As recently reported by Sunflower Recreational Trails (see Kansas Trail News), the Flint Hills Nature Trail has again been damaged:
Doug Walker, superintendent of the Osawatomie Division of Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy reports the following: The bridge on the Flint Hills Nature Trail which had the railing burned by vandals last October was vandalized again last week with railing posts bent, railing broken and bent.
Here’s a photo of the damage:
The bridge is located about 3.5 miles east of Rantoul, in Miami County.
As you can see, on the north side of the bridge (the right side in this picture) some of the boards were burned, some were ripped off, and the wire mesh was damaged in places. On the south side, the top railing was torn loose and some metal was bent.
The bridge itself is concrete, so wasn’t in any danger, but the repairs to the railings will take time and money, both of which could be better spent in improving the trail.
