These gardens and walking paths are beautiful and well attended. We enjoyed a walk everyday we…read morewere visiting Topeka. Just amazing! I cannot wait to come back.

Great use of outdoors, strolling in peace. Plenty of sidewalk and paths, great open space with…read moreareas to stop and reflect, meditate or picnic.

My husband and I Roeland Park, this nature sanctuary the day before Mother's Day. We had a heck of…read morea time finding it because the address was listed incorrectly. The nature sanctuary is on 12th St. and the connecting street is East St. Once we figured out where it was, we took our time on one of the trails I believe there are four trail options and the longest is 1.6 mile loop and the second is a 1 mile loop and the other ones are less than that. But it is a beautiful nature sanctuary with lots of greenery, woods, streams, water falls, and benches to enjoy the scenery. No pets are allowed since it is a nature sanctuary. There is a covered area off of one of the hikes that we went to that leads to some picnic tables. There's also several picnic tables by the parking lot. There are also bathrooms near the parking lot. The parking lot is next to the track and field belonging to the college. We really enjoyed our slow, meandering walk/hike and will definitely go back.

Hidden right by the bustle of downtown parkville, the parkville nature sanctuary has become one of…read moremy favorite places to do an easy hike. The trails are well maintained, and while there are some inclines at certain points, the trail is easy to follow and not strenuous. I love the various view points where you can stop and really appreciate natural beauty, like the waterfall or the butterfly pass. It feels like this is in its own little world despite being so close to the city. Be aware that the parking lot is pretty small so at peak times it may be hard to park.

Gorgeous Park, especially in the spring. Perfect for walking, running, hiking, biking with or…read morewithout your dogs or children. Both paved and nature trails for all levels of activities. Pretty quiet and not ever super crowded. Love this park!

Disclaimer: Rating for trails/observation tower *only*…read more A good walk or hike in some wide open green spaces will do wonders for the soul. Sure, Kansas can be limited in some of its landscape offerings, but if you don't take advantage of what's right in front of you, then you might miss the beauty that is many of our area lakes & parks. Kill Creek Park is just that beauty. There are trails of various difficulty, but none that are so strenuous that you could not do them with more than moderate effort. You can hike around a forest, around a lake, or you could just hike out in the prairie. There are multiple trails, all of which are well-marked, and they blend together at certain spots. Mountain/trail bikers might share the space at times but I have always had pleasant sharers of the paths. The trails are well-maintained with openings here & there for power to run through and the overall elevation changes are minimal. We've done the 'Outer Hank' several times and the circuit takes less than two hours. Wear your hiking shoes as some of the trails can have tricky steps and keep your eyes open to see nature in front of you. The observation tower is 3+ levels offering different views, all of which open in any direction. There is even an elevator to the top that is in service for most of the year. I suggest an evening view to the west for an optimal Kansas sunset, many of which can't be replicated. If you want mountains or beach, then you won't find it here. But if you want the peaceful, pastoral open skies of the West, then Kill Creek offers you just a taste of nature can do.

Been here almost every summer it's really awesome I heard that they do classes and things like that…read morebut 2 things to be careful of 1 you might hit your head in the insect tunnel 2 their was a snake in the playground so really careful of that idk if they got rid of it because I haven't been their since 2023 or 2022

Super strong ammonia smell inside the facility. We could not stand it. Animal Control stopped in as…read morewe were leaving so hopefully action was taken to mitigate the odor as this cannot be healthy for the animals. We did enjoy the native pollinator plants.

We usually drive through this park when we are in town. It's very pretty throughout different parts…read moreof the year. There are some nice views too. We like to park, have lunch, and look out at the Atchison bridge. My hubby grew up here and said there used to be a lot of activities here like a magician and such. I am not sure if they do anything anymore. I can't wait to visit again once we come back in the summer.

This park is pretty nifty, and is larger than you would think! Sweet place to hang out with friends!read more

Visiting in February, much of the park was brown but still beautiful. We went to see Stan Herd's…read moreAmelia Earhart permanent artwork. It was hard to see the image as there was no hill quite high enough to see the true image of Amelia. I grabbed a pic from the internet which shows the artwork from high above and took one from the viewing patio when we visited. Stan Herd is an amazing artist. He did Van Gogh's olive trees in Minnesota. It was not a permanent artwork but amazing none-the-less. It's so interesting to view the art from super close up and from afar to see the choices he makes in materials and how that translates into a floral artwork. I included a pic of the MN artwork here too for fun, again one I grabbed from online.

