Kansans are used to getting things done in odd weather situations, and that includes enjoying the outdoors. A little snow never hurt anyone, and frozen water is always a beautiful scene. These calming hikes are perfect for the chilliest months if you can take a little cold, and for all the months ahead, too. Here are our picks for some of the best hikes in Kansas that are booth cool and calming.
- West Trail - Overland Park Arboretum
Janet Carpenter/AllTrails This little 1.8 mile trail loops around the beautiful arboretum, and gives you some of the best views around. It might not be “wild” nature, but a pond and a beautiful bridge is a scene we like to share either way. Get technical details on AllTrails! Arboretum Drive, Arboretum Dr, Overland Park, KS 66013, USA
- Fort Larned Walking Trail - Fort Larned National Historic Site
Fort Larned National Historic Site/Facebook This historic spot is also a great place for a brisk hike. Coming in at a total of 0.7 miles, there’s a lot to see and do here, especially if it helps ground you to the outdoors. Just imagine what this would have been like in operation during our Kansas winters! Get more information on AllTrails. Fort Larned National Historic Site, 1767 KS-156, Larned, KS 67550, USA
- Rock Town Trail - Wilson State Park
Lori Harvey/AllTrails 2.5 miles of trail awaits you at this beautiful state park known for red rock outcroppings and some of the bluest water in the state. It’s great for clambering around even in the wintertime, but watch out for ice patches when it’s chilly! Wilson State Park, 3 State Park Road, Sylvan Grove, KS 67481, USA
- Horse Thief Trail - Kanopolis Lake State Park
Vincent Parsons/Flickr This gorgeous trail we can’t get enough of is also great in the snow. It’s only 1.9 miles long, and it’s easily one of our favorite winter hiking spots. Just make sure it’s not too icy out, because the smooth rocks will have you slipping in no time. Kanopolis Lake State Park, 200 Horsethief Rd, Marquette, KS 67464, USA
- Chisholm Creek Loop - Chisholm Creek Park
Great Plains Nature Center/Facebook This Wichita park is a lot larger than you’d think, and easily explored for hours on end if you take your time with it. 1.7 miles feels like a lot more when you spend time looking at the beautiful scenery! Check this article out to learn more. Chisholm Creek Park, Chisholm Crk Pk, Wichita, KS 67220, USA
- Republican River Trail - Junction City
Matt Henson/AllTrails Being a much longer loop than the other trails, the 9.3 miles of Republican River Trail will keep you outside for a little longer, but that’s just more time to see how beautiful Kansas can be. Read about this refreshing hike here. Junction City, KS, USA
- Agave Ridge Loop - Cedar Bluff State Park
Ginger Lewman/AllTrails This beautiful state park wouldn’t be great to navigate but this easy 0.8 mile trail through makes for some beautiful scenery. This is only one loop of the main trail however, so make sure you keep to the nature walk area if you don’t want to hike the whole 5+ miles. Read more about it on AllTrails. Cedar Bluff State Park- Bluffton Area, 32001 KS-147, Ellis, KS 67637, USA
If you simply love the outdoors and want to immerse yourself in it, you’ll want to add this hiking and biking trail to your list of things to explore this year. What would you call the best hikes in Kansas? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Janet Carpenter/AllTrails
This little 1.8 mile trail loops around the beautiful arboretum, and gives you some of the best views around. It might not be “wild” nature, but a pond and a beautiful bridge is a scene we like to share either way. Get technical details on AllTrails!
Arboretum Drive, Arboretum Dr, Overland Park, KS 66013, USA
Fort Larned National Historic Site/Facebook
This historic spot is also a great place for a brisk hike. Coming in at a total of 0.7 miles, there’s a lot to see and do here, especially if it helps ground you to the outdoors. Just imagine what this would have been like in operation during our Kansas winters! Get more information on AllTrails.
Fort Larned National Historic Site, 1767 KS-156, Larned, KS 67550, USA
Lori Harvey/AllTrails
2.5 miles of trail awaits you at this beautiful state park known for red rock outcroppings and some of the bluest water in the state. It’s great for clambering around even in the wintertime, but watch out for ice patches when it’s chilly!
