Summer 2026 KWEC Explorer Guide
There’s still time to stop by before Aug. 14 and grab the 2026 KWEC Summer Explorer Guide.
With activities like Mate Match, Creature Couplet, Trail Tracker, Print Profiler, Dung Detective, Critter Connection, Wing Watcher, Merlin Match, Marsh Monitor, Ecology Episode, Silk Structures, Melody Marsh Mission, and Plumage Pairing – this guide will keep you exploring Cheyenne Bottoms and the Kansas Wetlands Education Center ALL summer long!
Complete the guide and turn in the ticket by Aug. 14 for a sticker sheet and to be entered into the prize drawing!
Perseid Meteor Shower Watch Party
Friday, Aug. 14: 8:30-10:30 p.m.
The Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC) invites the public to join its staff for a free, family-friendly Perseid meteor shower watch party.
This annual event celebrates the end of summer as the Earth passes through the dust and debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet, creating a spectacular display of meteors or “shooting stars” in the night sky. Stargazers may be able to spot 60-100 meteors per hour.
Located northeast of Great Bend on K-156, the KWEC offers an ideal location for comfortable sky-watching. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to relax on the KWEC lawn while enjoying the celestial show.
With a Rocket Revolution theme, the evening will feature several rocket and space-themed learning stations. The Kansas Organization for Spacemodeling (KOSMO) will conduct two rocket launches, weather permitting, during the event. They will also have a display table and can answer a wide range of rocket-related questions. Other activities include having participants make their own mission control patches complete with their unique astronaut name, conducting a stomp rocket engineering payload challenge, launching their own film canister rockets, and designing a rocket pulley. Planetarium shows will be offered in the inflatable planetarium, and the campfire area will be fully stocked with s’mores supplies.
The event will proceed rain or shine, but clear skies are necessary for optimal meteor shower viewing.
Turtle Tots Returns for the Fall
Friday, Sept. 4: 10-11 a.m. Vultures!
Turtle Tots, a nature-based program for preschool youth ages 3-5 attending with their caregiver, will kick off this fall at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center. Turtle Tot programs often include a story, craft, science experiment, and outdoor exploration time.
This one-hour program is offered at no charge. Registration is required. Call 877-243-9268 by Sept. 2 to register.
Save the date for these additional Turtle Tots sessions!
Friday, Oct. 2; Friday, Nov. 13; Friday, Dec. 11; Friday, Jan. 8; Friday, Feb. 5; Friday, March 12; Friday, April 9
Save the Date! KWEC 13th Annual Butterfly Festival
Saturday, Sept. 26: 9 a.m. to noon
Each year, millions of monarch butterflies undertake their annual fall flight to Mexico. Nets and tags will be available during the event for those who want to capture and tag monarch butterflies. Participants head out into the flower-filled fields and shelter belt around KWEC to capture monarchs, with tagging leaders stationed along the trail to help with the tagging process.
Performances from StoneLion Puppet Theatre will take place at 9:30, 10:30, and 11:15 a.m. Visit the KWEC Invertebrate Zoo to take a closer look and learn more about the many invertebrates that can be found at Cheyenne Bottoms and central Kansas. Larned-based Kellie Honey Farm will be present with a demonstration hive on display to educate about the importance of honeybees. Additional crafts and activities will be available during the event.
Water level updates and recent bird sightings
Summer resident birds are the predominant group to be seen at Cheyenne Bottoms right now. However, as is the typical pattern, the first southbound migrant shorebirds have started to show up in early July. These early migrants will continue to trickle in over the next few weeks as fall migration starts to ramp up. Early mornings or late evenings are the best bet to see some bird activity.
Water levels have greatly improved over the last month. KDWP has been bringing in quite a good amount of water from the inlet system. This water has been placed in the storage pools (1a, 1b, and 1c). The storage pools are nearly full. This water will be held until early fall, when it will be used to flood the other public pools before the fall migration really gets going.
