First time in the park I saw at least 5 deer. One fawn walked toward me to about 15ft. before…read morewalking away.

It's a very beautiful park but unless you want ticks and I mean Alot of them on you I wouldn't…read morerecommend going. Me and my fiance went and we're covered in them and they're still showing up on us

it was $12 a car load and i needed to tell them my license plate #! it was very fun and we were…read morethere many hours. we pulled up to a spot with at least 20 people and just hungout in the water all day. brought snacks and chairs and floaties! it was great! definitely recommend for a day of lake fun.

I really think this is a great place, the lake is not near as deep as I thought!…read moreThe most disappointing part for me is if you purchase a pass, it's $50 whether you purchase it on January 1, or on December 1, they all expire December 31. I would love to see it prorated to make it more economical. Or it expires one year from date of purchase. I love flat water fitness that is out there, kayaks, single or double, paddle boards, so many options and such great people! Anxious to go back and explore the trails.

Wow what a great place to visit while you are in Wichita. I am so glad we came here…read more We walked all of the trails, some more than once and it was just 3miles. We explored their nature center which was clean, informative and super friendly staff. *** pick up turtle food at the nature center *** The paths were clear, kept up nicely, and the area was well managed. A great place to spend a couple of hours. Definitely check this place out!!

Came here to walk around on a weekday afternoon, lots of parking, not too many people. Not a lot to…read moresee but a lot of trails, some bridges and water, dead trees. Good spot to get some walking, running, or biking in!

Tallgrass Prairie National Reserve is just phenomenallllll, and I can honestly say it has some of…read morethe bestest trails in Kansas! I wish I got to know about this national reserve sooner but better late than never. It's about 1.5 away from Kansas City near Strong city (10 mins away) and Emporia (25 mins away). I went out to the vast grasslands on a late Sunday afternoon after stopping for lunch in Emporia and was completely blown away by the beauty. I had heard the trails are amazing, but I stayed on the easier starting trail and didn't go into the bison area since it's breeding season and they can be more aggressive. By the time I arrived, the visitor center had already closed, but friends told me the staff there are very friendly and share helpful details about the park, possible hazards, bison behavior, and even things like bugs you should avoid. The park has clean restrooms, and since it's open 24/7, you can even go stargazing but just remember it's at your own risk!!! There are three types of trails here: backcountry hikes that can take up to 12 hours, a wildlife trail that takes about 3 hours where you might spot bison, and front country trails that take about 2 hours and loop around a meadow. I've heard all of them are a lot of fun to explore. Honestly, if I could rate this place a 1000000/10 then I would!

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is one of the few places like this that is completely free to…read morevisit. Usually, national parks and preserves charge a fee, but not Tallgrass Prairie. And there's a lot of stuff to see, so you're getting a lot for nothing! You will be walking a bit here, so keep that in mind. Many of the outdoor exhibits are located a walk from each other. Stop at the visitor center first, where you can learn about the ecosystem of the area. You'll find out that this is the only National Park Service unit that's dedicated to celebrating the tallgrass prairie. This preserve is the largest expanse of tallgrass prairie left in the world, and you can see it here! It's kind of mind-boggling that this part of the United States used to be covered with tallgrass prairie, and now ... not so much, due to expansion. But you can step outside and see the grasses that used to cover the land as far as you could see. There are also some historic buildings to visit, which belonged to a family who ran the ranch. You can walk into the barn, explore the house and see the three-person outhouse. (Why would you want to use the restroom next to other people?) This was a very interesting place to visit, and it gave me a greater appreciation for this part of Kansas.

I love this dog park in Andover Kansas. It is well maintained and it's beautiful. People are very…read morenice and they have a large dog area as well as a small dog area.

I was so delighted when I first found this beautiful dog park in Andover…read more I am sad to see how underutilized it is. Only once were there other small dogs on the small dog side, while me and my 2 doxies were there. There are usually several large dogs on the large dog side. We just look longingly at them. I hope you'll come out and visit the best kept secret in Andover. This dog park is part of the municipal park which has everything you could ever wish for in a park. It's located behind Andover's city hall on East Central.

FYI: Might be a bit verbose and more a review for the 15 mile point to point hiking trail…read more I knew what I was up against, and went anyway. Read on a trails app that it was technical--yes, yes it was. And also read a review in that same app left on Oct 12 ish, that water might be scarce due to drought--that said, my friend and I left a water stash at a gravel road drive, off the trail about 3 miles from the east trailhead. My Subaru and I were NOT ready for the roughness of the terrain--first time "Off road." Got in and out unscathed! Yay! We started the trek later than we thought we would--which is fine, because the scenery was great! Such a beautiful area! Worth the 2-hour ish drive. Made it through the "Squeeze" downhill. Packed in about 1.25 before we decided to pitch our tents. Had dinner on one of the scenic bluffs during sunset and as you can imagine, a wee bit chilly but a stunning view, so it was worth it! Next day, had breakfast on the bluff during sunrise--what a treat! Then headed out to our water stash. We decided we were achy enough to not go back the way we came. Went to our water stash and refueled. Used that (Subaru terrain) rocky road to go back to the main road and follow it back to the car park. *What I learned: as a newbie backpacker it was challenging, but probably would be even if I wasn't? I carried about a 30 pound backpack--probably packed some fears in there--but now I know. Would I go again and do things differently?? Heck yes!!

