Most people can’t believe there are hiking trails in Kansas. Which makes me chuckle.
Whenever I tell them that I’m going hiking this weekend—or I talk about hiking (because that’s what love to talk about)—they always ask, “Where do you go hiking?”
And my typical response is, “I hike everywhere in Kansas. There are trails all over the state.”
People seem to assume that Kansas has no recreation. And unfortunately, it’s hard to find quality information about the hiking trails in Kansas.
That’s where I want to help.
The Problem with Articles on the Web
I ran into the same problem most people find when they’re looking for hiking trails in Kansas.
Most of the hiking trail review articles are garbage.
Believe me, I’ve read many of them.
I’m pretty sure none of the authors have actually been on a hiking trail, let alone a hiking trail in Kansas.
Most of the blog posts I’ve come across look like they were written by the same author.
And multiple outlets bought the same article. Or some version of the same article.
I’m not talking about local news outlets and official Kansas tourism sites. I’m talking about sites that are nothing more than content mills.
They’ve mastered keywording and search engine optimization, so their articles show up on the first page of Google.
But that doesn’t mean they know what they’re writing about.
My Mission: Provide High-Quality Info about Hiking Trails in Kansas
Here’s where I’m different than those other jokers.
I’ve hiked every trail that I’ve reviewed on my site.
The pictures you see are my pictures. And the words you read were typed by me. Everything is created based on my personal experience.
I don’t pay someone two cents a word for low-quality hoopla.
I’m on a mission to equip you with high-quality, in-depth information about hiking trails in Kansas. That way, you know what to expect when you arrive at the trailhead.
I promise you, if I haven’t hiked it, I won’t write about it.
15 Hiking Trails in Kansas: Day Hikes on the Plains
Below are 15 day hikes in Kansas that I’ve posted.
1. The Alum Creek Trail at Kanopolis State Park
The Alum Creek Trail is a hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trail at the north end of Kanopolis State Park. The trail is in the Smoky Hills Region.
It’s an 8.3-mile trail that goes through rolling hills, meadows, and woods. You’ll see rock formations, lake views, and wide-open terrain.
There are options to make the hike longer or shorter depending on how far you want to go. One option is to connect to the Prairie Trail.
2. The Prairie Trail at Kanopolis State Park
The Prairie Trail is a six-mile hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trail that connects to the Alum Creek Trail, and the Horsethief Canyon Trail at Kanopolis State Park.
This trail gives you all the views and experiences that you get with the Alum Creek Trail. By connecting to this trail from the Alum Creek Trail, you can make your hike a four-mile hike, or a 14-mile hike.
Not many people hike these trails, so you’ll have the whole place to yourself.
3. The Battle of Punished Woman Fork Trails
The Battle of Punished Woman Fork Park is a historic place near Lake Scott State Park. The park is the location of the last battle between the U.S. government and Indian tribes in Kansas.
The hiking trails at the Battle of Punished Woman Fork Park take you into the canyons where the battle occurred. You’ll see rifle pits, boulders, caves, and massive views while hiking these trails.
My hike was only about 2.5 miles. But you can make it shorter.
4. The Waconda Trail at Glen Elder State Park
The Waconda Trail is a five-mile hiking and mountain biking trail at Glen Elder State Park. The trail goes through grasslands, woodlands, and historical sites.
The Waconda Trail takes you from one campground to another, where you’ll see excellent views of Waconda Lake.
One of the features along the trail is the Waconda Spring (replica). Waconda Lake now covers the original spring. The replica has interpretive signs to tell the whole story.
5. The Smoky Valley Ranch Trail
The Smoky Valley Ranch Trail is a 5.5-mile hiking trail in western Kansas. It’s located on the Nature Conservancy’s Smoky Valley Ranch.
The trail takes you through chalk pillar rock formations and over shortgrass prairie. There aren’t many trees in this area, so the views are endless.
You’ll feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere when you hike this trail!
6. The Big Hill Lake Horse Trail
The Big Hill Lake Horse Trail is a hiking and horseback riding trail at Big Hill Lake. The total length is about 17 miles, but there are ways to make it much shorter.
The trail is heavily wooded, giving you occasional views of the lake. You’ll likely see deer, armadillos, and squirrels playing around along the trail.
If you like being in the woods, this is the hiking trail for you!
7. The Crusher Hill Trail at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
The Crusher Hill Trail is a six-mile hiking trail at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. This hiking trail is ideal if you want to play in the Flint Hills.