Wilson State Park, 3 State Park Road, Sylvan Grove, KS 67481, USA
Vincent Parsons/Flickr
This gorgeous trail we can’t get enough of is also great in the snow. It’s only 1.9 miles long, and it’s easily one of our favorite winter hiking spots. Just make sure it’s not too icy out, because the smooth rocks will have you slipping in no time.
Kanopolis Lake State Park, 200 Horsethief Rd, Marquette, KS 67464, USA
Great Plains Nature Center/Facebook
This Wichita park is a lot larger than you’d think, and easily explored for hours on end if you take your time with it. 1.7 miles feels like a lot more when you spend time looking at the beautiful scenery! Check this article out to learn more.
Chisholm Creek Park, Chisholm Crk Pk, Wichita, KS 67220, USA
Matt Henson/AllTrails
Being a much longer loop than the other trails, the 9.3 miles of Republican River Trail will keep you outside for a little longer, but that’s just more time to see how beautiful Kansas can be. Read about this refreshing hike here.
Junction City, KS, USA
Ginger Lewman/AllTrails
This beautiful state park wouldn’t be great to navigate but this easy 0.8 mile trail through makes for some beautiful scenery. This is only one loop of the main trail however, so make sure you keep to the nature walk area if you don’t want to hike the whole 5+ miles. Read more about it on AllTrails.
Cedar Bluff State Park- Bluffton Area, 32001 KS-147, Ellis, KS 67637, USA
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Hikes in Kansas March 23, 2022 Tori Jane What are the most popular easy hikes in Kansas? Who says you can’t go on an epic hiking adventure in Kansas? Anyone who tells you that is trying to sell you something; Kansas is full of adventure, and our awesome hiking trails are just a tiny part of that. We do have some favorites as a state, though; some trails definitely get much more traffic than others, and there’s usually a reason for that, be they particularly scenic, historically significant, or something else. Some of the most popular hikes in Kansas (that just so happen to be pretty easy) are the Tomahawk Creek Trail, which is within Fox Hill Park and extends 10.8 miles. Don’t let the distance fool you into thinking it’s hard, though – it’s highly accessible for kids, folks in wheelchairs, and every hiking skill level. The Indiana Creek Trail is another long-but-easy gem; it stretches 22.5 miles and provides plenty of shade along the way. You can do it in segments or try and conquer the entire thing – it’s up to you! Then, be sure to check out Turkey Creek Trail in Antioch; it’s 10.8 paved miles of beautiful Kansan countryside and meanders along Turkey Creek. Finally, the Shawnee Mission Paved Trail is, well, paved, and it extends just over four miles with plenty of scenic views along the way. It also connects with other trails, so you can customize your adventure. What are some of the best hiking trails in Kansas? With more than 500 amazing hikes in Kansas to take your pick from, how on earth do you decide which ones to do first? If we might make some suggestions, what about some of our favorite hiking trails in Kansas? First, check out the Castle Rock trail near Quinter; it features very unique geology and a fascinating natural history sure to intrigue you. The Flint Hills Nature Trail is a 117-mile-long journey that crosses through Kansas. It’s the seventh-longest hiking trail in the United States, and the Kansas stretch of it is actually pretty easy. Then, the Wyandotte County Lake Loop trail is worth a gander; it can be found at Wyandotte County Lake Park and is 9.2 miles round-trip around the lake. Finally, we recommend the Chisholm Creek Park Nature Trail; it’s shorter than the aforementioned hikes, at just 4.2 miles long, and it’s an easy stroll through amazing wildflowers with plenty of vibrant wildlife as well. Need more Kansas hiking trails in your life? Be sure to read this article for more ideas!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Hikes in Kansas
March 23, 2022
Tori Jane