Great hiking trail. The whole things is like 15 miles so pack in water with a bladder or something…read moreand don't attempt when 107. Ask me how I know, lol. Great views, but watch for spider webs, poison ivy, and check afterwards for ticks in the summer.

Another beautiful hiking spot in the Flint Hills. Well worth the short drive from Council Grove…read more Most people aren't aware of this place, so you'll probably have it all to yourself. Hike across the hills, next to the Memorial and then through a forested area. In the forest, you'll see ruins of stone 'cabins' the US government built for the Kaw Indians. Directions: (from the Kaw Mission History Site website) From main street of Council Grove, Kansas Head east on Highway 56 past traffic light by Pizza Hut & Guardian of the Grove statue. In approx. 1/10 of a mile, turn right on County Road marked by green sign, "Dunlap 9", (also labeled as 5th street). Travel south 3 1/2 miles toward Dunlap. After crossing small bridge, turn left on X Avenue. Turn left on 525 Road to park site. Agency Building ruins will be on your right. Unknown Kaw Warrior Monument is visible at top of hill. Visitors should drive to the designated parking area located approximately one-tenth of a mile north of the Agency building on the right side of the road. Walking paths will be marked from the parking area and between the points of interest. You can pick up a map and get more information about the tour of Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park at the Kaw Mission State Historic Site.

This is another really cool, off the beaten path, stop that I'm so happy we made! This place was…read morehonestly perfect since it was so small. My husband has bad knees and didn't want to walk all over creation (his words LOL). It's not very hard to find. You go down a dirt road for about two miles and the park seems to just suddenly appear! There are a few covered picnic tables, a sign explaining what you're looking at, a few trails, and a "bathroom." The good thing about this place is you get to see some awesomely neat rock formations and you don't have to walk very far. There are multiple examples right by the parking "lot". There was no one else there when we went so it wasn't crowded. And the rocks really do look like mushrooms (at least some of them do!) But beware the "bathroom". No water. No sink. No plumbing. It's literally a whole covered by a glorified bucket & seat. I really did enjoy getting to see these rocks so if it's not too far out of your way...take a little side trip!

So, I'd keep your expectations in check when visiting Mushroom Rock State Park. It's a tiny park --…read morethe smallest state park in Kansas at just 5 acres! But you get to see some interesting rocks. Some of these rocks really do look like mushrooms. We explored the park for a bit, but we were done after about 15 minutes. There's a short, easy trail on one side of the parking lot that takes you down to some sick rocks (that people have carved into and written things on, which I think looks cool but you might not). On the other side of the parking lot is a little area with more mushroom rocks; some of these are short enough to climb on, so kids might like these. There's a restroom here, but it's basically a port-a-potty hole in the ground, so if you can hold it, I'd suggest doing so.

Wow! Visiting Coronado Heights was one of the highlights of my trip to south central Kansas. Kansas…read moreisn't known for its elevation, but this is one place in the area where you can feel like you're up high. In reality, it's just a hill, sitting in front of a plain, asking you to love it. But it's a pretty neat hill, Coronado Heights is. And on the top of the hill is a castle! Yes, there's a real castle here, which you can explore. It's believed that Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and his soldiers used this area as a lookout point because it sits about 300 feet above the prairie. All kinds of historical items have been found in this area that back up this idea, including bits of chain mail and Spanish coins. I visited around sunset, which is a beautiful time to visit. There are a few picnic areas that you can use, with fire pits, grills and tables. The people I was with had the foresight to bring some marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers, so we made some s'mores and enjoyed them in the twilight near the castle. It was a beautiful time. One thing to note: The restrooms are primitive (aka port-a-potties).

This place is advertised as the "best view in kansas", i wouldn't say that, but It's a good view!…read moreWe really wanted to see the history behind this place but there were limited signs. You gotta look it up yourself. With that being said, this is a great place to visit. There are cool structures, lots of tables for picnics, and a bathroom. The castle has stairs you can walk up which allows you to look over the edge. In the fall this would be beautiful!!

Beautiful park! We started our hike at Buffalo Track Canton Nature Trailhead, which is located a…read moreshort drive into Kanopolis Lake State Park. This trailhead has two entrance points, and one is usually more manicured than the other. We didn't know there was a difference at the time and took the path less traveled and less tended to. Which was unfortunate for us because we were walking through tall grasses and brush, which was uncomfortable because some of the people I was hiking with were wearing shorts. So, if you want a more pleasant hike, make sure you're taking the hiking trail that has been mowed. Other than slapping away plants and hoping we weren't transporting ticks, the hike was great and the scenery here is beautiful. Our trail was a little less than a mile one way, and led us to a really cool cave with rocks that looked like the profile of a person! We checked out the cave for a while, then headed back. Once you're at the cave, you do have an option to travel down another trail to go farther into the park, but we chose to just head back. There's a lake here and other things, but we only visited the park to hike. We had a great time hiking, though! This part of Kansas is beautiful, and walking through Kanopolis is a great way to experience some of it.

My daughter and I took a relaxing camping trip with our dog. We drove from Iowa to Kanopolis State…read morePark in Marquette, Kansas on our way to Colorado. We ended up getting a campsite on our own private beach and it was Awesome! Dog friendly too! It was $18 for the night and we loved it!