Dissected Till Plains: The Dissected Till Plains lie in the northeastern section of Kansas. This area of rich soil, left by glaciers thousands of years ago, can be roughly defined as the area to the north of the Kansas River and to the east of the Big Blue River. Rivers and streams have cut through (dissected) the landscape in this area creating high bluffs.

Southeastern Plains: South of the Dissected Till Plains, the Southeastern Plains cover Kansas to the Oklahoma border in the south and extend west toward the center of the state. The landscape is gently rolling, interrupted by a few hills. The Southeastern Plains can be divided into two sections; the Osage Plains and the Flint Hills. The Osage Plains, in the east, were formed by the erosion of limestone and shale. In contrast, the Flint Hills, to the west of the Osage Plains, are composed of erosion resistant limestone and flint ridges.

The Great Plains: The western half of Kansas is covered by the Great Plains. The land slopes up from east to west from about 1,500 feet above sea level to around 4,000 feet along the Colorado border. The High Plains in the west are a gently rolling landscape similar to the Southeastern Plains to the east but at a higher elevation. Mount Sunflower, the highest point in Kansas is located in the Great Plains area near the Colorado border.

( Kansas Close-up )