The Great Plains

The Great Plains is a very large, flat area in North America. It stretches from Canada down to Texas. Most of it is covered with grass. Long ago, huge herds of bison roamed here.

A Sea of Grass

The Great Plains has few trees. The ground is mostly flat with rolling hills. Strong winds blow across the land. Summers can be hot and winters can be very cold with lots of snow.

Cattle graze on the tall grass of the Great Plains.
Cattle graze on the tall grass of the Great Plains. (USFWSmidwest / Wikimedia Commons)

Life on the Plains

Native American tribes like the Lakota and Cheyenne have lived on the plains for a long time. They followed the bison herds for food. Today, the plains are used to grow crops like wheat and corn. Farmers also raise cattle here.

Fun Facts

  • The Great Plains covers about 1.1 million square miles.
  • Tornadoes often form here, in an area called Tornado Alley.
  • Prairie dogs dig big underground towns in the soil.

Did You Know?

Before settlers came, up to 60 million bison lived on the Great Plains.