Bison Tours at the Nachusa Grasslands

On the bison tours, you will ride through some of the state’s highest quality prairie, the result of countless hours of stewardship efforts. Bison grazing and wallows create micro-habitats that help support prairie diversity at Nachusa.

Reservations will be available on a monthly basis. You can only sign up during the month that the tours are offered. Signups will be posted at 7 a.m. on the first day of each month and usually fill up quickly. See the Public Bison Tours web page for more information and a link to each month's SignUpGenius form.

In October 2014, 30 bison were introduced to Nachusa Grasslands. The herd came from three preserves owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC): Lame Johnny Creek Preserve in South Dakota, the Broken Kettle Preserve in Iowa, and the Dunn Ranch in Missouri. Originally part of the herd from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota, these bison have been tested and show no traces of cattle genes. The current herd size is at approx. 125.

The Nature Conservancy is committed to keeping bison as wild as possible, within the constraints of available space and human safety, and with minimal veterinary care just once a year at the fall roundup. The animals breed, birth, feed, and care for themselves without human intervention. Weather extremes, parasites, potential predators, and herd social dynamics are all realities for Nachusa's bison.