What are the most popular easy hikes in Kansas? Who says you can’t go on an epic hiking adventure in Kansas? Anyone who tells you that is trying to sell you something; Kansas is full of adventure, and our awesome hiking trails are just a tiny part of that. We do have some favorites as a state, though; some trails definitely get much more traffic than others, and there’s usually a reason for that, be they particularly scenic, historically significant, or something else. Some of the most popular hikes in Kansas (that just so happen to be pretty easy) are the Tomahawk Creek Trail, which is within Fox Hill Park and extends 10.8 miles. Don’t let the distance fool you into thinking it’s hard, though – it’s highly accessible for kids, folks in wheelchairs, and every hiking skill level. The Indiana Creek Trail is another long-but-easy gem; it stretches 22.5 miles and provides plenty of shade along the way. You can do it in segments or try and conquer the entire thing – it’s up to you! Then, be sure to check out Turkey Creek Trail in Antioch; it’s 10.8 paved miles of beautiful Kansan countryside and meanders along Turkey Creek. Finally, the Shawnee Mission Paved Trail is, well, paved, and it extends just over four miles with plenty of scenic views along the way. It also connects with other trails, so you can customize your adventure. What are some of the best hiking trails in Kansas? With more than 500 amazing hikes in Kansas to take your pick from, how on earth do you decide which ones to do first? If we might make some suggestions, what about some of our favorite hiking trails in Kansas? First, check out the Castle Rock trail near Quinter; it features very unique geology and a fascinating natural history sure to intrigue you. The Flint Hills Nature Trail is a 117-mile-long journey that crosses through Kansas. It’s the seventh-longest hiking trail in the United States, and the Kansas stretch of it is actually pretty easy. Then, the Wyandotte County Lake Loop trail is worth a gander; it can be found at Wyandotte County Lake Park and is 9.2 miles round-trip around the lake. Finally, we recommend the Chisholm Creek Park Nature Trail; it’s shorter than the aforementioned hikes, at just 4.2 miles long, and it’s an easy stroll through amazing wildflowers with plenty of vibrant wildlife as well. Need more Kansas hiking trails in your life? Be sure to read this article for more ideas!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Who says you can’t go on an epic hiking adventure in Kansas? Anyone who tells you that is trying to sell you something; Kansas is full of adventure, and our awesome hiking trails are just a tiny part of that. We do have some favorites as a state, though; some trails definitely get much more traffic than others, and there’s usually a reason for that, be they particularly scenic, historically significant, or something else. Some of the most popular hikes in Kansas (that just so happen to be pretty easy) are the Tomahawk Creek Trail, which is within Fox Hill Park and extends 10.8 miles. Don’t let the distance fool you into thinking it’s hard, though – it’s highly accessible for kids, folks in wheelchairs, and every hiking skill level. The Indiana Creek Trail is another long-but-easy gem; it stretches 22.5 miles and provides plenty of shade along the way. You can do it in segments or try and conquer the entire thing – it’s up to you! Then, be sure to check out Turkey Creek Trail in Antioch; it’s 10.8 paved miles of beautiful Kansan countryside and meanders along Turkey Creek. Finally, the Shawnee Mission Paved Trail is, well, paved, and it extends just over four miles with plenty of scenic views along the way. It also connects with other trails, so you can customize your adventure.
What are some of the best hiking trails in Kansas?
With more than 500 amazing hikes in Kansas to take your pick from, how on earth do you decide which ones to do first? If we might make some suggestions, what about some of our favorite hiking trails in Kansas? First, check out the Castle Rock trail near Quinter; it features very unique geology and a fascinating natural history sure to intrigue you. The Flint Hills Nature Trail is a 117-mile-long journey that crosses through Kansas. It’s the seventh-longest hiking trail in the United States, and the Kansas stretch of it is actually pretty easy. Then, the Wyandotte County Lake Loop trail is worth a gander; it can be found at Wyandotte County Lake Park and is 9.2 miles round-trip around the lake. Finally, we recommend the Chisholm Creek Park Nature Trail; it’s shorter than the aforementioned hikes, at just 4.2 miles long, and it’s an easy stroll through amazing wildflowers with plenty of vibrant wildlife as well. Need more Kansas hiking trails in your life? Be sure to read this article for more ideas!
