I can't believe I've lived in KC for so long, and I just found Wyandotte County Lake…read more This is a 12 minute drive from where we live in Parkville MO, so we can be paddling or hiking within 10 minutes from leaving our house. A few things to know: 1. Kayaking or Paddleboarding- you must have a permit (sticker) displayed on your craft. You purchase this at the marina office - and they are closed Tuesday/ Wednesday. It's $60- season. We hear they are strict about enforcing this. The launch spot is very close to the marina office- and is amazing. The launch point is zero entry and it has a parking lot- so you don't have to drag your craft very far. It's great! We kayaked on a Saturday and only saw a couple of boats. We love the calm quiet water and the beautiful nature experience. 2. Hiking- there are over 10 miles of hiking trails around the lake. They are maintained by Urban Trail Co- and their site is where they post trail closings (they are closed after big rains). The trails are pretty hilly-and we have been using them for Colorado Backpacking training. It's perfect! Bring bug spray- and I wouldn't recommend going alone since they are very isolated in the woods. There don't seem to be clearly marked trail heads- we parked at the spillway parking lot or the shelters seem to trail entry points as well. Go get outside! Enjoy! ‍

I went there to hike the West Dam and Vulture Ridge Trail so that's what I'll be reviewing…read morespecifically. The trail is about a 5 mile loop. It's not well marked and there's spots where it's not maintained very well. I would suggest a trail app that you can download a map from because cell service is also spotty in areas along the trail. We went off trail several times due to those two reasons. It was also difficult to find the trail head. The trail itself has lots of shade. It's not the most difficult trail but you do have to watch your step due to rocks and uneven ground. There are lots of bugs, highly recommend bug spray because the mosquitoes are plentiful. There were quite a few mountain bikers and a few trail runners. There were also a couple of pups and children. If you bring a pup, make sure to keep an eye on the ground. It seems there's quite a few inconsiderate individuals who leave trash everywhere that frequent the park. So that's disappointing. Overall it was an ok trail. I'll return in the fall because I'm sure the leaves look pretty. But it's not a trail I'm super eager to return to.

Great trail around the lake. Half is paved and the other half is chipped but very walkable terrain…read more In between, you cross the dam, which has a very 'sculptural' design. We stopped at a group of people watching a beaver resting on the spillway. A couple of nice picnic pavilions and (remarkably) clean restrooms have shaded playgrounds for kids. The real treat is a professional-grade Disc Golf course. For the less adventurous or for practice is a second, small course. All in all, a gem of a Lenexa park!

Yesterday I brought my grandkids here to try out this park. We were unable to try out all of it,…read morebut the areas that we did investigate we really enjoyed. I appreciate it that the play areas we went to had partial shade from the alcove of trees. There was a variety of play sets spread out with natural features of tree stumps and such for the kids to climb on. They had a lot of nice walking plaques to explain the walking trail. The golfing disc course was nice because a lot ofit was shaded. We will definitely go back to check out more of it when it is less hot.

It's an interesting nature center with some hiking trails. My kids all enjoyed it. It has a gift…read moreshop as well if you want to buy souvenirs.

We went this past weekend with our 4-year-old and 21 month old. The trails that were open were well…read moremaintained. I really liked that some of the trails were paved. We had a loop in mind to let the kids see the creek. The closed trails weren't marked anywhere so we ran into places where we just had to backtrack the same way twice. I will be back but I probably won't take my kids again until I know which trails are closed. There was also a lot of nettles along the trail so I had to keep my son away from those.

This is a great little hike. Scenic with hills and flat areas. Some paths mowed while others are…read moregravel. Saw several deer and some large turtles in the pond and on the paths. We will definitely be back for a couple mile hike.

Okay, so...little bit of a secret. This place has great fishing! It's a wonderful place to spend a…read moreday, if you've got the gumption, a pair of hiking boots, and a lot of time on your hands. You have to hike in for sure, but the pond on property is wonderful: clear, clean, and colorful. There are many picnic tables throughout the reserve, and the wild nature of the place is worth the visit. Quite a few evenings I've stayed longer than the sun was willing to, and found myself walking through the actual prairie at sundown - which I'm not ashamed to say is formidable with the right company. I once witnessed an assault there, but the lady told me it was her brother that did it, so she didn't need any assistance. Barring that, it really is a wild and wonderful place to spend the day. It can get a tad bit crowded on the weekends, and the path can and does get congested, but there is so much to walk that it shouldn't be too much of a problem. There's one spot on the map that gets a little treacherous: a downward sloped and rocky hill, so take it easy down that. But otherwise, it's a myocardial wonderland! Get a good pair of walkin' boots, a camera, and possibly a fishing pole, and get out there!

