Kansas Outdoors Guide | 2013

official

k a n s a s

guide

outdoors 2013

Find your Outdoor Destination

11

Byways

in Kansas

see

Camping

kansas department of wildlife, parks and tourism

T

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

This Kansas.

This isis Kansas.

Kansas is a sportsman’s paradise. We have more diversity

in the entire state as well as the quail season, which was

in our hunting than most other states in the country, great

formerly 11 days. Today the state also offers hunting

fishing opportunities and numerous other activities that

seasons of prairie chicken, turkey, deer and antelope.

make Kansas a four-season destination.

Adding to the hunting opportunities, over 1 million acres The land and habitat of Kansas east to west and north

of public access Walk-In Hunting Areas (WIHA), private

to south add to the state’s outdoor wonder. Our natural

land and numerous privately controlled shooting areas

diversity in landscape, altitude and weather is a great base

are available.

from which to build—and we have built. In the last 65 years we have added or built 104 public wildlife areas, 40 state

Fishing in Kansas is plentiful in our federal reservoirs

fishing lakes, 25 state parks, 24 federal reservoirs and

and state lakes and community fishing lakes because of

233 community lakes. We have created Prairie Spirit Trail,

the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s

Kaw River State Park and numerous equestrian, walking

four hatcheries and fish management programs. Private

and bike trails throughout our state and community parks.

landowners have also enrolled ponds in the walk-in fish program across the state.

If you can’t find something fun to do in the Kansas outdoors, you are not looking very hard. Recently the Kansas River

Traditionally hunting, fishing and water recreation have

was designated a National River Trail, only the second one

been the popular attractions among Kansas’ outdoor

in the nation. The Flint Hills/Tallgrass Prairie is gaining

recreation, but times are changing. Hiking, biking,

attention nationally and offers a unique experience of our

paddling, birding and even extreme sports are drawing

natural resources and our state’s heritage.

visitors to Kansas.

Hunting is a given in Kansas, but it has not always been

Diverse types of recreation need a diverse landscape and

that way.

opportunity—which are found in Kansas.

Sixty-five years ago pheasant season ran from October 30

Sincerely,

to November 3 in 47 counties. Now it runs three months

Robin Jennison, KDWPT Secretary

3

in this issue

2013

15 Four Seasons of Fishing With an abundance of fish and gorgeous scenery, Kansas is home to more than 24 Federal reservoirs, 40 state fishing lakes, over 200 community lakes, and more than 10,000 miles of streams and rivers.

Words by Elizabeth Peterson

18

Game on

d e p a r t m e n t s

Kansas Outdoors

f e a t u r e s

to do 06 | Kansas’ Byways

See a varied and exceptional Kansas on the road Words by Patsy Terrell

water 10 | The Water’s Wave

You don’t need to hit the coast for thrilling aquatic adventures Words by Sarah Hawbaker

Kansas offers some of the best hunting in the nation

camp

Words by David Zumbaugh

11 | Kansas Under the Stars

Words by Amy Bickel

The Sunflower State is unexpectedly rich in regional outdoor adventures.

29

trails 12 | Take A Hike!

32 Hospitality for hunters

hit the hills See the Flint Hills Nature Trail from bike, horseback or foot

Hunker down at one of Kansas’ lodges offering education, supplies and amenities

Words by Kimberly Winter Stern

Words by Carolyn Kaberline

Sam Brownback Governor

Robin Jennison

www.sunflowerpub.com Lawrence, Kansas

Design & Production

Katy Ibsen

KDWPT Secretary

Managing Editor

Becky Blake

Shelly Bryant

Director Tourism Division

Richard Smalley

Designer/Art Director

Bert Hull

Marketing Manager

General Manager

Jennifer Haugh

Joanne Morgan

Editor

Advertising Sales

Kansas Outdoors (ISSN 0022-8435) is published by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200 Topeka, KS 66612 (785) 296-3479 TTY Hearing Impaired: (785) 296-3487.

Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS, and at additional mailing offices.

Explore the diverse beauty of the Sunflower State’s many trails Words by Doug Vance

in every issue 03 | Letter 38 | Resource Guide 46 | Map

Please address publication inquiries to: Toll-free: (800) 678-6424 Kansas Outdoors, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200 Topeka, KS 66612

official

k a n s a s

guide

outdoors 2013

Find your OutdOOr destinatiOn

Camping in Kansas

11

see

Regional Destinations

23

Take a day (and a night) away at one of the state’s many camping getaways

Byways

04

Website: www.ksoutdoors.com Please mail all editorial inquiries to: Kansas Outdoors, 1020 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 200, Topeka, KS 66612 e-mail: ksmagazine@sunflowerpub.com

kansas department of wildlife, parks and tourism

cover photo by

Wilson Lake, Scott Bean

The articles and photographs that appear in Kansas Outdoors may not be broadcast, published or otherwise reproduced without the express written consent of Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism or the appropriate copyright owner.

Unauthorized use is prohibited. Additional restrictions may apply.

06

Kansas Outdoors

2013

Kansas’ Byways See a varied and exceptional Kansas on the road

Kansas is host to eight scenic byways and three historic byways highlighting the state’s wonders. Beautiful vistas beckon a stop along the way to fully appreciate the abundant wildlife and rich history of the state. Regardless of the season, there’s something magical to enjoy. Follow in the footsteps of cowboys, soldiers and pioneers

The Western Vistas Historic Byway was

Words by Patsy Terrell

Photographs by Michael C. Snell

the first historic byway in Kansas. The

Western Vistas Historic Byway

102-mile route shares human and natural history. Once covered by a primordial sea, this area is now a shortgrass prairie.

The plains are punctuated with buttes and chalk formations that were once the ocean floor. Scott State Park offers ideal fishing opportunities for crappie, catfish and bass.

Fossil hunters have been traveling this area since the 1870s, and their finds have contributed significantly to science with previously unknown

Communities Along the Way Oakley, Russell Springs, Scott City, Sharon Springs, Wallace, Winona What to see Fort Wallace Museum – Tour interpretative displays and see the Pond Creek Stagecoach Station, one of the oldest buildings between Leavenworth and Denver.

Monument Rocks National Landmark - Large chalk formations, rich in fossils that formed approximately 80 million years ago.

Where to Eat Colonial Steakhouse, Oakley

and extinct animals including flying

(785) 672-4720

reptiles and toothed birds. It is one

www.colonialsteakhouse.com

of the premier fossil hunting areas in

Family-style buffet and homemade soups.

the world.

Where to Stay The byway also travels through the

The Guesthouse Bed and Breakfast, Scott City

country that gave the “Wild West”

(620) 872-3559

its name. Follow in the footsteps of

www.guesthousebandb.com

Buffalo Bill Cody and explore Fort

Charming 1900 Victorian hideaway with a mystical

Wallace, “the fightin-est Fort in the West.” Battle Canyon is the site of the last conflict between American Indians (the Cheyenne) and United

to do

http://ksbyways.org/western_vistas

who have come before. Pause for a delicious meal or a memorable stay along the way.

States troops.

courtyard area.

http://ksbyways.org/glacial_hills

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

077

Glaciers once covered the northeast corner of Kansas; they left behind a unique landscape of wooded hills, clear streams and fertile farmland that defines the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway.

The byway begins in Leavenworth and travels north.

Members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition celebrated the first Independence Day of their journey in 1804 near what is now Atchison.

Two years later on their return trip they collected the last botanical

Glacial Hills Scenic Byway

specimen of the journey near Leavenworth. The Glacial Hills region includes one of the most famous Pony Express routes as well as Fort Leavenworth, the oldest Army post in continuous existence, west of the Mississippi River.

