Pawnee Rock, Rock formation near Santa Fe Trail, Kansas, United States

Pawnee Rock is a brown sandstone outcrop rising 50 to 60 feet above the plains of Barton County, Kansas, near the Santa Fe Trail route. A stone monument dedicated in 1912 and a pergola stand on top, with a picnic area at the base. Railroad construction and settlers removed 15 to 20 feet of the original height.

Pawnee Rock was a council and lookout site for the Comanche, Kiowa, Arapaho, Cheyenne and Pawnee, and a landmark marking the halfway point between Missouri and Santa Fe. Railroad construction and settlers removed much of the rock in the 1870s for road bed and building stone. The Woman's Kansas Day Club acquired the remnant in 1908 and transferred it to Kansas in 1909; a stone monument was dedicated on May 24, 1912, before about 8,000 people.

Pawnee Rock served as a reference point for wagon trains crossing the open plains, visible from a long distance in every direction. Travelers would stop here to rest, look out over the land, and carve their names into the soft sandstone.

The site is easy to reach by car and a short path leads up to the top, making it accessible for most visitors. Going in the early morning or late afternoon is a good idea because the location is open and exposed, with very little shade.

The rock was once much larger, but it was significantly worn down during the 19th century as people cut pieces from it to use as building stone for local structures. What visitors see today is only a portion of what early travelers on the trail would have recognized.