Located on the edge of Rockefeller Prairie north of Lawrence, the trailhead invites the public to explore the University of Kansas Field Station and learn about the research conducted there. KU and visiting scientists study plant and animal populations on the prairie, and the trailhead provides an opportunity to share this work with visitors.

The trailhead was designed as a prefabricated structure, built in the School of Architecture, Design and Planning’s west campus warehouse before being transported to the prairie for installation. It consists of a deck, a shade structure, and display panels explaining the Field Station’s research. Galvanized steel tubes form the structural frame, while the wooden slat roof and other components are made from recycled utility poles donated by Westar Energy.

The project was commissioned by the University of Kansas Field Station and Ecological Reserves, a division of the Kansas Biological Survey. Dick and Sue Himes provided funding through the KU Endowment Association, and Westar Energy’s Green Team donated lumber sawn from recycled power poles for the deck, bench, and handrail cap.