cattle feedlot overlook

BCDOhio

This is maybe a 10 minute stopover. There is a pullover on Route 56 east, near the airport. You'll see cattle in the stockyards below. There are a couple of interpretive signs that provide details about the history of cattle in Dodge City and about the processing plant below.

ginae75

It definitely is cool to see how vast it is. Watch out for where your GPS takes you though, This is east of town and my GPS took my west for some reason. Watch out for stickers and thorns. Worth a quick stop if you are already in town.

SandyML262

We have seen many feed lots filled with cattle. The one with the overlook is very small and there weren't many cattle in the pens.

tandemcha

Worth a quick stop for the view. Note, if you are looking for this via GPS, it is east of town near the airport on the main highway. Some mapping services think it is west of town on Hwy 50.

662carols

Went to the feedlot on the Trolley Tour. Very informative guide about how feedlots are run and cattle cared for.

myerssupt

Took the Trolley tour (1 hour) and was taken by the feedlots. A million cows were in lots being fattened up. They receive the cattle at around 800lbs and fatten them to 1500-1600lbs before "processing". That "processing" is 20,000 heads per DAY! Your can drive around and see the lots, but the Trolley tour gives a lot of information.

Allenflusa

Yes, if you have spent your entire life in New York City, and never seen a live cow, this will be a thrill. Otherwise, just a somewhat boring view of a massive cow feeding operation.

GotItDownPat

I had seen stockyards as a kid - but I could not believe the magnitude of the feedlot process. It does smell like cattle - Hello! When you think about how much beef we consume - this is overwhelming. Very interesting.

ger78910

Coming from the UK this was a photo stop that had to be made,took loads of stills to show the farmers back home ,a hell of a lot of steak!!!

HPDRoy711

Stop here if you are passing by but don't go out of the way. It stinks and we knew it would considering it was a feedlot overlook. Interesting and some statutes here the kids can get their pictures taken on. There was a homeless man there wanting money so we didn't stay long.

vickim873

grew up on a farm but had to see the feedlots and you know the smell is going to hit you. you think of how many feedlots in the west, that is alot of beef

JohnF65

We passed through here in February so maybe the feedlot was a little slow. I've seen much busier feedlots but it was cool to read the information posted here and the photo op of the Dodge City cowboy silhouette shouldn't be missed.

DanR73

Overlook had some interesting information about the local cattle industry. Wished they had more of a pull off to stop and take pictures of the cowboys.

Shecky07

We came in from the west and had passed many bigger feed lots along the road. But this overlook a mile of so east of town was still worth the stop. You could get out and take pictures and get the full smell of the thing. And there were some nice interpretive signs that added some interesting details beyond the obvious. And for a bonus, if you drive back down on your way out past the "processing plant" noted in the sign - be sure to have your windows down to experience the unique smell of the otherwise sterile looking silver mega building where the "processing" occurs. It is impossible to describe, but suffice it to say it was not the manure type smell you might be thinking, and it was distinctively not pleasant. We all enjoyed our steaks the night before, so I am not going to get preachy, but this was all a very matter of fact look at how those steaks get on the table. After a few minutes the smell was out of the car and out of mind - an we were heading to KC for some famous BBQ beef tips!

mariposaw

The driver told us all about the cattle drives and when you smell the cattle at this destination you appreciate what the cowboys had to put up with!