Three epic fall hikes within three hours of KC
Don’t let the season get by without discovering some new Midwest horizons.
By Roy Harryman
Publisher
Who knows when the heat will fully break. But it will. And when it does, make the most of autumn in Greater Kansas City. Here are three recommended destinations that can be undertaken as day trips or extended into a full weekend.
Kanopolis State Park: Where the West Begins
Who knows how many people jet by this region a few miles from I-70? This 16,000-acre park and wildlife area feature 30 miles of trails through red sandstone spires, cliffs and secluded canyons. Clear prairie streams trickle toward Kanopolis Lake. Native American tribes of Pawnee, Cheyenne, Apache and Kiowa camped in these canyons and left petroglyphs describing their life hunting game. After them, personalities who passed through the area include George Custer, Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok. Beyond the trails, the park’s attractions include Kanopolis Reservoir and a prairie dog colony.
A Limestone Arch, Caves and 27 Miles of Trails Await at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park sprawls across more than 2,000 acres near Columbia, Mo. The focal point of the park is, of course, the rock bridge. It’s really not a bridge, but is the opening of a giant collapsed cave of which the “bridge” is all that remains. This is undoubtedly worth seeing, but you could easily be finished in 30 minutes. Don’t make that mistake. There are other unique geological features at the park, including the Devil’s Icebox. The name is derived from the cooler temperatures in the cave, which can be accessed via a wooden stairwell. The park has miles of trails exploring the “little Ozarks” of central Missouri, including the remote Gans Creek Wild Area. The 6.6-mile loop encircles the rim of a giant collapsed cave. Rock Bridges Memorial State Park is also near other area natural attractions, which you can read about in our guide.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve: One of the Last Wild Places in Kansas
This 11,000-acre park holds some of Kansas’ last undisturbed native tallgrass prairie, which you can explore on 40 miles of trails. Epic rolling hills appear to recede into eternity. In addition to Flint Hills wildlife such as white-tailed deer, bobcats, coyotes and beaver, a herd of bison roam the preserve. The park includes an educational visitors’ center as well as a preserved late 1800s-era ranch including a home, barn and other structures. In addition to the backcountry trails, a shorter nature trail begins near the visitors’ center. The preserve features upland trails that explore thousands of acres of ranch country. But there is also an extensive bottomland area with forests and streams that is just as worthy of hiking.
Roy Harryman is the publisher of Kansas City Hiker.