Benedictine Bottoms, Atchison State Fishing Lake and Warnock Lake near Atchison are all ideal locations for viewing wildlife.

Communities Along the Way Atchison, Fort Leavenworth, Highland, Lansing, Leavenworth, Troy, White Cloud What to See

Where to stay Tuck U Inn at Glick Mansion, Atchison

Where to eat The Corner Pharmacy, Leavenworth

(913) 367-9110

(913) 682-1602

www.glickmansion.com

Homemade pie and hand-dipped malts

Featured in Midwest Living, this bed

Four-state Lookout – Overlook shows

and breakfast is Old World elegance

Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa

with modern convenience.

are specialties at this old-fashioned soda fountain.

Kansas byways

Western Vistas Historic Byway Smoky Valley Scenic Byway Post Rock Scenic Byway Prairie Trail Scenic Byway Glacial Hills Scenic Byway Frontier Military Historic Byway Native Stone Scenic Byway Flint Hills National Scenic Byway Kansas Historic Route 66 Byway Wetlands & Wildlife National Scenic Byway

historic byways

Scenic Byways

Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway

Historic Byways

Frontier Military Historic Byway Mine Creek Battlefield – Learn about one of the largest cavalry battles in the Civil War.

Route 66 Historic Byway 4 Women on the Route, Home of “Tow Tater,” the inspiration for “Mater” in the movie Cars.

Western Vistas Historic Byway The Buffalo Bill Cultural Center offers exhibits on Buffalo Bill and visitor information in this 8,000 square-foot center. Don’t miss the beautiful bronze sculptures.

www.ksbyways.org

to do

For those seeking a byway that reveals history, culture and a unique experience, consider traveling the Frontier Military Historic Byway, Western Vistas Historic Byway or the Route 66 Historic Byway. These three byways highlight parts of Kansas that add to its slice of Americana and the Midwest. By visiting Kansas Byways online you can download itineraries, see photos, learn about highlights and get a map.

08

Kansas Outdoors

2013 The Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway is anchored by two prairie marshes,

Visit www.ksbyways.org to learn about other exciting Byways in Kansas, including:

Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area in the north and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in the south. These international treasures are on the central flyway and host millions of migrating birds each year, including waterfowl, shorebirds,

Prairie Trail Scenic Byway Travelers can see elk and bison at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge. McPherson State Lake, Kanopolis Lake and Mushroom State Park provide even more opportunities to get up-close to nature.

and even endangered whooping cranes.

The diversity of prairie marsh habitat is evident because Cheyenne Bottoms is a fresh-water marsh and Quivira is a salt-water marsh. Both have driving trails and observation areas.

Quivira also has walking trails and photo

Flint Hills National Scenic Byway A highlight is the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Strong City. Tallgrass is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, with only about 4 percent remaining around the globe. Hiking trails are open 24 hours a day, year-round.

blinds, as well as public hunting and fishing access. The region has been named one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas.

The 77-mile byway in central Kansas includes more than 60,000 acres of wetlands. The area is home to 23 species of mammals, 19 species of reptiles and nine species of amphibians. Wheat fields dot the landscape

Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway Sights include ancient floodplains, buttes, canyons, mesas and sinkholes. Sometimes referred to as the Red Hills, in honor of the red shale and sandstone formations, the rugged landscape includes beautiful vistas, plentiful outdoor recreational opportunities and two scenic overlooks offering panoramic views.

formed by ancient and ongoing geological movement as travelers pass through seven rural communities.

Communities Along the Way Claflin, Ellinwood, Great Bend, Hoisington, Hudson, St. John, Stafford What to see Kansas Wetlands Education Center tells the

Native Stone Scenic Byway The flint rock embedded in the limestone inspired the area’s name, and the beautiful grasslands draw people back to the area. The 48 miles of the Native Stone Scenic Byway goes through much of this natural beauty.

story of Cheyenne Bottoms, the wetlands and its wildlife. A nature trail and a handicap accessible boardwalk through the woods are available. The visitor center is a great resource for information on hiking, biking, camping, boating, fishing and more.

Central Kansas Raptor Rehab Education Facility in Great Bend allows people to

to do

Smoky valley Scenic Byway The Smoky Valley Scenic Byway takes travelers through 60 miles of west-central Kansas. The Smoky Hills earned their name because they appear hazy at sunrise and sunset. Unique for its division between two distinct kinds of prairie, the area also boasts wildflowers such as sage, coneflowers and yucca mix with native grasses.

observe the rehabilitation of these birds.

The Nature Conservancy Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve in Hoisington

http://ksbyways.org/wetlands_and_wildlife

Post Rock Scenic Byway Six miles of the byway is adjacent to the Wilson Lake recreational area. Scenic turnoffs overlook the dam and give views of the lake and valley beyond. Trails, picnic areas and campgrounds are also available.

Where to Eat Curtis Café, Stafford (620) 234-5644 Famous for homemade pie and puzzles that line the wall.

Where to Stay The Henderson House Inn and Retreat Center, Stafford (620) 234-6936 www.hendersonbandb.com This is an assortment of four country homes and a historic church, offering opportunity for large and small groups; there are 18 rooms with private baths.

Wetlands and Wildlife National Scenic Byway

The land of wide-open spaces and friendly faces, of beautiful sunsets and star-filled nights.

Sherman County Convention & Visitors Bureau

cvb@goodlandnet.com www.visitgoodland.com 785-890-3515 or 888-824-4222

Goodland is a unique High Plains community that you will want to become acquainted with.

10

Kansas Outdoors

2013

The water’s wave

You don’t need to hit the coast for thrilling aquatic adventures Getting out and exploring the aquatic activities across the state can be fun for all ages. From families with young children to college students and retirees, Kansas’ lakes, reservoirs and rivers can provide hours of fun and relief from those hot, summer days. Some activities, such as canoeing and kayaking, can also be enjoyed during offseason months.

Ninnescah Sailing Association at Cheney State Park

Kansas Rivers

The Ninnescah Sailing Association

as adventurous as you want it to

west of Wichita offers sailing

be. But be careful, most of the

lessons, sail boat rides, racing and

streams and rivers in Kansas are

more. The Junior Sailing program

privately owned, which means

offers young sailors a chance to

permission is needed by the

learn, compete and have fun.

landowner.

Venturing out onto a Kansas river or stream can be as relaxing or

www.ninnescah.org Locations: On the water:

Public rivers include the Kansas,

Cheney Reservoir is known as

Arkansas and Missouri. Kansas

one of the premier locations in

River, or the Kaw as it’s commonly

the U.S. for sailing, kite-boarding

known, begins near Junction City

and windsurfing, being ranked

and flows 173 miles to Kansas

one of the 10 windiest lakes by

City. Here it meets up with the

Windsurfing Magazine. For this

Missouri River, which makes up

reason, regattas are held nearly

the northeast border of our state.

every weekend.

The Arkansas River, which is the sixth-longest river in the world,

Where to eat:

enters the state through Hamilton

Hank is Wiser Brewery in Cheney.

County in the west and flows east

Family-owned and operated, the

and then south, exiting the state

brewpub offers a delicious menu

through Cowley County.

and seven house beers.

