Kansas Trail News: February 1, 2015

Kansas Trail News for February 1, 2015, via Sunflower Rail-Trails Conservancy (also available as PDF):

Flint Hills Nature Trail Section Construction to begin in April

The lead engineer for the Flint Hills Nature Trail Project, Dan Holloway, P.E. with Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineers, P.A., is projecting that actual construction on Phase IA of the Flint Hills Nature Trail Project from Pomona going east six miles will start around April 1. Plus, construction should be completed by August! Bids for Phase 1B between Ottawa and Rantoul will be let in late 2015.

“It’s great that another section of the Flint Hills Nature Trail is going to be completed soon. We are excited by this new development. In just a few years the trail will be completed from Osawatomie to Council Grove and eventually all the way to Herington. This is going to be a wonderful asset for the people of Kansas.”
— Scott Allen, President, Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy

Find a trail in the Sunflower State

The Kansas Trails Council is in the process of gathering and posting trail GPS tracks and other information on the new website: getoutdoorskansas.org

A trail locator map (Kansas Trails: A Thousand Mile Adventure) is also available on the website. The Kansas Trails Council builds and maintains single-track recreational trails on public lands around the Sunflower State’s lakes.

Badger Creek Mt. Bike Trail impresses trail users

The four-year-old Badger Creek Mountain Bike Trail at Fall River Lake impresses many users. The trail goes through some rugged terrain with large rock formations giving trail users a wild experience. KansasCyclist.com gives this description:

“The Badger Creek Mountain Bike Trail at Fall River Lake is located on Corps of Engineers property on the northeast side of the reservoir.

There are actually two separate trails here, with the south loop consisting of approximately 4.1 miles, and the north loop at about 2.7 miles. Both are designated for hiking and biking, and feature terrain including old-growth Post Oak, Blackjack, Locust and a variety of Savannah vegetation, along with large rock formations that make for a not-too-physical, not-too-technical experience.

There are plans to connect the two trails from the south side of Badger Creek with a spur trail to the northern loop for a contiguous trail system that will provide a number of route and distance options.

The Badger Creek Mountain Bike Trail is maintained by the Kansas Trails Council and the Kansas Singletrack Society.”

For more information about the trail, go to: Badger Creek Trail

Sunflower to hold winter meeting Feb. 21 in McPherson

Sunflower Rail-Trails Conservancy will be holding its winter meeting on Saturday Feb. 21 in McPherson at Tres Amigos. The meeting starts at 11:00 am and all trails enthusiasts are invited to attend.

Great breakthroughs are expected for rail-trails in 2015.

Fredonia South Mound Trail

The Fredonia South Mound Trail was built last year by local volunteers including the Cultivate Fredonia Healthy Living Action Team using the “Trail in a Box” provided by the Kansas Trails Council. South Mound is a hill in the south part of town that is 1,040’ high. The single-track trail circles the hill through woods and grassland. There is a picnic area on the summit.

For more information contact Charlotte Svaty at handcsvaty@embarqmail.com

Fixing concrete recreational paths

As concrete recreational paths age, surfaces can become uneven. For example, two adjoining slabs may have different heights thereby possibly causing pedestrians to trip and fall. Concrete grinding is a method of repairing uneven concrete surfaces. This is an inexpensive way of repairing concrete paths without having replace concrete slabs. The City of Lawrence uses this to repair its concrete paths.

Two historic trails closer to national recognition

Below are excerpts from an article in the Wichita Eagle (1-9-15):

“The possible national designation of two Kansas cattle trails is a step closer to reality.

The Chisholm and Great Western trails have been studied by the federal government since 2009, when Congress directed the secretary of the Interior to evaluate the trails to see whether they would qualify to be named national historic trails.

Any additional designations would bring more visibility, prestige and tourists – and possibly even tax incentives for owners of land where historic events occurred.

The National Park Service announced this month its feasibility study was complete and is ready for public comment, another step in the designation process.”

“In its heyday from the late 1860s through the 1880s, the Chisholm Trail served as a cattle pipeline from Texas ranches to the stockyards and railroad hubs in Abilene, Newton, Wichita and Caldwell.”

“The Western Trail is also known as the Great Western Cattle Trail, Dodge City Trail and the Old Texas Trail. It was used beginning in 1874 to move cattle to eastern markets. Westward settlement soon forced drovers from the Chisholm onto the new Western Trail, which carried cattle well into the 1880s.“

Southwind Rail Trail Humboldt Trailhead

The new Humboldt trailhead on the Southwind Rail Trail. A kiosk/shelter is also being built there.

Learn more from the Southwind Rail Trail Facebook page.

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Post tags: Kansas Trail News