Use the links below for descriptions of the state's top trails.
For details on all
these trails and many more, click here to order Kansas Outdoor
Treasures
Backpacking in Kansas
While Kansas is short on destinations that allow camping trailside,
several allow walk-in camping via spur trails to primitive campsites.
Most
state fishing lakes allow hiking at will (without maintained trails)
and primitive camping is free. Following is an abbreviated list of
the most scenic backpacking in Kansas.
Cimarron National Grassland (west of Liberal)
Cactus and sagebrush, artesian springs and
oil wells are some of the characteristics that make this destination
unique. Rich with history, the park protects the longest publicly owned
stretch of the Santa Fe Trail. At an elevation of 3,540 feet, Point of
Rocks is an overlook that offers views as far as Colorado and Oklahoma.
With nearly 30 miles of trail, primitive dispersed camping is free and
allowed anywhere (with a few exceptions).
Perry Lake (Topeka)
Glaciers helped contour the high bluffs and boulder-strewn
hillsides north of Lawrence, Kansas. Bluestem prairie and hickory/oak
forests alternate along its shores. Perry Lake is home to the Perry Lake
National Recreation Trail—a circuit nearly 30 miles in length.
Walk-in camping can be reached via spur trails at Old Military trailhead,
Slough Creek and Longview Park.
Elk City Reservoir (east of Wichita)
Rock is the main attraction here in the Chautauqua
Hills Region, but the foliage does offer some distraction from the interesting
formations, boulders, bluffs and miniature caves. Western buckeye, hawthorn,
dogwood and redbud all flower in the spring. Hardwoods help make fall
the most colorful season of all. Backpackers may camp along the 3-mile
Table Mound Hiking Trail (extend your hike
with trails at each end) or the 15-mile Elk River Hiking Trail.
Cross Timbers State Park (east of Wichita)
With prior permission, you can enjoy backcountry
campsites on the Chautauqua Hills Trail system. Four color-coded connecting
trails wrap around an arm of the lake. Trails feature wooden bridges,
sandstone slab stream crossings and rugged stone staircases that lead
through both heavily shaded areas and open prairie on a natural tread.
Stands of post and blackjack oak provide thick cover in wooded areas.
Clark State Fishing Lake (south of Dodge City)
This rustic fishing lake in southwest Kansas
lies at the base of a canyon with near vertical walls. Sheared off bluffs
showcase the Ogallala formation and Permian Period red beds. Primitive
camping is permitted anywhere and hikers may wander at will--truly an
adventure for hikers comfortable with route-finding skills. Expect only
primitive amenities and roads. The west side of the lake requires a 4-wheel
drive vehicle.
Clinton Lake (Lawrence)
Along the 4.5-mile George Latham loop, well-placed primitive
campsites lead to visions of morning campfires accompanied by the sound
of water lapping the limestone shores and geese honking overhead. The
circuit trail sometimes nears the water’s edge and sometimes offers
panoramic vistas from overhead alternating between prairie areas and
deep wooded ravines.
John Redmond Reservoir (Emporia)
The Hickory Creek Trail
offers 14 miles of trail to keep hikers happy for days. Campgrounds can
be found along the trail for backpacking in either direction. Lake views
are infrequent on this wooded trail that straddles prairie areas and
ponds. Most of the trail is fairly level making it perfect for beginners.
The dirt tread may be slick when wet. (Closed during deer hunting season.)
For more information on hiking and camping in Kansas, order Kansas
Outdoor Treasures (Trails Books, a division of Big Earth Publishing)