trip in late January 2021. I flew into Denver and drove to Black Mesa, Oklahoma, my first day. Then I was off to grab Mount Sunflower the following morning.
Oklahoma’s and Kansas’ high points are both located within 5 miles of the Colorado border, and they’re only 200 miles apart from each other. So this made for a convenient opportunity to visit both states in a single trip.
The biggest lesson I was learning on this winter trip was to give myself extra time for the crummy roads. Just two days prior to my visit, a snow storm rolled through the midwest, dropping 7 inches of snow on the area. And since the temperature hadn’t gone above freezing since the storm, all that snow was still on the ground and icing over each night.
This left me with a knot in my stomach when I woke up in the morning for my visit out to Mt. Sunflower.
Were the paved roads to Weskan (the town closest to Mount Sunflower) even plowed? Would the final 12 miles of rural, dirt roads heading out to Mount Sunflower be covered with so much snow and ice that they were impassible? Would I be forced to abandon this high point attempt when I just a few miles away from my goal?
All these worries weighed on my mind during the early morning drive. Yet, the sun rising to the east soon distracted me. I’d forgotten how spectacularly beautiful the sunrise could be out here in the Great Plains.
Once the sun was up, I discovered the paved highway roads were actually in decent condition , so I crossed my fingers for the same luck when I hit County Road 3 – the dirt road leading to Mount Sunflower.
After sunrise, the landscape started to remind me of arctic tundra. The views in Eastern Colorado and Western Kansas are pretty much the same regardless of which direction you look. It’s wide, open farm land that lulls you into thinking the Midwest is completely flat.
In reality, Kansas gradually slopes upward from its eastern border (along the Missouri River) to its western boundary with Colorado. Thus, Kansas City is a mere 869′ above sea level, while the opposite end of the Sunflower State the just over 4,000 feet.
As I crossed over the Kansas-Colorado border on US-40, a giant sign welcomed me to the Sunflower State. From here, it was only a mile and a half until the moment of truth. I’d soon discover where the dirt road taking me those final 12 miles was passible.
I was in luck! Someone had clearly plowed the road at least once since the snow storm. I could even see slivers of brown dirt peeking through the snow and ice. The road seemed passable.
Frozen tire prints heading north beckoned me toward Mount Sunflower and I cautioned myself to drive carefully. It was only 12°F this morning (with a wind chill of -2°F!!), and I didn’t want to hit any patches of ice and go careening into a ditch out here. Who knew when the next person would be passing by…
Just over the railroad tracks, a sign confirmed I was on the correct path. Mount Sunflower was 11 miles north down this road, then I’d turn one mile west onto an unnamed road on private property.
Luckily, there was no other traffic on the road that morning. I had the entire roadway to myself and could go as slow as I wanted in my little rental car without impeding anyone. As I went over the rolling hills, the road conditions fluctuated between good and mediocre, but I perservered.
After the requisite 11 miles, I spotted another sign directing me to the private lane where Mount Sunflower was located. I still had another mile to drive down this road, but it wasn’t in anywhere close to the same condition as County Road 3. It wasn’t even plowed!
Nonetheless, I could see deep tire ruts through the snow from other vehicles that had driven down the road. I’d drive as far as possible, and then hope for somewhere suitable to turn around.
After just a few minutes of driving at 10 mph, I encountered a junction with a small side road and a cattle guard. This marked the final 0.4 miles to Mount Sunflower. There were signs pointing me in the direction of the “summit.” But, I instantly knew I needed to get out and walk the rest of the way.
The road beyond the cattle guard was thick with snow. I couldn’t risk getting the rental car stuck up there. Maybe if I had 4WD, I would have attempted it. But, I figured I’d pushed my luck far enough for one day. I’d use this road junction as a spot to turn the car around, and then I’d walk the rest of the way to my destination.
The air temperature was brisk out for my final approach on foot, but at least the wind wasn’t howling. Rarely have I been in Kansas when the wind wasn’t blowing at least 15 mph. It felt almost perfectly still and quiet this morning.
After a short walk, I reached the high point with its iconic wrought-iron sunflower art. Of all the high points, I have to admit this one had a nice cozy feel to it. The owners clearly put a lot of though into making it a spot visitors would enjoy.
At the corner of the enclosure, there was a giant mailbox with the guest register inside. A prior visitor had written a note suggesting that guests leave a complimentary beer for the owners to thank them for their hospitality.
I didn’t have a beer with me this morning. And, frankly, I don’t think it would have survived long in the freezing cold temperatures. So I just signed the register instead.
There was also a small lending library nearby on a covered picnic table. I’m sure this was a pleasant spot for a shaded picnic under different conditions, but I was getting cold out here. It was time to head back to the rental car and warm up again.
The drive back to the main road was perfectly uneventful. All told, it was a successful trip, and I’m glad I chose to visit in the off-season.
Sure, I’d taken a risk that I might not make it to my destination due to the road and weather conditions. But, my memories of Mount Sunflower are probably more unique than most people who visit this drive-up high point when it’s green and warm out.
DETAILS
When to Visit: This high point is open year-round, however, western Kansas averages 40 inches of snow each winter, so off-season visits can be challenging.
Getting There: Mount Sunflower is located in the extreme western part of the state, less than a half mile from the Kansas-Colorado border. The town in Kanorado is 24 miles north of the high point right off Interstate 70. Most visitors will opt to come from I-70 (Exit 1) and drive south on County Road 3. The first 3 miles of this road are paved, and then it transitions to a dirt road for the remaining 20 miles.
NOTE: If you plan to visit Mount Sunflower in the off-season (when County Road 3 tend to get muddy, slushy, or snowy), consider approaching the high point from the south like I did (from Weskan/US-40). This alternative route cuts your distance on the unpaved, dirt road in half, and it decreases the risk your car might get stuck out there.
Entrance Fees: The high point is on private ranch owned by the Mike and Mae Marie (Harold) Jones, and has been in the Harold family since 1906. The current owners allow visitors to enjoy Mount Sunflower free of charge, as long as they treat the property with respect.
Parking: The entrance to Mount Sunflower is marked near a cattle guard. Cars are permitted to drive over the metal cattle guard and up the dirt road to the monument. The parking area contains a fenced area around a stone monument, a wrought-iron sunflower art display, a mailbox with a guest register, and a small red lending library where you can leave (or take) a book.
Accessibility: Easy. The only challenge you might encounter is icy, slushy, or muddy road conditions on the dirt road between the interstate and the high point. Signs directing visitors to the high point are plentiful.
Bonus: Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska’s state high points are all within a half mile of the Colorado border. So, if you are already planning a visit to Mount Sunflower, you have the option to grab two more state high points without much additional effort. Black Mesa, OK is just 200 miles south of Mount Sunflower, while Panorama Point, NE is 240 miles to the north.
Resources:
- Mount Sunflower (Kansas Travel)
- An Overview of Mount Sunflower (Summit Post)
- Mount Sunflower (University of Kansas)