(316) 542-0113,

On the water:

www.hankiswiserbrewery.com

Float trips, canoeing and kayaking

Noteworthy:

rivers, with access points scattered

If you head out to Lake Scott

Open Thursday through Sunday,

throughout. For those seeking

the third weekend of August

KC Watersports in Paola

a challenge and a few thrills,

you can take a break from the

offers lessons, training camps,

whitewater kayaking is an excellent

water and enjoy the Lake Scott

competitions and just plain fun at

choice, with rapids ranging from

The Lake Scott State Park and

Rod & Run Show at Scott City

the cable wake park.

leisurely to class III and IV.

Wildlife Area near Scott City

Park hosted by the Lake Scott

is made up of natural springs

Car Club. www.facebook.com/

On the water:

River Resources:

lakescottcarclub

The cable wake park’s “cable system

These organizations not only offer

tows up to six wakeboarders, skiers

a wealth of information such as

or kneeboarders at the same time

access points and water conditions,

without the use of a boat,” according

but also offer organized float trips

Cedar Bluff Reservoir near Ellis,

to the KC Watersports website.

and information about renting

as its name suggests, boasts

Riders are able to rent all needed

canoes and kayaks.

building, the Beach House,

tall, limestone bluffs, making

gear onsite and can be of any skill

rents canoes and paddleboats

for a scenic experience.

level. KC Watersports is also adding

* Friends of the Kaw

an area specifically for stand-up

www.kansasriver.org

Lake Scott State Park and Wildlife Area Western Kansas has some of the most enjoyable waters.

nestled among weathered bluffs and canyons—creating an oasis among the western plains.

On the water: A privately operated concessions

Cedar Bluff Reservoir

in season, which are perfect On the water:

paddle boarding.

* Arkansas River Coalition

camp and fish but also desire

Here, boaters tend to gather

www.kcwatersports.com

www.arkriver.org

to take the kids out onto the

in the Page Creek area of the

Association

water

Words by Sarah Hawbaker

for families who may come to

* Kansas Canoe and Kayak

water. Other than fishing

reservoir where the crowds

boats, these rentable canoes

are thinner. This area, which

Visit Hillsdale Bank Bar B.Q. for

is less developed than the

award-winning barbeque served

* Kansas Whitewater

watercraft allowed on the water,

Bluffton Area, is also popular

out of a historic State Bank

Association

making it a great family-friendly

with jet skiers.

building. Open Friday-Sunday,

www.kansaswhitewater.org

and paddleboats are the only

environment.

Where to eat:

www.kansascanoe.org

March-November. (913) 783-4333,

* Wichita Area Paddlers

www.hillsdalebankbarbq.com

www.wichitapaddler.com

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism along with the U.S. Corps of

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism - www.ksoutdoors.com

Engineers are committed to the safe use of Kansas’ rivers, lakes and reservoirs.

Travel Kansas - www.TravelKS.com

Make the most of your water sports by being familiar with lake and reservoir polices.

Photographs: TravelKS.com (2)

are available on all three of these

KC Watersports

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

11

Kansas under the stars Get in the know

John Redmond, Marion and Council Grove reservoirs are operated entirely by the U.S. Corps

Take a day (and a night) away at one of the state’s many camping getaways

nearly all of the 40 state fishing lakes offer free primitive camping.

Highlights among Kansas’ camping include Chase State Fishing Lake in the scenic Flint Hills, which offers free primitive campsites

of Engineers, and all have electrical hookups.

around the 109-acre lake in Chase County.

Fees vary at private parks and city-managed areas.

Meanwhile, in western Kansas, Clark State

Utility campsite fees at state parks vary

Fishing Lake in the western part of the state

depending on number of hookups. Visitors also

emerges amid a terrain of flat crop fields

must have a daily or annual motor vehicle permit,

and pastures. The fishing lake offers several

which varies with the season.

places for primitive camping in the Bluff Creek Canyon.

Primitive campsites at McPherson State Fishing

Most primitive campsites have vaulted toilets

Lake, which sits in the middle of 2,254 acres

but no showers or electrical hookups.

of rolling native prairie in the Smoky Hills of

Camping at a state park or Corps of Engineers-

McPherson County, is also a wildlife refuge that

operated area includes family showers and

is home to nearly 200 head of buffalo (but are

flush toilets.

separated from campers).

Daily campsite permits are $8 during the prime Outdoor enthusiasts looking to camp can even

season—April 1 through September 30. During the off-season permits are $7 at most state parks.

At home in an RV

access camping along the state’s three public

It seems more travelers are untethering

waterways—the Missouri, Arkansas and the

themselves from stationary living to seek

Kansas rivers.

adventure with the flexibility to change locations

Cabin fever

About half of the state park cabins are

whenever they desire aboard an RV. Kansas

accessible to those with disabilities.

has 25 state parks that offer camping—all with

With more than 90 cabins in 19 state parks

Rental rates vary depending on the location,

electrical hookups and most within a walking

across Kansas, visitors can find abundant

season and cabin type.

distance of a lake or stream.

opportunities for relaxing outdoor experiences at state park cabins.

To reserve a cabin or for rental rates, visit

Travel along the legendary Route 66, or on one

www.reserve.ksoutdoors.com

of Kansas’ Byways, strap the bikes on back or

Modern cabins range in style and design;

throw in the hiking boots and explore various

basic sleeper cabins are more rustic with

trails at nearby state parks.

only minimum amenities. The deluxe cabins

Kansas State Parks Passport

feature full kitchens with dishes, pots and pans,

New in 2013, you can purchase a Kansas State Parks Passport in conjunction with your

Almost every region of the state has camping

microwaves, stoves, refrigerators and table

Kansas motor vehicle registration or renewal.

areas with utilities, whether it is a private

and chairs. Deluxe cabins also have separate

The passport will cost $15 (with a possible $.50

campground or a state-operated park. Kanopolis

bedrooms and bathrooms with showers.

transaction fee), which is $10 less than the

State Park, launched in 1959 and the oldest state park in Kansas, has 133 utility hook-ups,

Besides food and beverage, the only thing

including 44 with both electricity and water;

a visitor needs when lodging at a cabin is

except the Prairie Spirit Trail State Park.

as well as utility sites offered on U.S. Corps of

bedding, pillows and toiletries. Cabins don’t

Engineers-managed property.

have televisions, and there are no internet or telephone hookups.

For more information contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, State

Pitch a tent Pitching a tent in the great outdoors, cooking

Cabins are ideal for family vacations with

over a campfire and crawling into a sleeping

space and affordability. Most cabins can

Park Fees

bag for a night under the stars has become a

sleep four to six adults, while others can

www.ksoutdoors.com/Park-Fees

treasured pastime in Kansas. Conveniently,

sleep up to 10 adults.

Park Division (620) 672-5911

Words by Amy Bickel

KDWPT annual park vehicle permit.

The passport grants access to all state parks

camp

12

Kansas Outdoors

2013

take a hike!

Explore the diverse beauty of the Sunflower State’s many trails Veteran hikers who have explored the wildly diverse and scenic multiuse Kansas trails for their nature walks continue to be amazed at the array of panoramic rewards available when venturing deep into the woods.

It might be a rocky path of earth that bends along the slopes of a steep incline, leading to miles of dense growth that provides hidden homes for furry creatures. It also could be a sunlit clearing near the muddy banks of a lazy creek under a canopy of vintage trees that have a heritage dating back to the early 1800s, when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark hiked into a territory that would later be known as Kansas.

“Hiking Kansas trails reveals dramatic variations in terrain, flora and wildlife that can be found across the state,” says Mike Goodwin of the Kansas Trails Council.

Photographs Clockwise from left: Harland J. Schuster, Scott Bean, Harland J. Schuster

“We are fortunate in Kansas to have trails that explore Ozark-like oak forests in the southeast, the prairie grasses of the Flint Hills, the loamy soils and lush vegetation of river side trails and bluffs overlooking our many lakes.”

There are over 2,000 miles of trails spread across Kansas, and a variety of them offer meaningful hiking experiences, each promising their own unique challenges and scenic rewards.

trails

Words by Doug Vance

Kansas Outdoors asked veteran hikers to describe some of Kansas’ unique hikes.

Essential equipment for a successful hike

Comfortable hiking boots with good support and traction

Comfortable, but thick wool socks

Sunscreen and a hat

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

13

Suggested Hiking Trails Online Resources www.TravelKS.com www.kansastrailscouncil.org www.goPLAYkansas.com www.trailsofkansas.com www.slackpacker.com www.trails.com www.ksoutdoors.com

Perry Lake Hiking Trail

Elk City Lake, Elk River Trail

Pawnee Prairie Nature Trail

The scenic Perry Lake Hiking Trail, which unfurls

The trail offers a rewarding 15-mile hike that

Located in Wichita’s Pawnee Prairie Park, the city’s

to points near the lake, provides a wide spectrum

launches north of the west end of the Elk River dam

largest park, this trail provides 4.75 miles of exploring

of terrain along its 29-mile path. The degree of

and ends at U.S. Highway 160 near the small town

opportunities along Cowskin Creek and through

difficulty goes from challenging to easy. Depending

of Elk City. The eastern half of the trail provides

native and restored prairies and riparian woodlands.

on the time of the year, hikers might see deer,

scenic lake overlooks while winding along the base

One mile of the marked trail is paved, and the rest is

turkey, waterfowl, reptiles, small mammals and an

of rock bluffs and down through sheer rock canyons

unpaved. Sightings of deer and turkey are common

occasional Bald Eagle.

covered in mosses, wildflowers and lichens. The

with an occasional fox or coyote also among the

www.ksoutdoors.com/Perry-State-Park

western sections of the trail curve along the Elk

creatures that roam the woodland area.

River as the terrain becomes flatter.

Prairie Spirit Rail Trail

www.ksoutdoors.com/Elk-City-State-Park

honorable mention

The always-changing and colorful landscape that

Clinton Lake North Shore Trails Lawrence www.ksoutdoors.com/Clinton-State-Park Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve strong city www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm

Ruth Nixon Trail, Big Hill Reservoir

forms this calming 51-mile hiking adventure links

Located five miles east of Cherryvale, the Ruth Nixon

Richmond, Scipio, Garnett, Welda, Colony, Carlyle and

Trail offers a mixture of terrain, which winds through

Iola. The adjacent terrain serves as home for white-

heavily wooded habitat and provides opportunities

tailed deer, cottontail rabbits, wild turkeys and quail.

for up-close viewing of native vegetation and wildlife.

www.ksoutdoors.com/Prairie-Spirit-Trail

together the communities of Ottawa, Princeton,

The trails trace along the western shore of the lake and Chinquapin oaks. Armadillos, woodchucks, red

Gary L. Haller Trail, Mill Creek Streamway Park

and gray foxes and bobcats are found in this area.

Hiking options also are available in urban locations

through woodlands of impressive post, blackjack, red

such as Johnson County. The Gary L. Haller Trail is

Cedar Bluff State Park Ellis www.ksoutdoors.com/Cedar-Bluff-State-Park scott state park, Lake Scott Scott city www.ksoutdoors.com/Scott-State-Park

Horsethief Canyon TrailS, Kanopolis State Park

a 10-foot-wide, multiuse paved trail that winds

Kanopolis State Park in eastern Ellsworth County

linking numerous neighborhoods. The 15-mile trail

offers 31 miles of trails, and two sections of the

meanders along the stream, in woodlands, near

trail system are referred to as the Horsethief

wetlands and open grasslands. The steep portion

Canyon Trails. Hikers can spend an entire day

of the path is not for everyone, so there is a

navigating their way along uneven and intriguing

lowland bypass that is accessible to all. At the

terrain that loops through ancient forests with

crest of the Oakridge Hills there are scenic vistas

towering trees and wetland areas while winding in

of the valley and surrounding community, a place

and out of rocky canyons.

not to be missed in the fall to witness an

www.ksoutdoors.com/Kanopolis-State-Park

abundance of color.

through portions of Shawnee, Lenexa and Olathe,

Trail analysis provided by: Mike Goodwin, Kansas Trails Council; Jim Mason, Naturalist, Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita Parks and Recreation; Sid Stevenson, Kansas State University

Snacks that provide energy and are easy to carry

A first-aid kit with Band-Aids, headache remedy, insect repellent and blister pads

Depending on the time of year, weather and climate variations along a trail, dress in layers, which allows the removal/ addition of clothing to adjust for temperature changes.

A good attitude and sense of adventure!

A light rain jacket or poncho

trails

Plenty of water. For convenience, a pack that holds the internal water bladder will save you from having to stop and take out water bottles

Kansas Outdoor Trails

by Julie M. Cirlincuina

A GreAt MArketinG tool for your Business

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Kansas Outdoors

15

Best Bait Shops Across Kansas

Bait Hut | Topeka Family-owned with an extensive line of gear. www.baithut.net (782) 232-7400 Baxter’s Bait & Tackle | Stockton Nominated as one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce, known as “Little Cabela’s.”

(785) 425-6321

Seasons of Fishing State waters afford year-round o p p ort un it ie s f or an gle rs

Chapman Creek Outdoors Chapman Fishing tackle for the serious angler. www.chapmancreek.com, (785) 922-6630 K&K Fly Fisher’s Supply Overland Park Your source for the best fly fishing equipment, advice, schools and travel. www.kkflyfisher.com (913) 341-8118 Knotheads Sylvan Grove Offering a good variety of live and artificial baits, fishing, boating and camping supplies.

(785) 658-2166 Little Bait Shop Cawker City “Tom has worms … at The Little Bait Shop!”

(785) 781-4246

The waters of Kansas are an angler’s dream.

With an abundance of fish and gorgeous scenery, Kansas is home to more than 24 Federal reservoirs, 40 state fishing lakes, over 200 community lakes, and more than 10,000 miles of streams and rivers. From the crappie and walleye spawn in the spring, to chumming for catfish in the dog days of summer, to the trout season in early fall through winter, Kansas gives you a never-ending opportunity to keep a fishing rod on hand. words by Elizabeth Peterson

photograph by Harland J. Schuster

Lovewell Marina & Grill | Webber Offering bait shop, fish and tackle, and a well-stocked convenience store. www.lovewellmarina.com (785) 753-4351 Zeiner’s Bass Shop | Wichita Almost 60 years in business, your year ‘round fishing store. www.zeiners.com (316) 265-5551

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Kansas Outdoors

2013

fall/winter

White bass fishing tends to get another boost in early autumn and late fall. As temperatures drop, the bass tend to follow the lake’s forage to shallower waters. They can be found in much the same places they frequent in the spring.

Once an angler discovers an active school of fish, they’ll be kept entertained for hours.

Trout season, which runs fall through spring, is quickly gaining in popularity. Kansas stocks over 30 locations across the state, including the Kanopolis seep stream area. Extensive bank and habitat improvements have created

seasons on Kansas’ waters. The walleye and crappie spawns start the season off, bringing

Summer tends to bring a slower pace to

summer

spring

Springtime proves to be one of the favorite

abundant numbers of fishers to the lakes. Kirwin

Kansas waters. Most lakes still offer average fishing, although the fish will move to deeper and cooler water as the temperatures rise.

one of the most favorable trout spots in all of the state and was once home to the state record brown trout. Willow Lake at Tuttle Creek

Reservoir, Glen Elder and Cedar Bluffs are also well-known for quality trout populations. The

and Glen Elder reservoirs in the northwest, along with Webster Lake, are the quintessential waters

Anglers can find particularly good warm water

Mined Land Wildlife Area No. 30 is a hot spot

to enjoy the spring spawn.

in Milford Lake. Besides a varied population of

of stocked trout, designed specifically for year-

fish, including smallmouth bass, walleye, blue

round cultivation of quality fish.

Jason Probst, co-author of the Complete Guide

cats and wipers, it features good fishing access

to Kansas Fishing, says, “If I’m fishing for spring

and family-friendly opportunities. Many anglers

With so many bodies of water to choose from, and

crappie, there’s no place I’d rather be than Glen

enjoy easy fishing this time of year, though, and

such a diverse population of fish, Kansas fishing

Elder.” As the fish move to shallow waters, the

choose to favor some of the smaller lakes with

waters have something for everyone.

spawn makes for ideal fishing for both shore

sunfish and bluegill populations.

and boating anglers.

Catfishing takes center stage in the height

Blaine Baxter, owner of Baxter’s Bait & Tackle

of the summer, and they can be found in

shop in Stockton, confirms that Kirwin and Glen

almost every body of water in Kansas. Milford

Elder lakes are “the best in the state as far as

Lake is well-known for its channel and blue

quality and quantity” of crappie fishing.

catfish populations, while Kanopolis and John Redmond Reservoir also rate high on the list.

Youth Fishing Clinics Various lakes and reservoirs across Kansas

Most of the centrally located reservoirs also provide exceptional spring fishing

Kansas has gone to great lengths to maintain

host fishing clinics for children of all ages.

opportunities. Marion Reservoir is specifically

catfishing opportunities. With the Urban Fishing

Typical classes include education in water

noted as ideal spawning grounds for white

Program, the state helps keep 77 different lakes

conservation, fishing etiquette, water safety

bass, often found upstream in the Cottonwood

stocked with a variety of catfish, sunfish and

and fishing techniques. Some clinics even

Area. Additionally, southeast Kansas offers no

wipers. Usually sometime between June and

include Fishing Derbys and plenty of prizes.

shortage of a variety of fish, notably big bass,

August, Kansas opens a season specifically for

and provides excellent fishing year-round.

hand-fishing flatheads. Elk City Reservoir, the Kaw

For more information, or to find a clinic, visit

River and the Marais des Cygnes River in the east

www.ksoutdoors.com.

atlas

Kansas Fishing

are all known for their record-setting flatheads.

The Kansas Fishing Atlas is an annual

Stream Habitats), are easily identified

focused amenities and policies are easy

publication produced by the Kansas

by bright red numerals in the atlas. It

to discover and explore.

Department of Wildlife, Parks and

also differentiates the waters that are

Tourism. Kansas offers a diverse

regulated by community, state and

The Kansas Fishing Atlas is available to

range of reservoirs, lakes and miles

federal agencies. While it does list some

the public, at no charge, at most Kansas

of streams and rivers, so the fishing

general guidelines, it’s best to consult

Department of Wildlife, Parks and

atlas was created as an easy-to-use

the 2012 Fishing Regulations Summary

Tourism offices and licensed vendors.

directory of places to fish, access

for more detailed information.

It’s also available for download online at www.ksoutdoors.com.

points and the basic guidelines and regulations on the listed waters.

With a focus on families and youth

The state leases private land across

in the outdoors, the state has made a

Additional

Kansas to give fishing enthusiasts more

special point to identify Family Friendly

information found at

access to Kansas waters. These lands,

Facilities. With the use of a small blue

www.TravelKS.com/

called F.I.S.H. (Fishing Impoundment and

bobber symbol, the lakes with family-

Fishing.

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

some of Kansas’ most popular fishing lakes

Crappie

1 2

Walleye

11 4

white bass

12

13

trout

10

5

9 3

channel catfish

6

flathead catfish

7

14

8

bluegill 1 | Kirwin Reservoir

4 | Milford Lake

7 | Elk City Lake

10 | Kaw River

13 | Scott State Park

Crappie

Walleye and crappie

2 | Glen Elder State Park

Walleye and crappie

3 | Marion Reservoir

White bass

Smallmouth bass, walleye, channel and blue catfish & wipers

5 | Kanopolis Lake Channel & blue catfish

6 | John Redmond Reservoir

Flathead catfish

Flathead catfish

8 | Mined Land Wildlife Area

11 | Tuttle Creek Reservoir

14 | Meade State Park

Trout

Trout

Bluegill

9 | Marais des Cygnes River

12 | Cedar Bluffs Reservoir

Trout

Flathead catfish

Channel & blue catfish

Winfield Convention and Tourism • VisitWinfield.com Marion County • GrowMarionCounty.com El Dorado Convention and Visitors Bureau • 360ElDorado.com Marshall County Tourism • MarshallCoKs.com Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau • VisitManhattanks.org Go Wichita • GoWichita.com Emporia Convention & Visitors Bureau • EmporiaKsChamber.org Abilene & Herington • DkCoKs.org Chase County Tourism • ChaseCountyChamber.org

Experience the Flint Hills www.kansasflinthills.travel

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Kansas Outdoors

2013

Game on Kansas offers some of the best hunting in the nation words by David Zumbaugh

Photograph: Scott Bean

18

f

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

For decades, Kansas has ranked at the top of the list for quality upland hunting of pheasants, greater and lesser prairie chickens and both bobwhite and blue quail­— not to mention big game hunts for whitetail and mule deer, antelope and even elk.

A growing population of wild turkeys offers a thrilling challenge for hunters in diverse habitats.

Kansas also boasts a famous legacy of world-class waterfowl hunting with venues from vast prairie marshes to big water reservoirs and even river flowages at freeze-up time in December.

Needless to say, Kansas has become a hunter’s paradise that is among some of the best hunting in the nation.

Legacy Benton Boyd is proud to carry on a family tradition of waterfowling—a passion passed down to him from his father. Boyd began hunting at the Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, one of four federal refuges in Kansas, but has much experience at Tuttle Creek and Perry reservoirs, two of Kansas’ 24 “big water” lakes.

“I just love jump-shooting ducks on small ponds early in the season,” Boyd says. Opportunities to hunt geese and ducks are available on the Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas rivers, mostly via boat access. Cheyenne Bottoms and the associated Wetlands Education Center near Great Bend is a true mecca for waterfowl hunters. Hundreds of thousands of migratory fowl from the Central Flyway pass through this area in autumn, creating a spectacle for sportsmen and bird watchers alike.

Bird hunter A bird hunter to his soul, David McNeal has taken long walks behind keen-nosed dogs for decades on Fort Riley and the vicinity. This military installation offers more than 75,000 acres of public access to hunters.

“I have encountered as many as seven coveys of quail a day in recent years, and pheasants and greater prairie chickens can be found as well,” says McNeal.

A certified hunter’s education instructor, McNeal often mentors youth and soldiers on upland hunting tips as well as off Fort Riley. There is also a managed herd of elk on the post with hunting permits awarded via drawing. The best pheasant populations are in

Check the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism website for an atlas of Walk-In Hunting Areas (WIHA).

Additional hunting information found at www.TravelKS/hunting.

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Kansas Outdoors

2013

Meet the Eastern Beagle Club

the western half of the state with seasonal variations in local populations.

Numerous small towns such as Beloit have welcomed generations of bird hunters, with quaint motels, cafés and accommodating residents.

Big Game If you are looking to hunt big game, Kansas is home to giant-racked deer and antelope. Mule deer can be found in the west, but whitetails are common throughout the state.

Although Bill Whitworth works in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Since he was a kid, Brian Spini has been around beagle hounds. He currently breeds, trains and runs his dogs in field trials.

in North Dakota, he has traveled to Kansas to hunt deer for 15 years.

“I got hooked on bow hunting while attending Fort Hays State University,

“I can tell by their bark if a dog is running a bunny or is really ‘lying’ to me,” says Spini.

and dragging my old boots through

Each beagle has a unique sound and can be identified at great distances by its tone and volume. Spini has people come from all over the U.S. to hunt rabbits with his beagles on Kansas soil.

over 150 inches. The 100,000-acre

Even though the rabbit season is open year round, the most exciting pursuits happen when a powdery snow blankets the ground. Under such conditions, scenting probabilities for the beagles are optimized, and hunters can better see the furry brown flashes more easily against the white background, improving the chances for a pot of stew.

Kansas dirt each year restores that passion,” says Whitworth. He has harvested several animals scoring

It’s no longer a secret, trophy big game hunts for whitetail and mule deer, antelope and even elk are possible in the Sunflower state.

Cimarron National Grassland sports a

In addition to the popular species listed, small game and predator

huntable population of antelope, but

hunting is popular as well with plentiful numbers of doves, squirrels,

they can be found in other areas of the

rabbits, coyotes, foxes and bobcats.

high plains, too.

If you are searching for a place to pursue your favorite game species,

Turkey

Kansas offers unparalleled and diverse hunting opportunities with

Both Rio Grande and eastern wild

liberal seasons, generous bag limits and abundant access. Including

turkeys were re-introduced in Kansas

the Wildlife Management Areas, federal properties and the Walk-In

and are flourishing throughout the state.

Hunting Areas (WIHA), Kansas offers more than 1 million acres of land on which to wear out a pair of hunting boots.

“Missouri used to be the closest place

Spini makes a pilgrimage to Glen Elder Wildlife Management Area every year to run his beagles. He says that within the 13,200 acres open for public hunting, there is a significant amount of choice “edge habitat” that ensures lots of practice for his hounds and some fine shooting for his group.

Eastern Beagle Club is located in Hillsdale; it is an AKC Beagle Field trial club. http://easternkansasbeagleclub. blogspot.com/

to hunt turkeys for us Kansans, but now we have great opportunities to pursue them right at home,” says Gene Hallett. He has taken many long-beards near Lawrence and in recent years has made trips to south-central Kansas to bag a Rio. He claims a certified “trophy certificate” for one of his birds based on an index of measurements.

Photographs clockwise from left: Shutterstock, David Zumbaugh, Harland J. Schuster, Bill Fales, Tina Schmidt

Come PLAYwith us in Marion County

Fishing and boating Hunting and hiking Camping and picnicking Marion County Economic Development www.growmarioncounty.com | 620-382-8830

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TravelKS.com

For the adventurous the Sunflower State is unexpectedly rich in far more ways than mythological characterization or tumbleweeds bouncing across the plains.

Kansas Outdoors

ages m i e r z, whe e a slice O f o e Land only provid h t o t me ys ty.

Welco and cowbo eping beau e le of catt f Kansas’ sw o

Vast oceans of tallgrass prairie, chalky monoliths, marshy wetlands and thick woodlands are all part of the unique landscape that comprises the heartland of Kansas.

To better understand Kansas’ landscape, geologists have divided the state into various physiographic regions; the Eastern Wooded Hills, Flint Hills, Central Prairie and the Western High Plains. Here’s a look at these regions and some highlights from their outdoor enticements.

- Gloria Gale

Photograph by Harland J. Schuster

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Kansas Outdoors

2013 Historic roots

Words by Amy Conkling

Step back to the Old Black West and tour historic Nicodemus. Historian Angela Bates, who owns and operates the Nicodemus Livery Company & Wagon Tours, gives tours of the Nicodemus National Historic Site and Landmark District.

Programs and tours are both educational and entertaining as they follow the town of Nicodemus—the only remaining black town west of the Mississippi, says Bates.

“We cover the history of the town and township, as well as the AfricanAmerican experience in the west, to include first-person characterizations of buffalo soldiers, cowboys, politicians,

women, entrepreneurs and more,” she says.

Horse-drawn wagon tours, historic townsite tours, teacher study tours,

living history presentations, youth day/half-day camps, adult day trip tours, women and girl programs, outdoor theater programs, historic homestead tours and cemetery tours are all available. Bus and group tours encouraged. www.discoverhillcity.com

K

ansas’ beautiful Western High Plains Region may attract thousands of hunters, but its unique mixture of widespread plains and rolling hills boast more than quail, turkey and pheasants.

Splish Splash & Famous 10-Mile Road Race

Lake Atwood is a beautiful 43-acre lake at the north end of Atwood that is

encircled by a lighted walking path, old cottonwood trees, and shaded campsite and picnic areas. Visitors can enjoy walking, fishing, canoeing and lounging, and they can feed the several species of water fowl in the lake.

Perhaps the highlight of Lake Atwood is a dry-land activity, the Lake

Big Basin Prairie Preserve

Atwood 10-Miler held each July, the oldest road race in Kansas since 1972

and a top-10 road race in the United States. This USATF-certified race is a

Just 15 miles south of Minneola is the Big Basin, a natural sinkhole of 100

feet that some think was created thousands of years ago by dissolving salts. Here

hard-surface course, including eight laps around the lake. Competition is open

the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism maintains 1,818 acres of

to both individuals and teams.

unique landscape.

www.lakeatwoodtenmile.com, www.atwoodkansas.com

Located off of Highway 283, wind through about a mile of the basin before climbing to the rim, which has nearly vertical walls. The Big Basin entrance is found at the bottom of the basin and is home to a free-roaming buffalo herd. Visitors are urged to follow the unimproved road to St. Jacob’s Well, but use caution when exiting their vehicles as the buffalo are unpredictable.

Web: www.minneolakansas.com/att_preserve.html Butterfield Trail Bunkhouse

This rustic WaKeeney retreat captivates outdoors enthusiasts of any kind—

nature lovers, history buffs, hunters and fishers. Located in Trego County on the Butterfield Overland Despatch Trail near the Smoky Hill River & Scenic Byway, visitors can walk in the footsteps of the pioneers who were westward bound making their way from Fort Leavenworth to Denver.

“Our bunkhouse sits in the middle of a pasture and is fairly plain and simple,”

says Donna Deines, who, with her husband, William, own and operate the Butterfield Trail Bunkhouse. “Our visitors are usually looking for something other than a motel, and what they find when they get here is solitude, beautiful sunrises, sunsets and stars you can see at night.”

Families and groups will enjoy this beautiful getaway with hiking opportunities

to discover shark and fish fossils, spring wildflowers that are at their blooming peak in May and June, a picnic on the prairie, fishing and boating at nearby Cedar Bluff State Park and—of course—the pheasant, deer, quail and wild turkey hunting that Trego County is known for. www.butterfieldtrailbunkhouse.com Words by Cecilia Harris

Photographs Clockwise from left: Audrey Hoehne, Courtesy of the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, TravelKS.com, Bruce Hogle, TravelKS.com (2)

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TravelKS.com

he sights and sounds found in the Central Prairie yield amazing adventures, whether you are an active outdoors type or a tourist simply desiring to get back to nature.

Kansas Outdoors

Janel Kirn Pieschl, president of the Rock City Inc. Board of Directors,

says this is the only place in the world where there are so many sandstone concretions in such a small area (as they are referred to by geologists) of such enormous size; boulders range from 10 to 27 feet in diameter.

Little Yellowstone of Kansas

wonder,” Pieschl says. “Visitors can touch and climb the concretions.” With

Saddle up to discover the “Little Yellowstone of Kansas,” the name Walt Gove, of

“We love to have people come out to explore and share our natural

the Goverland Stage Stop, gave the canyons, valleys, mesas and oak tree forests found

names such as Turtle, Giant’s Easy Chair, The Mummy, Bathtub and Earth in

at Kanopolis State Park in Ellsworth County.

a Saucer, the boulders also harbor unexpected surprises.

“Most people from other states or other countries think Kansas is just flat, flat,

“Ground squirrels and lizards live among the rocks; this is an

flat, but when they ride this part of Kansas they find out that it’s not,” he says.

opportunity to experience wildlife up close and personal,” she says. Ferns

and mosses spread in the crevices and on the sides of the boulders and

There’s ample opportunity for hiking and mountain biking as well as horseback

riding on the park’s over 27 miles of trails, including the 1½-mile-long Buffalo Tracks

wildflowers in and around the boulders.

Canyon Nature Trail along Bison Creek to a rugged box canyon where Plains tribes

once trapped bison. On your trek, depending on the time of day, you just might spot

trails that total 1.3 miles,” she says. “The wildflowers are just beautiful in

deer, turkey, bobcats, prairie dogs, coyote, hawks, blue birds, orioles and cranes.

the spring.”

www.washburn.edu/cas/art/cyoho/archive/KStravel/rockcity

“We get lots of migratory birds here, so you never know what you’re going to

“In another part of the park, there are three interconnecting nature

see,” Gove says.

Not up for a horseback ride? Climb aboard the Goverland stagecoach or

Yeehaw!

covered wagon during the summer season.

www.goverlandstagestop.com

to watch at the Kansas Championship Ranch Rodeo in Medicine Lodge,

More realistic than a professional rodeo, there’s plenty of action

sanctioned by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association, in late September.

Rock On

The Ranch Rodeo offers insight into daily life on the ranch as teams of

cowboys, representing their ranches, compete in events.

For those big and little kids who love to climb on rocks, Rock City just south of

Minneapolis might just appear to be paradise. More than 200 gigantic boulders stand

in three clusters in an area about the size of two football fields.

the events have three or four guys who work together to accomplish what

“This is a team competition,” says Kaye Kuhn, rodeo secretary. “All of

they have to do.”

In the team penning competition, the cowboys sort specific heads of

cattle from a herd, then pen them, much like they do on the ranch. Branding involves roping the calves and taking them to teammates who brand them with gypsum found in the area instead of a hot iron, according to Kuhn.

A crowd-pleaser is the wild cow-milking contest in which the cow is

roped and one cowboy tries to squirt her milk into a bottle. And yes, there’s also bronc riding, ranch-style, of course, with a regular working saddle. Pick up some western décor, a cowboy hat or a saddle at the Cowboy Trappings and Trade Show here the same weekend. www.peacetreaty.org/rodeo.htm Flyaway

Schedule a stop at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center

overlooking Cheyenne Bottoms in Barton County, the largest inland freshwater marsh in the country, to gain a better understanding of the wetlands and wildlife in the area. Immerse yourself in displays that explain the importance of the wetlands where up to 600,000 shorebirds, such as long-billed dowitchers and Baird’s sandpipers, might converge in the spring migration and an additional 200,000 arrive in autumn in typical years.

Watch mallards tending their young or great blue herons stalking prey from the center’s observation point overlooking the mitigation marsh.

Educational presentations, from wildlife photography to birding

basics, are conducted throughout the year at the Education Center that in the spring of odd-numbered years offers Wings ’N Wetlands, a weekend of guided tours and workshops for beginning to experienced birders.

Participants bird at Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge as well as other areas.

Also a bird watcher’s paradise, Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms

support federally protected species, including the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, whooping crane, least tern and piping plover. Look for shorebirds in the spring, herons and egrets in the summer, ducks and geese in the fall, and white-tailed deer in the winter. http://wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu

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Kansas Outdoors

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Words by Kimberly Winter Stern

O

ften called “The Grassroots of America,” the Flint Hills has trails, parks and rides that traverse valleys and hilltops, challenging and dispelling the notion that Kansas is flat and empty. Outdoor enthusiasts have long known—and respected—the bounty that the Flint Hills offers modern-day explorers. Big, bold vistas give way to magical carpets of wildflowers and waving prairie grasses; wildlife and birds wander the prairie; history speaks quietly through ancient stone fences.

on horseback

A popular place to saddle up for guided rides (or hikes) in the Flint Hills: Ride

the Flint Hills near Beaumont operates on 10,000 acres of ranchland owned by the historic Ferrell and Squier ranches. www.ridetheflinthills.com Also popular among the Flint Hills is Flying W Ranch. From cattle drives to overnight stays, this ranch outfit is a must-see destination. www.flinthillsflyingw.com explore eldorado Bike or walk the 6.3-mile El Dorado Bike Trail that runs from East Park to a

Named as one of America’s Top 100 Day Hikes by Backpacker magazine,

wooded trail area below El Dorado Lake Dam. Parking is available at both ends of

hikers can choose from two-, four- or six-mile loops in this scenic area outside

this family-friendly trail and off 12th Street in El Dorado. www.visiteldoradoks.com

Manhattan. www.konza.ksu.edu

Kick up some dust at the Frontier Western Celebration in El Dorado. From the

Pillsbury Crossing Wildlife Area, a few miles southeast of Manhattan,

Ranch Rodeo to children’s events, this is your hat-tippin’ Flint Hills event.

encompasses 59 acres that are among the most scenic of the northern Flint

www.frontierwesterncelebration.com

Hills region. It includes one of the state’s best-kept secrets: the Deep Creek

Waterfall. At certain times of the year canoeing and kayaking are allowed, and

A stunning 12-mile scenic ride that takes cyclists from Carnahan Creek

Road to Kansas Highway 13. Another biking opportunity is from Shannon Creek

there are hikes alongside the stream on unmarked trails. (785) 539-9999

Road to Spring Creek road—20 miles of well-graveled backcountry roads with great Kansas highland views and access to wildlife areas at the north end of Tuttle Creek

discovery

Reservoir. www.olsburgks.com

Modern-day Kansans play a vital stewardship role in the preservation of

the diverse Flint Hills. The Flint Hills Discovery Center located in downtown manhattan delights

Manhattan—itself a collaboration of community—is an informal learning center

that explores in-depth the science and history of Kansas’s magnificent ancient

Four miles of mountain bike and hiking trail that run along rocky ridges with

scenic overviews is nestled in Fancy Creek campground within the Tuttle Creek

ecosystem. The center, which opened in April 2012, houses permanent and

state park. The Fancy Creek trail winds through a dense cedar forest into native Flint

temporary exhibits and immersive experiences such as “Tallgrass Prairie: Tides

Hills grassland.

of Time,” a multimedia presentation that tells the Flint Hills story. Open 363

www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/State-Parks/Locations/Tuttle-Creek

days a year, the Flint Hills Discovery Center is meant to be a personal resource

for understanding, appreciating and enjoying the Tallgrass Prairie.

