Author: kansastrailguide

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Flint Hills Festival – Saturday 5/21

Entrance to the Flint Hills Discovery Center

Entrance to the Flint Hills Discovery Center

This Saturday, the Flint Hills Discovery Center will be hosting their annual Flint Hills Festival.  Live music, tasty food, archery, rock climbing, and, yes, bison chip throwing – all focused around celebrating the Flint Hills.

On their website, you can find out more details about the schedule.

If you go:

Buy your tickets at the door or get in free with a Flint Hills Discovery Center membership.

Adult (18-64): $9
Youth (2-17): $4
Military, College Students, Educators and Seniors (65+): $7
Under 2: free

315 S 3rd St.
Manhattan, KS 66502

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Steele House – A possible new national historic site

In Lake Scott State Park, also home to one of our top 10 trails, the Steele House has been nominated to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Herbert and Eliza Steele built the limestone house in the 1890s along Ladder Creek. They sold 600+ acres of their land to the forerunner to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism, and on that land and with the damming of Ladder Creek, Lake Scott was created in 1930.

The house is open to visitors and it’s been preserved much like it was over 100 years ago.

Bluffs at Lake Scott State Park

Bluffs at Lake Scott State Park

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4/23/16 = Free state parks day!

Pick a park, any state park in Kansas on Saturday, April 23, 2016 and entrance is free! It’s tied in with Earth day celebrations, and really, since it’s free, there’s no reason not to get out there and check out some of what Kansas has to offer.

Plus, some of the parks are holding special activities from snacks to guided nature hikes to 5k run/walks. Get more information from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, here’s our list of top 10 trails, many of which are in the state parks. And if you need more info on just what’s out there, we know of a good book!

Top 10 trails

Flint Hills Nature Trail Challenge
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Flint Hills Nature Trail Challenge

Earl Shaffer

Earl Shaffer on Katahdin

Long-trail hikers are blessed (or perhaps cursed) with a relentless drive to explore and push boundaries.

A good hike consists not only of a leisurely stroll or an opportunity to soak in the beauty of nature, but becomes a great adventure that tests the limits of possibility.

In 1948, after serving his country in WWII, Earl Shaffer set off on foot from Georgia on an epic journey of over 2000 miles that culminated at the top of Mount Katahdin in Maine.   With gear that would be considered primitive by today’s standards, Shaffer became the first individual to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.  At the time, this feat was thought to be an impossibility to complete.  According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, thousands of hikers now attempt to thru-hike the trail each year but the majority fail to complete the journey.

The longest trail in Kansas is the Flint Hills Nature Trail, a rail-trail that spans the rugged Flint Hills from the eastern terminus in Osawatomie west to Herington.  The trail is partially developed, but untamed sections remain with the longest being from Council Grove to Herington.  As the longest trail in the state, we are posing a challenge to any intrepid hiker to become the first to thru-hike the trail in a single trip.

Flint Hills Nature Trail

Flint Hills Nature Trail

To the best of our knowledge, no one has completed the entire trail by foot.  While the daunting exposure of the Flint Hills, lack of water sources, and length of the trail make it a true Kansas challenge; the rewards of the trail are great, with some of the best scenery and pleasant hiking along the way.

We will offer a signed copy of the “Kansas Trail Guide” to the first person to complete the challenge and a custom made leather patch to any individual that makes it all the way across by foot.

A trail services directory from the Kanza Rail Trails Conservancy provides a guide to essential services along the route.  Camping options are limited, but take advantage of Neosho Park Recreation Area at Council Grove Reservoir and the Vassar State Park area at Pomona Lake.  Plan carefully, be prepared, and don’t underestimate the grand challenge posed by the trail.  Keep us posted on your progress and the adventures you encounter along the way!

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The new Baker Wetlands Discovery Center

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Along with the construction around creating the South Lawrence Trafficway, the Baker Wetlands have also been changing – restoration of more land, expansion, and new trails – spearheaded by Roger Boyd and his son Jon Boyd.

Many of the trails listed in our Kansas Trail Guide are still in place, but there’s been an expansion of several more miles of multi-use trail – see the map below.

IMG_2237Another addition is the Baker Wetlands Discovery Center. The eco-friendly building was opened in October 2015, and it’s a large space with panoramic views out over the boardwalk.

The center has exhibits on the importance of the wetlands and how they
were restored and how they’re being taken care of now.

They have spotting scopes, an observatory tower, a research lab, and a classroom space.

Also featured are some family-friendly stations where kids can check out pelts and other animal artifacts. Plus there’s a little gift shop to commemorate your visit.

Around the building are impressive wildlife photos, many of them by the Boyd’s.

If you go:

1365 N. 1250 Road
Lawrence, KS 66046

Trails are open during daylight hours and dogs are allowed on leash.

Discovery Center is open 9am to noon and 1 to 3pm Monday to Saturday and 1 to 3pm on Sunday.

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Kansas Day events 2016

January 29 marks Kansas Day. It celebrates the day that Kansas was admitted into the Union back in 1861, becoming the 34th state. Flag_of_Kansas

A great way to celebrate the Sunflower State, particularly since the weather should be so nice for January, would be to get out on a trail, helped out by our handy Kansas Trail Guide!

Here are just some of the places holding special Kansas Day events. Click on the links to get info about times and other details.

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10 more Christmas gifts for the trail lover in your life

We’ve done it before here and here, and we’re back this year to do it again. There are still 11 days of shopping left until Christmas, and these are our top 10 gifts for the trail lover in your life. Some are ideal for on the trail and some are good for prep and recovery and some are created right here in Kansas. And they’re all awesome!

1. Well, let’s be honest. As the authors, there was really no way we’d be able to start a list with anything but our very own Kansas Trail Guide: The Best Hiking, Biking, and Riding in the Sunflower State.

But in our defense, it’s an ideal gift for any trail lover who might be passing through the Midwest. If you want your copy signed, send us an email at: kansastrailguide [@] gmail [.] com.

$24.95

2. Via the Trail Runner magazine website, honey can help keep you going.

“A Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research study found that cyclists who consumed 15 grams (about a tablespoon) of honey, dextrose (a form of sugar) or a placebo containing no carbs every 16-ki- lometers of a 64k effort were able to go faster and produce more power with the honey or dextrose (no significant differences between the honey and dextrose). research suggests consuming sugar blends, such as honey, which contains both fructose and glucose, can be more effective at ramping up performance than sports gels or chews with just a single sugar source.”

You can buy local honey from places like KC Raw Honey, Chautauqua Hills Farm, Glenn’s Bulk Food, and more.


3. Pricey? Yes. Amazing? Also yes. Yeti has some of the best coolers around; we like the Tundra 35. You can stand on them, if the occasion warrants, plus they have up to 3 inches of insulation and are easy to haul around.

They have a 5-year warranty, and according to their website, they’re grizzly proof (though I suppose that’s not really an issue in the Midwest!). Pretty much the last cooler you’ll ever have to buy – not only for its ability to keep your ice from melting, but for its incredible durability.

From $299.99

4. Handmade, natural soaps. You have to (or at least should) clean up after a day or five on the trail, and why not use soap that’s handcrafted in Kansas? Try out Great Cakes Soapworts (you can also find them at the Olathe Farmer’s Market in season) or Foam on the Range.

5. Handheld GPS devices can be wildly helpful. They can also be a tad unwieldy to lug around off the trail. Fix that problem and be ready for adventure at all times with the Garmin fenix 3.

With the Sapphire version, you can get it with a leather strap or in rose gold and white. And with the standard fenix 3, you can get red or black. Oh, and they both do the requisite awesome GPS tasks from tracking your route to being waterproof to telling you altitude, pressure, and direction.

From $499.99.

6. The perfect fit to a stocking and at times ideal for trail prep (just don’t overdo!), a bag of heavenly smelling and heavenly tasting coffee beans. Try PT’s Coffee Lump O’ Coal blend with tastes of chocolate.

$17.50

chamber-header

Image from usa.fabric.cc

7. If you’re a cyclist, you may already have these tools, but it’s pretty likely they don’t come in this nice of a package! Fabric has made its Chamber multi-tools in swish and smooth canister.

You get 13 easy to access tools in a container that won’t snag on anything in your panniers, and they have a fixed head and a ratchet head option.

From $50

8. Perfect for day hikes, which many of the Kansas trails are, Osprey has unveiled its 2016 Skarab 24 .

Along with a built-in 2.5 liter hydration reservoir, it has a hip belt to help spread out the weight, a scratch free pocket perfect for sunglasses or a phone, and an easy access outside “shove-it” pocket that, as it happens, will fit the Kansas Trail Guide!

From $100

 9. Another 2015 book from University Press of Kansas is Kansas Wildflowers and Weeds. This large, nearly coffee table size book is full of color images and descriptions for the most devoted plant lover in your life, and you can see how many you can spot along the way.

$39.95.

10. You can give a membership gift to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy that will not only get you (or your loved one) a t-shirt, but you’ll know that the money will be going to making more trails and supporting the upkeep of rail trails already in place.

You can also donate directly to the Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy, which does work entirely within Kansas – they helped build the Landon Nature Trail and are working to finish the Flint Hills Nature Trail.

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Whooping Cranes are at the Big Salt Marsh!

Right now, at the Big Salt Marsh at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, there are over a half dozen whooping cranes. This is a big deal! They have been spotted there over the last couple of weeks in varying numbers.

In the early 1940s, there were only 15 surviving birds. Now there are a couple hundred, and they’re still critically endangered and one of the rarest birds around. They’re nearly all white with black wing tips and a red patch on their head. Whoopers (as they’re known by many in the birding community) are the largest birds in North America – on average they stand 5 feet tall.

Their presence at the salt marsh at Quivira helps demonstrate the value of the area to wildlife . Have you seen them?

Whooping cranes. Photo from QNWR Facebook

Whooping cranes. Photo from QNWR Facebook

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Sorry – no elk on the Elk River Trail

DSCN2334So, despite reports otherwise in October’s Backpacker magazine, there are no elk along the Elk River Trail. It is one of our top 10 recommended Kansas hikes, but sorry, no elk to be spotted along the way!

If you do want to see what’s there – check out our description. It was one of the last hikes completed for the book, and it was one of the best!

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Learn about Kansas trails at the Great Plains Nature Center on November 13

GPNClogoThis Friday, Jonathan will be showing off just how amazing Kansas trails can be if you give them a chance. We don’t pretend that we’re the high mountain peaks of Colorado, but the stillness and vastness of the prairie and the trails winding through the woodlands can prove to be just as impressive (if in a more subtle way) and infinitely more accessible to those living in the Sunflower State.

We’ve heard over and over again how people think there’s nothing to do in Kansas in terms of trails and that it’s just flat interstate. However, our experiences and our book prove otherwise.

The presentation will be at the Great Plains Nature Center from 7 to 8:30. It’s a part of their author’s night – the author of Kansas Wildflower and Weeds will be there as well – another University Press of Kansas publication. It will be a great night and a great opportunity to be inspired by the landscapes of Kansas.

Kansas Trail Guide cover