Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is the nearest large town.
 The Osage Nation has its headquarters here.
The preserve may also be entered near Foraker, Oklahoma, and Hewins, Kansas.
The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is open every day from dawn to dusk.
 There is no admission charge.
 
The headquarters of the Chapman-Barnard ranch has been converted into a visitor center with restrooms, a gift shop, and the restored bunkhouse in which the cowboys lived.
 The main building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NR 01000208).
The gift shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m from March to mid-November.
Oklahoma State University has a research station at the visitor center.

Near Salt Creek are two hiking trails.
 One is a short nature trail; the other is a 2-mile (3 km) trail that climbs to overlooks over the creek and through the riparian forest.
 Frequently, bison are seen just across the fence that separates the hiking area from grazing areas.
White-tailed deer are abundant in the wooded areas.

The principal activity for the 10,000 visitors who annually come to the preserve is driving the many dirt roads to observe the numerous bison.
 Often hundreds of bison may be seen near – and sometimes blocking – the roads.
Scenic turnouts along the roads provide broad vistas of the rolling prairie, emerald green in spring, tall and brown in fall, and dotted with wildflowers in the summer.

Noted Osage author John Joseph Mathews had a small cabin in the Osage Hills, where he did much of his writing.
At his request, he was buried near his cabin.
About 2014 the Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma bought the plot including his cabin and gravesite, and have added it to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.
The cabin will be preserved and the public will be allowed limited access.
Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is the nearest large town.  The Osage Nation has its headquarters here. The preserve may also be entered near Foraker, Oklahoma, and Hewins, Kansas. The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is open every day from dawn to dusk.  There is no admission charge.  
The headquarters of the Chapman-Barnard ranch has been converted into a visitor center with restrooms, a gift shop, and the restored bunkhouse in which the cowboys lived.  The main building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NR 01000208). The gift shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m from March to mid-November. Oklahoma State University has a research station at the visitor center.
Near Salt Creek are two hiking trails.  One is a short nature trail; the other is a 2-mile (3 km) trail that climbs to overlooks over the creek and through the riparian forest.  Frequently, bison are seen just across the fence that separates the hiking area from grazing areas. White-tailed deer are abundant in the wooded areas.
The principal activity for the 10,000 visitors who annually come to the preserve is driving the many dirt roads to observe the numerous bison.  Often hundreds of bison may be seen near – and sometimes blocking – the roads. Scenic turnouts along the roads provide broad vistas of the rolling prairie, emerald green in spring, tall and brown in fall, and dotted with wildflowers in the summer.
Noted Osage author John Joseph Mathews had a small cabin in the Osage Hills, where he did much of his writing. At his request, he was buried near his cabin. About 2014 the Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma bought the plot including his cabin and gravesite, and have added it to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. The cabin will be preserved and the public will be allowed limited access.
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve