This used to be a nice dog park. Garrison has let it dilapidate and doesn't look like it's been…read moretended to in a while! The poop cans were overflowing with garbage, the bag holders were broken or missing and there weren't poop bags. The surrounding wall appears to be falling apart in places, overgrown and felled trees, unkempt Agility ramp, grass not mowed. And the water spigot doesn't work so there isn't available fresh water for thirsty dogs to drink. It's a shame the installation isn't keeping up on maintenance.

Everyone picked up after their dogs. People were nice and dogs well-behaved. If you are not in…read morethe military you have to stop outside the gate and get a pass, but it was a short wait (if not more than a little intimidating).

Hiking this good in Kansas? Who knew? I'm sorry it took me so long to get here but now that I've…read morevisited I shall return. I spent a marvelous couple of hours hiking the 6 mile trail here yesterday (the Godwin trail) that changes from meadow and dry/wet creek crossings to steep hills and finally the tops of the magnificent bluffs and hills that dominate the reserve. And what fine hiking it is. The trails are a bit wide for my tastes but they're covered with gravel and also serve as access for the research going on here. It's obvious there's a lot of it (research). I can adapt. This isn't Colorado and we're not at 6,000 feet. Take along one of the flyers from the parking lot as it describes a lot of things you'd otherwise miss along the trail and these items are clearly noted with small signs along the way. Be warned: if you're doing the long trail like I did and it's mid 80s you might want to take a bottle of water and some sun screen and a hat for sure (I did). The lack of shade and high winds that sometimes come (as did on my hike) will suck the moisture right out of you and you'll be glad you did. I'm really impressed with what's been built here. The Kanza tall grass prairie is one of nature's true wonders and the fact that Kansas State University has built this great trail (three at least) with a lot of information to soak up as you hike is a home run for this experienced hiker. One of the more unique hikes I've taken and worth the effort to get here. Access: entrance is clearly marked from the McDowell Creek highway guessing about 5-7 miles south south of the I-70 exit of the same name.

Very cool! Amazingly beautiful and well marked signs! It only takes about 10 mins to get here from…read moreManhattan and well worth it! The drive to get here is very pretty along the Kansas river. The hike is more of a nature walk and is about a 2 of 10 on difficulty. There are 2 very neat bridges near the beginning and the signs are well placed and give you the option of making this walk a distance of 2.5/4.4/6.0 depending on what path you decide to take! We opted for the 4.4 miles and loved it!

It's a big enough area for your pup to play. Most people…read moreseem to keep an eye on their dogs There is seating around and in a covered area to sit under My pup looped the perimeter twice, Checked out some other pups and then he went to the gate and we went home. Spent about 45 mins there. Will go again. GPS will tell you that you are "here" in the middle of the intersection of 10th and Gage ... "Here" is actually gage park and to the immediate right of entering the overall park ... tip: type in gauge park instead. Same place.. but the directions to the puppy park will announce your arrival in the intersection.. if you're not from here, you may not notice it's actually tucked up into Gage park. I sure didn't. We circled in a neighborhood until I happened to take a chance and turn into the park

Good place to bring your pup as long as he/she has good manners and the owners are watching their…read morepup.

This dog park is HUGE! There is a fenced in area to the left of the parking lot where you can let…read moreyour dogs run off leash, if you're unsure how they'll do in the open. Or you can venture out on the miles of trails to the right of the parking lot (off leash, as well). The trails in the open areas are pretty wide (think car width) & easy to navigate and follow. One of the trails even has some freshly laid crushed gravel. The trails through the woods are narrow but well packed down. However, If you have any mobility issues, you might stick to the open area trails as you're likely to encounter fallen logs or have to scale up a creekside when on the trails through the woods. Close to the parking lot, there are some obstacles set up so your dog would like ride on the seesaw or climb the A-frame. I've been at multiple times of day. The middle of the day seems to be a little less populated. It does get pretty busy towards late afternoon/early evening as people are getting off work. Parking can be sparse at that time. If so, people tend to park off the side of the road & walk over. Be sure to slow down & pay extra attention as you are coming or going as dogs sometimes venture into the parking lot or road. Especially in the parking lot between the fenced area & open area.

Lawrence needs more dog parks, but this one is a good start. We enjoy coming out here in the warmer…read moredays with our pup because there's so much room to run, smells to smell, and good hikes for us. If you hike it right, you'll come up to a little waterfall that's pretty cool. One thing I'd warn, make sure your dog responds well if you venture off on a hike. We took Scout here when he was really small and he all but disappeared into the wilderness chasing birds... Took a while to find him! But overall, it's a good one if not a bit far away from downtown Lawrence (located out by the lake). The other dogs we've encountered are friendly, and it's got that overall nice Kansas-nature charm that you'd expect from the area.

Cross the train tracks and the road takes you right to a parking lot for the Disc Golf and Off…read moreLeash Dog Park area right by the river! Make sure to wear your snow boots if you're out and about mid-January like we were. Nice natural paths with a water view!

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!!

This was a really pretty area just outside of Lawrence. There is a small discovery center along…read morewith boardwalks. We saw a variety of birds and butterflies and thoroughly enjoyed our time there. The weather was cooler that day, and I would say that made it more enjoyable. I wouldn't want to go there on a super hot day.

Just south of Lawrence abutting the new bypass is 927 acres of outdoors like little else in Kansas…read more The Baker Wetlands may be one of the best kept secrets in Douglas County and the surrounding Lawrence area because its become a mecca of wildlife preservation that doubles nicely as an area rich with hiking, biking, running, or information at the visitor center, or the picnic tables, surely a sight from which to dine outdoors. Known properly as The Baker University Wetlands Research and Natural Area, it abuts the south side of the city in the Wakarusa River floodplain. The area contains 45 acres of native wetland prairie and acres of restored meadows, marshes, open water, shrubby and secondary growth and mature riparian woodlands. Why I love this area: it's outdoor Kansas as it might be unspoiled with some nice gravel paths for hiking and biking, and if you follow some of the access trails which are much rougher you can really get off the grid and deep into park and all its beauty. I counted three massive beaver dams along one creek on an extended walk today. There are literally hundreds of small birdhouses placed all over the park and one walk through will confirm that it's a haven for critters of all kinds. Most folks in town will know it from the view on the south side of the bypass where a mile long paved bike path runs next to the highway behind a sound barrier. And that's a beautiful view, but getting down into the middle of it is terrific. Access from the East where there's a parking area, the far Southwest (gravel lot), or the visitor center on the far West side (paved). This has become my go-to spot for long hikes and I've yet to not see a few others enjoying the same. Well worth the visit. Bring the kids. It's the anti-movie/mall/theme park experience which a little education and a lot of peace and quiet to boot. Pack a sack lunch and stop in one of the covered picnic areas out in the middle. It's a great place to have a gathering, or catch one of the quiet houses where you can enter and look out over a lake so the animals can't see you (mostly on the West side). No admission for anything that I'm aware of. Get there. If you're the outdoors type even only occasionally, this place is a breath of fresh air, literally, in more ways than one. From their web site: 487 Unique Plant Species 376 Vertebrate Species 75% of electricity is produced by a 10 KWH solar array.

First time at this city park and boy were they busy !! Lots of areas to sit and great helpful…read morelifeguards and staff.

Splash park is free and the new playground is nice. It is hard to watch the kids on the whole thing.read more