Riverside hikes in Kansas City

The Missouri River at English Landing Park, Parkville, Mo.

We’re home to two major rivers and numerous streamways. Learn how to see wildlife, experience serenity and walk the riverfronts in your hometown.

By Roy Harryman
Publisher

Kansas City is a river town. But few experience our waterways except when speeding across a highway bridge. There’s more to see – and learn – than meets the eye.

Trails near rivers often provide unique experiences. They’re habitat for waterfowl and wildlife, are often serene and sometimes provide alternate recreation via kayaking or fishing.

The Missouri River begins in Montana and continues more than 2,300 miles where it joins the Mississippi. Water from the Yellowstone River, synonymous with the national park, eventually makes its way past Kansas City.

The Kansas River, while not as long or mighty, is wild and scenic along most of its 148-mile journey and can be accessed in numerous locations.

The Missouri, of course, was the “highway” taken by Lewis and Clark, beginning in 1804. It’s hard to imagine the wildness they experienced when rowing past what later became Kansas City. In fact, in June of that year, they camped for three days at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, in today’s heavily urbanized Kansas City, Kan.

Those two mega rivers are the most prominent, but there are many other scenic walkways along rivers and streams in Greater Kansas City. Here’s a guide to local rivers and streams hikes that accompany them.