On this trail, you’ll hike through tallgrass prairie, up and over hills, and down into valleys where you’ll find creek crossings.
The Crusher Hill Trail is one of many hiking trails in the park. But not as many people hike on this trail as they do the others. It’s a great trail if you’re looking for solitude and scenery.
8. The Bridle Trail at Scott Lake State Park
The Bridle Trail is a hiking and horseback riding trail that goes around Scott Lake. If you hike the entire loop, it’s about eight miles. But there are ways to make it shorter.
Much of the trail goes along the canyon walls on the west side of Scott Lake State Park. The terrain is rugged, and there are a few challenging areas. The trail on the east side is flatter and is closer to the water.
The whole park makes you feel like you’re not in Kansas. It feels more like the Rocky Mountain foothills!
9. The Lehigh Portland Trails
The Lehigh Portland Trails are hiking and mountain biking trails in Iola, Kansas. The park located on the site of an old rock quarry.
The lake that was created by the quarry has some of the bluest water in Kansas. It’s walled in by tall cliffs. An added bonus on the trail is the John Brown Cave!
The Lehigh Portland Trails have lots of cool surprises that you definitely wouldn’t expect to see in Kansas.
10. The Two Section Trail at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
The Two Section Trail is a hiking trail at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. It’s probably the most unused trail in the park. Which is great for those seeking solitude!
Much of the hiking trail goes along to ridgeline of massive hills. There aren’t many trees so you get uninhibited views of the Flint Hills.
A good time to hike this trail is in the springtime. You’ll see the greenest grass which will make you think you’re in Ireland rather than Kansas!
11. The Badger Creek Trails
The Badger Creek Trails are hiking and mountain biking trails at the north end of Fall River State Park. There’s a north trail (4.5 miles) and a south trail (4.4 miles).
Both trails are completely covered with trees (except for short sections). Because of the tree cover, you don’t get any views of the surrounding landscape, including the lake.
But you get to see some really cool terrain. The trail takes you through split boulders and around huge rock formations. Wildlife sightings are also pretty common.
12. The Sand Hills State Park Trails
Sand Hills State Park is a park located near Hutchinson, Kansas. It’s designed specifically for hiking and horseback riding.
The trails take you through grass-covered sand dunes which are unique to the Sand Hills Region. There are many trails to pick from. You can make your hike as long or short as you want.
Along the trail you’ll see rolling hills, wildflowers, meadows, and a few treed sections. The most popular part is the Big Hill. Here, you can see most of the park from an elevated perspective.
13. The Chaplin Nature Center Trails
The Chaplin Nature Center is a 230-acre private park near Arkansas City. It’s a remarkable property with hiking trails that go through woodlands, tallgrass prairie, water crossings, and rocky bluffs.
The property is situated right on the Arkansas River. Some of the trails lead to sandbars on the river, giving you a unique hiking experience.
There are many options for day hikes here. You can keep it short and sweet with a quarter-mile stroll. Or make a day of it and explore the whole park. Total available length equals about four miles.
14. The Fancy Creek Trail at Tuttle Creek State Park
The Fancy Creek Trail is a six-mile hiking and mountain biking trail at Tuttle Creek State Park near Manhattan, Kansas. The trail is well-designed and covers very rugged terrain.
The Fancy Creek Trail is really rocky in many places. You’ll have to climb up and step over big rocks in some places. Steep hills, ravines, and creek beds make this trail quite challenging.
The trail is heavily wooded with mostly cedar. There are a few surprises along the trail, including a limestone wall, shelf rocks, and rocky obstacles.
15. The Scenic Overlook Trail at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Last, but certainly not least, is the Scenic Overlook Trail at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. This is probably the most popular hiking trail at the park.
The trail is built like an old ranch road. Incidentally, the park rangers offer bus tours on this trail which leads up to a hilltop that gives you an incredible view of the surrounding Flint Hills.
The most interesting feature of this trail (compared to the other trails in the park) is that it goes through a bison paddock. That right! Within this sector, you could be up close and personal with massive bison!
Conclusion
There you have it…15 hiking trails in Kansas! Fifteen real reviews by a guy who has actually hiked the trails.
Once you hike these trails, you’ll never see Kansas the same way again. And when people say something dumb like “Kansas is flat and boring,” you’ll be able to offer a much better description.
If you’re looking for more hiking trails in Kansas, click here to see all my reviews.
Safe travels!
Matt McCoy, writer and photographer, Rugged Kansas
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