Kansas Backpacking
Forum rules
- This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
- Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
- Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
- Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
- Barnold41
- Posts: 323
- Joined: 9/8/2016
- 14ers: 15
- 13ers: 12
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Kansas Backpacking
+1 for Clinton Lake area near Lawrence (also, Rock Chalk). It's fairly hilly around there, not to mention great food/beer in Lawrence (check out Free State Brewery for both).
The Flint Hills are gorgeous in the springtime and apparently there's a trail that runs from west of Council Grove all the way to Osawatomie, with plenty of THs in between to break it up however you want.
The Flint Hills are gorgeous in the springtime and apparently there's a trail that runs from west of Council Grove all the way to Osawatomie, with plenty of THs in between to break it up however you want.
- amorgan
- Posts: 25
- Joined: 8/13/2014
- 14ers: 13
- Trip Reports (1)
Re: Kansas Backpacking
As a Lawrence local, this ^^^Barnold41 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 3:05 pm +1 for Clinton Lake area near Lawrence (also, Rock Chalk). It's fairly hilly around there, not to mention great food/beer in Lawrence (check out Free State Brewery for both).
The Flint Hills are gorgeous in the springtime and apparently there's a trail that runs from west of Council Grove all the way to Osawatomie, with plenty of THs in between to break it up however you want.
Clinton has a good bit of single track winding around the lake, and Free State is fantastic.
- Gene913
- Posts: 470
- Joined: 12/15/2006
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 11
- Trip Reports (7)
- Contact:
Re: Kansas Backpacking
Prairie Spirit Trail in eastern Kansas - the first rail trail system in the state. 51.3 miles long - runs from Ottawa to Iola with many trailheads in between.
https://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Loca ... irit-Trail
Camping available at Garnett, which is the midway point.
https://ksoutdoors.com/content/download ... +Trail.pdf
https://bikeprairiespirit.com/files/Poster23x35.pdf
https://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Loca ... irit-Trail
Camping available at Garnett, which is the midway point.
https://ksoutdoors.com/content/download ... +Trail.pdf
https://bikeprairiespirit.com/files/Poster23x35.pdf
"If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, and you say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:21
- Gene913
- Posts: 470
- Joined: 12/15/2006
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 11
- Trip Reports (7)
- Contact:
Re: Kansas Backpacking
All true - a great trail. However, not an ideal backpacking route because no camping is allowed. https://www.travelks.com/things-to-do/p ... tate-park/
"If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, and you say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:21
- Barnold41
- Posts: 323
- Joined: 9/8/2016
- 14ers: 15
- 13ers: 12
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Kansas Backpacking
I miss Larry so bad, it will always hold a spot in my heart. The river trails on the north side of the Kaw were so much fun on a bike!
Is Pyramid still downtown?
Good to know, thanks for the heads up. Have you done the whole thing?Gene913 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 29, 2020 7:53 am All true - a great trail. However, not an ideal backpacking route because no camping is allowed. https://www.travelks.com/things-to-do/p ... tate-park/
Last edited by Barnold41 on Mon Nov 30, 2020 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Gene913
- Posts: 470
- Joined: 12/15/2006
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 11
- Trip Reports (7)
- Contact:
Re: Kansas Backpacking
Re: ^^^ - have not done the whole thing, only parts. Know several people who have done it, not as a backpacking trip but as a bike trip.
The map at the link below shows where camping is available at locations near the trail, which makes it more convenient as a bike trip versus a backpacking trip.
https://assets.simpleviewcms.com/simple ... 835309.pdf
The map at the link below shows where camping is available at locations near the trail, which makes it more convenient as a bike trip versus a backpacking trip.
https://assets.simpleviewcms.com/simple ... 835309.pdf
"If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, and you say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:21
- nmjameswilson
- Posts: 316
- Joined: 9/7/2018
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 15
- Trip Reports (0)
- Contact:
Re: Kansas Backpacking
If you live in Kansas City there is Wyandotte Lake. It is about a 10 mile loop so you can park and come back to the same spot. I use the up and down trail to "train" for longer hikes in Colorado while climbing.
Not a backpacking trip but a fun day trip.
Yellow dashed lines is the trail.
https://www.wycokck.org/WycoKCK/media/P ... rk-Map.pdf
Not a backpacking trip but a fun day trip.
Yellow dashed lines is the trail.
https://www.wycokck.org/WycoKCK/media/P ... rk-Map.pdf
- amorgan
- Posts: 25
- Joined: 8/13/2014
- 14ers: 13
- Trip Reports (1)
Re: Kansas Backpacking
Unfortunately not! They closed a year or two ago I think.
River trails are a great place for some single track on a bike, and the levee trail is a great place for a long run. Larry is a gem.
- jrader
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 2/22/2005
- 14ers: 23
- 13ers: 5
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Kansas Backpacking
+1 Elk River Trail. It's been several years but I really enjoy that trail. There are some rock formations to climb over and through (I think on the East end).
There is a backpacking loop trail at Perry Lake near Lawrence/Topeka area. I did that trail a couple of springs ago, it's right under 30 miles. It has a lot of hill and views of the lake. It's a great trail to get out in Kansas and I'll probably use it as a warm up for longer backpacking/14ers trips in Colorado:
https://www.getoutdoorskansas.org/trail ... king-trail
+1 on the Wyandotte Lake equestrian loop trail. No camping on the trail, but it's great for training. There are a couple of great hills to get some training.
There is a backpacking loop trail at Perry Lake near Lawrence/Topeka area. I did that trail a couple of springs ago, it's right under 30 miles. It has a lot of hill and views of the lake. It's a great trail to get out in Kansas and I'll probably use it as a warm up for longer backpacking/14ers trips in Colorado:
https://www.getoutdoorskansas.org/trail ... king-trail
+1 on the Wyandotte Lake equestrian loop trail. No camping on the trail, but it's great for training. There are a couple of great hills to get some training.
- Barnold41
- Posts: 323
- Joined: 9/8/2016
- 14ers: 15
- 13ers: 12
- Trip Reports (0)
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 12/9/2020
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Kansas Backpacking
Thank you very much, just looking for routes in Kansas!Conor wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 10:45 am following up on more resources for trails in Kansas...there is a lot more than I thought!
https://www.getoutdoorskansas.org/
- Cygnus X1
- Posts: 274
- Joined: 12/18/2016
- 14ers: 44 1
- 13ers: 17
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Kansas Backpacking
Well crud. When I saw the title of this thread I was hoping to see Tallgrass was back.