The Native Stone Scenic Byway winds through the eastern Flint Hills among a region of the state known for its outcroppings of native limestone, which has been used to build homes, barns, and fences in the region since it was settled. And since this is the Flint Hills, expect plenty of stunning vistas and seemingly endless open, rolling rangeland.
The route begins in Alma, where 98% of the structures in the business district were built of native stone in the 1800s, and runs south on K-99 and then east on K-4 to Eskridge, then northeast to Dover.
Length of route: About 48 miles
Bicycle friendliness of route: Good. Although K-99 and K-4 do not have paved shoulders, traffic is light at less than 1000 vehicles per day.
Suggested loop: At Dover take Carlson Road north to Rossville, US-24 west through St. Marys to Wamego, then south on K-99 back to Alma. Though US-24 can carry upwards of 5000 vehicles per day, it does have a narrow paved shoulder. Length of loop: about 82 miles total.
Communities Along the Native Stone Scenic Byway
Learn more from Kansas Byways and Byways.org.
See also: Kansas Byways Bicycle Guide