Nice area to walk through. Has a small pond not far into the area with water fall. The walking…read morepath is pretty nice. At one point there is a small bridge over a creek that you can go to a nice rocked pathway and walk. Overall nice area.

Our favorite playground to visit in town, especially in the summer when the splash pad is…read moreoperating. Nice playground set and neat play boat section. Always clean. Downsides are it isn't really as toddler-friendly as it could be and no swings. Otherwise, a great place to hang out and take the kids to get some energy out!

If you are expecting open spaces, fresh air, comfortable places to relax, and the splendor of…read morenature, then the Lawrence Rotary Arboretum is just the place. The arboretum is set in the southwest corner of the Lawrence area and nestled up against the (finally) evolving Lawrence Youth Sports Complex and the dam of Clinton Lake. A lovely pond is encircled with a wide walking path, a broad variety of native trees and grasses, and a gazebo that overlooks the water. Each different tree species is marked and identified, helping young and old to appreciate the vagary differences of the flora. There is also an area designated as a 'butterfly habitat' in conjunction with another Lawrence attraction called Monarch Watch. Who doesn't love watching the majestic and delicate beauty of butterflies? There is a sidewalk that leaves the arboretum and winds through a grassy meadow along the dam and terminates out at Clinton Lake. Pro tip: from the parking lot of the arboretum to the dam is right at 1.5 miles, so if you have an hour or so to kill, it makes for a leisurely three-mile walk. Bikers, dog walkers, and others frequent the arboretum and the path. It's really one of Lawrence's 'hidden' treasures and it will continue to evolve.

Everytime I'm in the area I go here and truly enjoy a walk. The garden and fountains and walking…read morepaths make for a wonderful sight to see.

There are a lot of reasons to adore this park, but for me, it's access to what I think are the best…read morehiking trails in eastern Kansas, and use them I do, frequently. Yesterday it was the entire length of the White Trail, 12 miles of rolling soft path dirt and rock among the trees, coves and inlets on the Northwest side of the lake. The Blue trail is another favorite, 8 miles of mostly flat trail that hugs the lakefront making for lots of good shade and scenery usually running a few yards below the more snaking White trail. There's a third shorter trail I've not set foot on but only because it's shorter than I wish. Unlike the Eastern back side of the lake at Woodridge Park which is one of the nicest 4.5 hikes to be found anywhere, the North Shore trails can be safely hiked during tick season in shorts but I'd still recommend you take precaution and check yourself frequently in the spring and summer. The trail is wide enough and well maintained so no grass to walk through. Just don't get off the trail because they're definitely lurking, this from experience. The two main trails are accessed from Overlook Park on the Northeast side, just minutes from west Lawrence. Very well travelled, very well maintained. Lots of shade. Both the White and Blue have multiple access points to the lake and camping areas and access roads so if you had to bail, there are plenty of places. However, private enough you can almost imagine you're miles from everything, but you aren't. Lots of wildlife. Expect to see deer (see my photo from yesterday). No access for drinking water so as with any hike, bring your own and bring plenty. And don't attempt the entire White trail unless you're in very good shape and know what you're doing because it'll kick your rear end otherwise. For those hiking round trip of one-way, there's a convenient parking area at the east end of both the Blue and White trails. Expect to see plenty of runners and hikers on weekends. IMPORTANT NOTE: the east trailheads for the Blue and White trails can be accessed for free and have a nice parking lot with picnic tables, etc. If you're having someone drop you off on the far west end to hike back east you'll need to pay a park access fee. I have someone drop me off that has a season pass but I believe it's a daily $7.00 fee to access the west end.

All you can ask for in a scenic, public park! Bring your fishing rod.read more

Our visit was quiet and fun as our littles completed their scavenger hunt. The exhibits were…read moreinformative and entertaining with recorded audios and soundscapes. A few sections could use some attention and cleaning, but overall well-kept. We had a good time and enjoyed the riverwalk afterwards.

This place is truly one of the best gems in Saint Joseph. We have been bringing my daughter here…read moreonce a month for nearly three years and it never gets old. The location is right next to the Missouri River and has a gorgeous view. There is a lovely little porch with chairs and picnic tables. The center provides binoculars and books to help identify local birds. My daughter loves the huge fish tank display of native fish. She also enjoys the tortoises and the snakes in the Snake Room. They are almost always having a scavenger hunt for the kids with prizes. Personally, I enjoy browsing the reading material in the little store and have bought several books. There is a very detailed exhibit on the history of Saint Joseph which is really interesting. It includes details that I have not read about anywhere else. So if you enjoy history, you should definitely pay this place a visit.