See spring come to life on these three KC day trips
Winter has been mild, but it’s no substitute for the sights and sounds of nature in bloom.
By Roy Harryman
Publisher
Are you ready to say goodbye to the gray and hello to the green? Although spring allergies punish me, I’m always inspired by spring’s gradual transition from hibernation to bloom. It means wildflowers will begin popping up throughout fields and forests and migratory birds are returning.
Depending on where you hike, your experience of nature can be quite different (though all good). With that in mind, here are three diverse day trips that will refresh your body and spirit while getting you home in time to brush your teeth and reboot for the next day.
Kaw River State Park, Topeka, Kansas
The Kansas (Kaw) River is a remarkably pristine waterway that makes a sleepy, shallow and sandy journey across rural Kansas. Only when it hits Kansas City does it take on the industrial, gritty vibe that’s related to the factories and railyards around it. Kaw River State Park brings you up close and personal with wilder, scenic version of this river. When the water is not high, you can wade out into the Kaw, explore sandbars and observe waterfowl. On the river’s south side, 200-foot bluffs are home to a network of 11 miles of trails.
Kaw River State Park
Waubonsie State Park, Iowa
Hiking Iowa? That sounds as plausible as skiing Iowa. (Actually, you can do both.) But we’re here to talk about hiking. A range of hills runs from St. Joseph, Mo., to Sioux City, S.D. Iowa is at the center of this range, known as the Loess Hills. They rise up to 300 feet above the Missouri River Valley below. This unique landscape was not created by uplift, but by the slow buildup of blown sediment. This gives them a wrinkled appearance – you have to see it to understand. Waubonsie State Park, just a few miles across the Iowa state line, is an excellent place to take in this blend of prairie and forested hills.
Waubonsie State Park, Hamburg, Iowa
Van Meter State Park, Marshall, Mo.
Van Meter State Park is a hilly island of green in the gently-rolling golden prairies of Mid-Missouri. The park is built around two geologic features: loess hills and the Missouri River. Hills cover most of the park, but there are still prairie remnants. The Missouri River plain is also a distinctive feature of Van Meter. As the hills descend, they meet head-tall grasses which populate soggy bottomland soil. This area would be impenetrable were it not for metal boardwalks that allow visitors to explore it. History buffs will be interested to know the park is the site of a Missouria Indian village that existed until about 1800. Several artifacts have been preserved.
If you want to explore more day trip opportunities, we’re here to help. Check out all of our day hikes here.
Roy Harryman is the publisher of Kansas City Hiker.