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Hays Kansas Map

Explore Hays, Kansas, with this interactive street and satellite map.

Interactive Map of Hays, Kansas

City	Hays
State	Kansas (KS)
County	Ellis County
Country	United States of America
Timezone	Central Time (America/Chicago)

Latitude	38.879178
Longitude	-99.32677
Population	21,116
Density	943.3 /km²
Incorporated	Yes
ZIP Code	67601
Area Code	785
County Seat	Hays
School District	Hays Unified School District 489

🌦 Goto Hays Weather Page: Hays, Kansas — Weather Warnings, Forecast, Radar, Satellite & Current Conditions

About Hays, Kansas

Hays is a locality in Ellis County, Kansas, United States. It has a population of 21,116. The population density is 943.3 people per km². Hays is located at 38.8792°N, 99.3268°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. Hays is an incorporated locality. ZIP code: 67601.

Hays anchors the vast, high-plains geography of the region with a quiet, persistent gravity. It lies 46.7 miles northwest of Great Bend, KS (from Great Bend, KS: bearing 320°T), and is situated 13.2 miles east-southeast of Ellis. The landscape surrounding Hays reveals itself in long, horizontal strokes where the sky meets the earth in an unending, shifting line. To the east, the Blue Hills rise in muted silhouettes against the horizon, providing a gentle break in the otherwise level horizon of the prairie. Local water flows quietly through Chetolah Creek, a thin ribbon of life that sustains the brush and cottonwoods as it winds through the countryside. For those seeking the stillness of deeper water, Cedar Bluff Reservoir remains the primary destination for recreation and reflection. Massey Park offers a localized pocket of green space where the wind often carries the dry, clean scent of ripening wheat fields.

Settlement in Hays grew from the hard necessities of the frontier, eventually evolving into a robust hub for regional trade and commerce. The local economy relies heavily on the steady rhythms of agriculture, supported by oil and gas production that has long defined the industrial character of the plains. Educational institutions like Fort Hays State University provide a intellectual pulse that keeps the local economy vibrant and forward-looking. Generations have worked this soil, leaving a legacy of resilience that is still visible in the sturdy masonry of the county-seat limestone courthouse. The transition from a rugged outpost to a modern center of commerce reflects a steady, pragmatic approach to growth. This economic stability allows Hays to maintain its focus on the essential industries that continue to sustain the surrounding rural expanse.

The cultural character of Hays is defined by a blend of German-Russian heritage and the independent spirit of the Great Plains. Visitors often find themselves drawn to the historic architecture, where limestone buildings stand as enduring witnesses to the passage of time. The town marks the passing of seasons with local events that bring residents together in the public squares and communal gathering spaces. Among the notable figures associated with the broader regional history, the legendary lawman Wild Bill Hickok once walked these streets during the town’s earlier, more volatile days. The atmosphere in Hays remains unpretentious, favoring the honest labor of the day over the artifice of modern urban life. As the light fades at dusk, the vast, open horizon creates a sense of scale that reminds every traveler of the sheer, quiet expanse of the American heartland.

Nearby Outdoor Places

The Homesteader (Public Artwork) — 0.1 mi, 230° SW
Aubel Bickle Park (Local Park) — 0.9 mi, 058° NE
Frontier Historical Park (Local Park) — 1.0 mi, 191° S
Dr. Howard Reynolds Nature Trails (Local Recreation) — 1.2 mi, 065° NE
Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex (Local Recreation) — 1.5 mi, 274° W
Custer Island Park (Local Conservation Area) — 2.5 mi, 157° SE
Cedar Bluff Wildlife Area (State Conservation Area) — 21.5 mi, 252° W
Cedar Bluff Reservoir (Resource Management Area) — 22.2 mi, 254° W
Cedar Bluff State Park (State Park) — 22.2 mi, 257° W
Historic Marker: Fort Hays/Fort Dodge Trail (Attraction) — 31.1 mi, 204° SW
Christ Pilot Me Hill (Monument) — 34.0 mi, 210° SW
Webster State Park (State Park) — 35.1 mi, 351° N
Expo Center (Attraction) — 43.8 mi, 145° SE
World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things (Museum) — 44.1 mi, 074° E
Roy and Clara Miller's Park (Attraction) — 44.3 mi, 074° E
Kansas Oil and Gas Museum (Museum) — 45.1 mi, 142° SE
Castle Rock (Attraction) — 45.4 mi, 269° W
Wilson Opera House (Theatre) — 46.1 mi, 094° E
Great Bend Zoo (Zoo / Wildlife Park) — 46.2 mi, 139° SE
Meades Ranch Triangulation Station (Monument) — 48.0 mi, 060° NE
Geodetic Center of North America (Monument) — 52.1 mi, 040° NE
Majestic Theatre (Cinema) — 60.6 mi, 000° N
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (National Wildlife Refuge) — 62.2 mi, 138° SE · 44k acres
Haun Museum (Museum) — 62.9 mi, 209° SW
Lincoln County Historical Society (Museum) — 64.2 mi, 080° E
Harlow Studio & Gallery (Gallery) — 64.3 mi, 080° E
Crispin’s Drug Store Museum (Museum) — 64.4 mi, 080° E
Farm Service Agency Interest Of Ks (National Wildlife Refuge) — 70.8 mi, 143° SE · 232 acres
Culbertson Auditorium (Theatre) — 75.8 mi, 127° SE

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