Author: kansastrailguide

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Artists needed for the otter exhibit at the Hutchinson Zoo

North American River Otter. Photo by Heather Paul

North American River Otter. Photo by Heather Paul

If you happen to be a professional mosaic artist living in Kansas, the Hutchinson Zoo is looking for you! A call has gone out to submit qualifications for the chance at designing art in the new river otter exhibit opening in 2016 at the Hutchinson Zoo. Read more about it here. Deadline is November 20, and from the website about the project:

The suggested theme of the exhibit is farmland that is being reclaimed to its native state.  This theme will provide educational opportunities for many topics related to how native ecosystems have been impacted by agriculture and development.
The artwork at the Otter Exhibit should:
• Enhance the connection of the exhibit to its surroundings.
• Serve as a backdrop within the Otter habitat.
• Be colorful and fun.
• Strengthen the visitor experience.
• Withstand exposure to extreme weather conditions, including ice, water, humidity and sunlight.
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Check out Quivira Wildlife Refuge after dark on 11/6/15

Our relationship with Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (well, by our, it’s mostly Jonathan) is a long one. He has tracked and spotted all kinds of animals out on the salt marshes and sand prairie lands. Some of that has included night spotting of deer, which can be a cold and tiring business. But dedication to wildlife and learning more about it can make those sacrifices worth it.

Sunset at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Mark Conard

Sunset at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Mark Conard

And if you want a chance to see what’s out and about in the refuge at night, Friends of Quivira is hosting a night tour on November 6. From their website:

Discover the Refuge after dark, when many of the creatures not seen during the day can be spotted. Participants ride in vans and SUVs along the Refuge roads using spotting scopes to find deer, beaver, coyotes, bob cats, raccoons and any other nocturnal creature that may be out and about.

For more information, call the Refuge at 620-486-2393 or email FOQ@friendsofquivira.org

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What’s on your Kansas bucket list?

TravelKS.com put together a contest/initiative for Kansas Bucket List destinations and experiences. You can add your own on Instagram and Twitter with #ksbucketlist and a list of the top 70 will be coming out in the winter issue of Kansas magazine.

You can check out a gallery of some of the best images here. And below is a screenshot of some of the current favorite images at the Bucket List site. Some pretty cool experiences and sights in the Sunflower State!

Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 10.24.02 AM

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Birds and butterflies at Chaplin Nature Center on 9/26

Back in high school biology, each fall, part of our homework was to tag monarch butterflies. It involves capturing the little orange and black buggers and putting a small, special tagged sticker on them and then releasing them back into the world.

Photo by USFWS Midwest

Why do this? Well, I have to say that I never forgot that biology class and running around Sunset Park with a butterfly net. But on a more practical and less specific level, it allows biologists (real ones, not high schoolers) to see when and where a butterfly was first captured and tagged and track it to where it was recovered to look at migration patterns, effects of weather, life span, etc. (I suppose at the other end of the migration path are people looking for dead butterflies with stickers on them, which seems less fun.) You can find out about the project at Monarch Watch.

And why do I ramble on about this? Because the monarch butterflies have arrived in Kansas, and Chaplin Nature Center will be running a free event this Saturday 9/26 from 10am to 3pm where you can help capture and tag monarchs as well as learn more about their migration through the Sunflower State.

There will also be members of the Wichita Audubon Society leading free nature hikes throughout the day.

If you go:
Chaplin Nature Center
27814 27th Dr, Arkansas City, KS 67005

2 miles south of Geuda Springs, then 2.6 miles east on 272nd Rd, or 3 miles west of Arkansas City on Hwy 166, then north 2 1/4 miles on 31st Rd.

Trails are open from sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week

The Visitor’s Center is open on Saturdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. year round. It is closed Mondays and holidays.

September 1 – November 15, Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

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Kansas state parks will be free on 9/26 this year!

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas have come together for Healthy Fun at the Parks Day on Saturday, September 26, 2015. As a part of that, all of the state parks will be free on that day! Normally, a daily use entrance fee is $5.

Plus, they’ve made a coloring book and a map of all 26 state park locations. Coloring books will be available across the state at state park locations, rest stops, and tourism offices, or you may have picked one up at the Kansas State Fair.

So head out to a state park near you on Saturday and enjoy a free visit! If you need some guidance on the trails you can find at the parks, check out our book.

You can learn more about the free day here.Screen Shot 2015-09-22 at 4.33.15 PM

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Free admission to the Flint Hills Discovery Center this Sunday!

It’s the annual family day at the Flint Hills Discovery Center this Sunday, 9/13/15.

Flint Hills Discovery Center

Flint Hills Discovery Center

From their newsletter: Free admission all day on Sunday, September 13 to the Flint Hills Discovery Center! It’s the last chance to view the In the Dark exhibition. Check out the children’s area and Horizon Ranch Flint Hills Immersive Experience Theater Experience. Several local businesses will be in attendance with fun activities for the kids, too!

If you haven’t ever been, you should definitely make the trip. They have all kinds of interactive exhibits that do well at blending entertainment and education for just about all ages that show off the wonders of the tallgrass prairie and the Flint Hills.

