8 Mile Corner facts for kids

8 Mile Corner is a special place in the Cimarron National Grassland. It's where three states meet: Kansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma. It's also where three different parts of the United States come together: the Western United States (Colorado), the Midwestern United States (Kansas), and the South Central United States (Oklahoma).

What is 8 Mile Corner?

This spot is called a tri-point, which means it's a single point where the borders of three different areas touch. At 8 Mile Corner, you can stand in Kansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma all at the same time!

For a long time, a windmill stood there as a monument. It had the short names of the three states on its blades. This windmill was built in 1903.

Finding the Exact Spot

The original windmill monument is no longer there. In 1990, scientists used satellite images to find the exact meeting point of the three states. They discovered it was a few feet away from where the old windmill stood. Today, a special brass plate in the ground marks the true tri-point.

You can find this unique spot about 8 miles (13 km) west of Elkhart, Kansas. The road leading to it, called State Line Road, is mostly unpaved.

Nature Around the Corner

The area around 8 Mile Corner is often described as "starkly beautiful." This means it's very open and natural, with its own kind of beauty.

In the spring, you might see pretty yucca plants blooming. In the summer, buffalo gourd plants add color to the landscape.

If you visit, keep an eye out for animals! You're likely to see mule deer, prairie dogs, and even burrowing owls. These animals make the Cimarron National Grassland their home.

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  OK-KS-CO Tripoint - Windmill marker

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  OK-KS-CO Tripoint - Road marker - Actual tripoint

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  OK-KS-CO Tripoint - USGS survey marker