Full-Color, Durable Steel with Pin-Back
Size: 1.5"

The Arikaree Breaks are a finalist for the 8 Wonders of Kansas because the deep canyons make this a distinct and scenically dramatic part of Kansas!

The Arikaree Breaks are a rugged landscape of canyons that have formed in a type of windblown silt called loess. In general, this loess was deposited by the wind during the past few million years. Loess is often rich in clay minerals, which allows these deposits to hold together and form a steep face. Thus, as water erodes away loess deposits, they often form steep-sided canyons, an environment that is especially noticeable here.

The Arikaree Breaks are covered by short-grass prairie, particularly buffalo grass, and, in places, yucca plants and prickly pear cactus. This is a relatively arid area; average annual precipitation is less than 20 inches per year. Its elevation, more than 3,000 feet above sea level, along with its location on the northern edge of the state, combine to make this one of the colder parts of the state. The deep ravines and gullies are a marked contrast to the plains generally associated with the area.

A driving tour in Cheyenne County takes visitors past the location of the Cherry Creek Encampment and other sites associated with the Sand Creek Massacre, rural schools, cemeteries, and post offices. The now famous red-disk markers assist in preserving area history! Fred Magley and his wife, Marsha, began creating disk-blade markers in the 1980s. The 400 informative disks are placed throughout the county to mark important historic sites.