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Are you for or against rail trails? Let us know!

The Hutch News has published a couple of articles on the issues of the rail to trail conversion in Reno County (read them here and here). There are holdouts that are preventing expansion of the rail trail projects into the Hutchinson area – basically, it takes the cooperation of the landowners to allow the unused rail lines to be converted into a trail system with a variety of objections from concerns about litter, vandalism, and more. The article outlines how many of these objections haven’t manifested themselves on current rail trail projects, but change can be hard.

On the Prairie Sunset trail

On the Prairie Sunset trail

There are also potential legal issues for railbanking, which came from a 1983 trails act.

It will come as little surprise to find out that we are pro-trails (we did write the book on them!). We spent time on all of the complete rail trails in the state (Prairie Spirit – one of our top 10 trails!, Southwind, Meadowlark, Prairie Sunset, Valkommen and more) as well as the in progress Flint Hills Nature Trail.

Trails like this can boost the economy of small towns along the corridors and it helps with the health of locals.

We’ve also spoken with Clark Coan, a prominent rail trails advocate.

What do you think? Are you for or against more rail trail projects in Kansas, particularly Reno County? Let us know in the comments below!

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Eat, Play, Stay: Shawnee

As the metropolitan mecca of a mostly rural state, Kansas City has a cosmopolitan vibe and attractions aplenty.  But if you’re planning a trip to the area, don’t overlook one of the best reasons to visit the big city – to connect with the wilderness.

While seeking nature in the midst of the largest metro area in the region may not seem the most obvious venture, the Kansas City area boasts some of the best maintained and most loved parks and trails in the state.

One of our Top 10 picks are the hiking and mountain-biking trails at Shawnee Mission Park.  You can spend all morning riding hard through miles of woodland trails in the 1,600 acre park, and also enjoy a 120-acre lake with fishing, a swimming beach, and canoes / paddle boats for rent at the marina.  The trails are exceeding popular (and rightfully so), so it’s worth trying to visit outside of peak weekends.  Reserve a shelter and bring a picnic lunch, or even better get cleaned up and head to the nearby Hereford House in Shawnee for one of the best steaks in the city.  IMG_2014

While you can go just about anywhere in Kansas City for good BBQ, if you are craving a top-end steak the Hereford House (17244 Midland Dr) is our undisputed choice.

After a full day on the trails, there’s nothing better to sate your hunger than the K.C. strip or massive ribeye.  This venerable establishment pays close attention to detail; the steaks are Sterling Silver grade, hand-cut in house and grilled to tender perfection over live coals.

There’s plenty to see and do throughout the area, so if you’re making an overnight trip, why spend your valuable time traversing the extensive highways of K.C. when you can stay right in Shawnee?

IMG_2012One of the closest (and best) hotels just north of the park is the Courtyard by Marriott (17250 Midland Dr, rooms from $119).

The setting doesn’t feel like you are in the middle of the city, and the rooms are spacious, well-appointed, and quite clean.  There’s a small pool if you feel like a swim, and one of our favorite features was the outdoor seating area and fire-pit.

Shawnee is a great place to enjoy the amenities and dining of the city, and also log some miles on a top-quality trail network. Let us know what you think and check out more of our “Eat, Stay, Play” series for tips on the best places to enjoy top trails, outstanding local cuisine, and overnight accommodations throughout the state.

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Meet some of our photographers

We were extraordinarily blessed to work with some talented photographers to help make the book as amazing as it is. You can find their work in the pages of the Kansas Trail Guide as well as on their websites – extraordinary talent and a testament to the beauty of the midwest! And many of them have prints you can order.

Screen shot from Judd Patterson's website

Screen shot from Judd Patterson‘s website

Judd Patterson

One of my favorites is the Ghost of the Plains and Spring Prairie Sunset

David Welfelt

Love his waterfall images

Scott Bean

He posts updates on his travels and has sales of photos at his blog

Marciana Vequist

Unique shot at Clinton Lake – Fire and Ice Sunset

Billie Hufford

Great storm photo

Screen shot from David Welfelt's page

Screen shot from David Welfelt’s page

Chris Harnish

Along with landscape and nature shots, he’s got some nice city and architecture images.

Amanda Botterweck

Who doesn’t love an up close butterfly photo?

Randy Van Scyoc

More so a cyclist than a photographer, but a constantly updated blog and good insight into Kansas biking along with some fun photos along the way.

And of course, thanks to our dad for a lot of his great photos too!

Portland Alley Pedalfest – September 12 and 13
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Portland Alley Pedalfest – September 12 and 13

PedalfestPoster2015There are lot of great ways to enjoy the Prairie Spirit and Southwind Rail Trail, but what better way than with camping, live music, food vendors, and a beer garden? Oh, and of course – cycling!

Props to Thrive Allen County for driving a grassroots effort to promote healthy living and a vibrant trails community in Allen County.  Saddle up your bike and head out to Iola September 12 and 13th to join the fun at the annual Portland Alley Pedalfest.

They’ve got a Family Fun Ride as well 25, 50, 75, and 100 mile rides – sign up at EventBrite.