This park is one of those hidden gems in north OP that people may not know about unless you live…read morenearby. Once upon a time I lived very close to this park and would enjoy the baby geese every spring, the vibrant fall leaves, the ice as it forms and breaks away each winter, and even the occasional bald eagle perched on a tree waiting for a snack to appear in the lake below. The playground here was recently renovated and is a wonderful place to bring the kids to play. The track around the lake is probably about a quarter mile so it's not a bad place to come for a quick jog either. I've seen folks fishing here, though, I'm not convinced it's the BEST fishing spot in town as the lake is fairly small and prone to algae issues as the temperatures rise. Overall, this is a great park that has a little something for everyone.

Surreal, just a cool hidden little place that you could be walking by or driving by and not even…read morenotice it. They do have benches and I do have some athletic benches if you wanna do crunches for for example.

This is such a lovely hidden park. A wonderful trail that has shade and sun with two bridges. The…read moreplayset is kept up well and is shaded mostly. There is a picnic area with restrooms next to it. Just a nice peaceful park.

Next stop on the endless parade of Mill Creek streamway parks is the Barker access! Like most Mill…read moreCreek streamway parks, this one has top quality jungle gym facilities, a shelter or multiple somewhere, and a restroom full service! The bike path is a continuation through all streamway parks, so you can spend all day on that - which I would remark is a beautiful way to spend an afternoon on a bicycle. The wonderful paving of this path must have cost a fortune! There is ample flat area to do family activities, and reasonable access to the streamway or any number of fishing activities can be underway. I'm really liking this entire streamway Park system throughout the city. Each of these parks is not particularly noteworthy, just a good small Park to enjoy an afternoon. More succinctly however, when considered as a whole unit, I would say this might be the biggest park in the city! Rates are reasonable for renting shelters, and this park particularly - tucked down nicely inside of a valley of sorts - blocks the wind, with an almost estate sort of feel. Very nice indeed!

Lakeside Nature Center is amazing...5 Stars all the way…read more The inside has just as much to explore as the outside. All tyoe of animals being rescued. Hiking trails that are fun for everyone.

I took my two grandkids to this nature center, and we all really enjoyed it! We did not do the…read moretrails outside because it was cold, but we still really enjoyed the whole indoor experience. The kids enjoyed learning about the various reptiles and birds and other creatures. It's a nice spacious building and it was not crowded at all. We were able to have a leisurely walk throughout the facility and engage with the displays, reading them and talking about them. It's free, which is a wonderful value for the community. The staff and service at the facility was friendly and I believe they have nature story hours different times of the month. The animals looked wealth cared for, and all the displays were clean. I also really enjoyed the reading nook with nature books that overlooked an area of birdfeeders. They also have a couch for parents to sit on to watch the kids play with puzzles, coloring, pages, a kitchen set and some nature themed displays. We especially enjoyed watching the bald eagle! We will definitely go back when it is sunnier and try out the trails. We did not request any service so I can't comment on classes or hikes.

This beautiful, peaceful, park is located between office buildings to the north and east, and homes…read moreto the south and west. The west end of the park consists of a large, grassy area with a soccer field and a picnic shelter. The center of the park has a wooded area, and a playground with swings and slides. The east side of the park features Summercrest lake, which had a small group of ducks when I visited. A sidewalk path surrounds the entire park, and there is a nice bridge crossing the lake. Plenty of parking is available in the business park to the north after business hours, and on weekends. It's a great place to relax, and take a scenic walk.

I'm not sure if I experienced the entirity of this park. I drove down Lowell and saw the western…read morehalf of the park, which is essentially a narrow strip of grass next to a narrow strip of woods. There is only street parking, which is ok because Summercrest runs along 112th St, a residential suburban street. The playground is small but together with a picnic bench, it is shaded by some large trees. I didn't get to experience the lake or the trails, but I hope to visit again and approach from the north or east side. I hesitate to give it three stars, but there wasn't really anything wrong with the park, so two seems a bit harsh. Perhaps a second visit will help to clarify.