Post
Intermediate wheatgrass as a dual use crop for grain and grazing
Main Menu
The Marty Bender Nature Area is located one mile north of The Land Institute’s main grounds and just seven miles from downtown Salina. It offers 206 acres for public use and enjoyment.
The site features a 3-mile hiking trail that weaves through a working hay field, a remnant prairie, and a woodland corridor along the Smoky Hill River. This route immerses visitors in the unique and contemporary prairie landscape of Central Kansas and the Great Plains Region, while offering a living example of the vibrant and diverse perennial ecosystems at the heart of The Land Institute’s mission.
Explore the Marty Bender Nature Area
With the generous support of private philanthropists, The Land Institute acquired the nature area property in 2002 from the Oliver Haag Trust. Farmers and ranchers used “Haag Place” in the past. In 2004, The Land Institute named the property to commemorate Marty Bender, a former energy scientist at The Land Institute, who was also a naturalist. In 2018, local volunteers and friends of The Land Institute designed and made the trail in collaboration with our staff, including milling local Osage orange wood for benches and signage along the route.
In 2019, The Land Institute officially welcomed the public to the Marty Bender Nature Area during that year’s Prairie Festival. The site now features nature trails, plant and wildlife viewing, a tree swing and picnic area, scenic river overlooks, art installations, scientific research plots, and more. The Land Institute and community partners often host tours, community work days, public programming, and workshops on the site.
The Marty Bender Nature Area is open to the public from dawn to dusk every day of the year. There are rare occasions when we must close the nature area due to inclement weather or safety concerns. In these instances, a sign will be posted at the entrance.
No, there is no cost or permit required to enjoy the nature area. Access is free of charge.
The address is 3028 S Holmes Rd, Salina, KS 67401. There is a small parking lot with an informational kiosk. If the parking lot is full, please park along the side of Schilling Road to the east of the parking lot (on the other side of Holmes Rd). Please do not park on the street (Brad Way) to the south of the parking lot. That road is for private residences.
The nature area has limited infrastructure. There are no public restrooms, water fountains, or shelters on site. There are picnic tables, benches along the trail, and trash and recycling bins at the entrance. Please plan accordingly.
We love dogs, and they are welcome on the property if they follow two rules: Visitors must keep their dogs on leash at all times and pick up after them. These rules help others enjoy the trail and protect our native wildlife. We do not have the capacity or ability to enforce breed restrictions.
The only approved activities at the nature area are hiking and dog walking. When hiking, please stay on the trail and leave no trace (pack your trash in and pack it out). Bikes, motorized vehicles, horses, hunting, fishing, and camping are all prohibited. Fires (grills and campfires) and smoking are strictly forbidden. Collection or removal of flowers, plants, rocks, wildlife, or other materials from the area is prohibited.
The trail is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. The hiking loop is roughly 3 miles and is low to moderate in difficulty, with rugged dirt trails and uneven terrain. Portions of the trail are narrow, steep (>10% grade), and require traversing obstacles such as stone steps and roots, as well as occasional muddy areas or downed limbs. Some areas are experiencing erosion. Keep an eye out for ticks and poison ivy. While parts of the trail run alongside the Smoky Hill River, the river is not accessible from Marty Bender. Please assess your individual abilities and risk tolerance before proceeding, as The Land Institute is not responsible for personal injury while on the property. Hike the trail at your own risk.
Yes! We have a free recurring event series called ‘Community Days at Marty Bender Nature Area’. These events invite the public to explore the intersections of art, ecology, and agriculture. Check our website’s events page for the most up-to-date information about events at the nature area.
At this time, we do not have a volunteer program for maintaining the nature area. We are interested in adding volunteer opportunities in the future. Sign up to receive email communications from The Land Institute at the bottom of this page to stay informed.
We take safety very seriously. If it were a serious incident, please first contact local law enforcement by calling 911. To report the incident to us, please use this form. If follow-up is needed, a staff member will reach out.
To give us general feedback on your experience or to suggest ways we can improve the nature area, please use this form. If there is a safety or vandalism concern, please use the incident form above.
The best way to support the nature area is to make a general donation to The Land Institute, which helps sustain this work over time. If you’d like to connect more deeply, we’d love to learn more about what’s inspiring your interest. Please fill out our contact form, and a member of our team will be in touch.
Engage with The Land Institute at our Community Days to support this work in hands-on ways in collaboration with other members of our home region. Fill out the form below, and we’ll include you in future email updates from The Land Institute, including Community Day communications.
