The Borchers Badlands, hereafter referred to as the badlands, are located in the south-central part of Meade County, Kansas, approximately 9 mi (14.4 km) south-southwest of Meade, the county seat (Fig. 1). This area is part of the transition zone between the High Plains and the Plains Border provinces. Meade is at the junction of U.S. 54 and 160 and Kansas 23. The latter highway bisects the badlands into a north half (Section 4) and a south half (Section 3). The badlands are located in Sec. 16; a small portion of the SE¼ of Sec. 17; the east half of Sec. 20 and the west half of Sec. 21, T33S., R.28W. (Fig. 2), an area of approximately 2 mi² (5.2 km²) (Lake Larabee and Irish Flats NE7½-minute Quadrangles). The western boundary is Crooked Creek, a fault-controlled stream. The eastern boundary is the undissected upland area.