Also enjoy the six-mile Konza Prairie hiking trail that winds through lowland

forest and climbs over ancient limestone ledges into the native Flint Hills tallgrass.

www.flinthillsdiscovery.org

K

ansas’ Eastern Wooded Hills are amazingly diverse, featuring the northeastern glaciated region with deposits of quartzite boulders giving way to the gently rolling escarpments of the Osage Questes. Finally, at the extreme southeastern tip of the state, lies the rocky sandstone outcropping of the Chautauqua Hills.

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

Assisted with a Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant from the

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Killion developed the notfor-profit park and opened to the public in 2003 with an all-volunteer staff. The park is open weekends only, year-round for four-wheel drive, UTV, side-by-side vehicles, bikers and hikers.

“You have to have your own vehicle, and even though we are not-for-

profit, we do charge a minimal fee, $15 for four-wheel drive, $5 for hike/bike,” says Killion.

Westward Ho! Atchison’s Riverfront Park, the historic site of Lewis and Clark

Over 60 miles of shared trails, beginner to advanced, encompass the

park. Since the maximum speed in the park is 5 miles per

Pavilion and Veterans’ Memorial, both with interpretive signage, hosts

hour, bikers and hikers can share a trail with four-

a children’s playground and picnic grounds, walking path with scenic

wheel-drive vehicles. www.ksrockspark.com

views to the river and boat ramp.

“After visiting Riverfront Park, the 10-mile hiking/biking path connecting Independence and Fourth of July 1804 creeks is a great way to explore this historic riverfront and Glacial Hills scenic byway. The trailhead includes a recreated Kanza Indian lodge built by volunteers from the community. The entire area is a delightful way to spend time exploring in the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark expedition,” says Jacque Pregont, Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce president.

Atchison Warnock Lake is located four miles south of Riverfront Park and is great for casting a line at catfish, crappie and largemouth bass. www.atchisonkansas.net Mother Nature’s paradise

Overland Park, Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, is one of the best-kept

secrets in the metropolitan Kansas City area—a natural playground tucked into the

Words by Gloria Gale

rolling wooded hills of south Johnson County. The 300-acre botanical development is dedicated to environmental education and the appreciation of nature. Considerable effort is given to gardens intertwined within eight ecosystems and six gardens.

Nearly 5 miles of hiking trails on paved and unpaved paths, observational birding

Photographs Clockwise from left: Tim Sigle, Eric Benjamin, Del Ruff, Katy Ibsen, TravelKS.com, Michael C. Snell

hut, Native American medicine wheel, lake and interpretive center are surrounded by vaulting limestone bluffs, shaded creek beds and dense woods. The entire site is clearly marked with information about the flora and fauna. Also capturing attention are the whitetail deer, box turtles, coyote, rabbit, fox and numerous species of birds.

“This is a year-round destination. In addition to the gardens, our roster of classes

includes ta’i chi, flower photography, bird chat and Native American flute instruction,” says supervisor Karen Kerkhoff. She adds that if you love the outdoors, the arboretum has

‘Mother Road’ beckons

prairie, hiking trails and waterfall.

Springs located in the last southeast county before Oklahoma. As part of the

“We invite everyone to visit since we’re constantly improving the grounds and

adding features,” says Kerkhoff. www.opkansas.org

Route 66 is the nostalgic roadway that slices right through Baxter

Ozark Plateau, the area is mostly grazing land punctuated with rolling hills.

Now the draw for the small Cherokee County town is 13.6 miles of the

Deep space

original Route 66 “Mother Road.” Among the attractions on the route is the Marsh

Arch Bridge, the restored Phillips 66 Station Visitors’ Center in Baxter Springs and

Powell Observatory in Lewis Young Park, Louisburg, is a huge draw for stargazers

of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City. “Here’s where people can really delve

the Galena Visitors’ Center, which features the old truck which was the inspiration

into the mysteries of the universe,” says Marcia Young, an amateur astronomer with

for the character of “Mater” in the Cars movie.

her husband, David. It boasts a fleet of telescopes that includes a 30-foot Ruisinger

telescope, the largest in the four-state region, and 16-foot and 12.5-foot telescopes.

self-guided Civil War tour with 12 stops including Fort Blair, the Baxter Springs

Massacre, the National Cemetery Plot and extensive Civil War exhibits at the

Powell Observatory is available for public viewing, private member use and for

Secure a free brochure at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center for a

ongoing research projects. The Star Bright Saturday Night programs (May-October)

Heritage Center. www.baxtersprings.us

are open to the public and begin at dusk with a presentation on astronomical topics

Claythorne Lodge, 25 miles northwest of Baxter Springs, is a premier sport

followed by a tour of the Observatory. www.askc.org

clay shooting range. Sam and Frieda Lancaster started the venture in 1991 when they bought an old farm. Today the “farm” is an internationally recognized resort

Rock and Roll

offering skeet, trap and wobble trap, gun safety, fishing and hunting.

A slight detour off the beaten path is Mapleton, a population of 84 where off-

“We believe you will find that our courses are among the most beautiful

road enthusiasts will find Kansas Rocks Recreation Park.

and exciting in the nation,” says Frieda. As a member of the National Sporting

Clays Association the lodge has hosted a number of prestigious NSCA-

“This area was an excellent location to build my dream. I figured there were

many people who loved to experience the fun of four-wheel drive vehicles, so in 1997

sanctioned shoots. In 2003, Claythorne was the site of the World FITASC

I began searching for land. Finally, I found 220 acres of heavily wooded valleys and

Championship welcoming 24 countries and more than 1,000 competitors.

steep rocky hills—perfect terrain for an off-road experience,” says founder David Killion.

www.claythornelodge.com

27

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

Destined for the front of a “wish-you-were-here” postcard, the Flint Hills Nature Trail is the country’s seventh-longest Rails-to-Trails path, stretching across seven Kansas counties and dozens of communities from Osawatomie to Herington.

It’s a must-traverse destination for families and individuals who love the outdoors but also have an appreciation for the land’s quiet, subtle magic.

Storied past

With the assistance of Kansans who cherish

To understand the magnitude of this relatively

the land, The Flint Hills Nature Trail is the result

new (and still unfolding) Kansas recreation

of a refurbished train route established in the

destination, a quick Flint Hills history lesson is

1870s and rail-banked in the mid-1990s. It’s

in order.

a picturesque and serene journey for hikers, runners, bicyclists and horseback riders, smack

Intrepid explorer Zebulon Pike put the majestic

in the middle of the fabled prairie deemed one

Tallgrass Prairie on the map in 1806 when he

of Kansas’ many assets.

discovered the region during an ambitious expedition to the Southwest. Later the Flint

Trail beginnings

Hills served as a supply hub for wagons

Truth is, you can’t improve on nature, which

traversing the Santa Fe Trail between 1821

Doug Walker recognized. The former president

and the early 1870s. Railroad tracks were built

of the Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy, Walker,

along an extensive swath of the Flint Hills in

along with a determined band of volunteers,

the late 1800s to deliver coal and goods farther

began gifting back the land once used by the

west to a burgeoning civilization. And a mere

Missouri Pacific Railroad.

250 millions of years before that, the Flint Hills were created during the Permian Period,

In 1996, the Kansas Horseman Foundation

covered by a shallow sea.

began the arduous task of tracing a recreational trail on rail-banked land threading

Now regarded as one of the world’s last

through the Flint Hills. The foundation became

surviving Tallgrass Prairie ecosystems, the

the nonprofit Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy

Flint Hills still captivates visitors with fields of

Inc. in 2001 and strengthened its resolve to

waving grass, plants, flowers, wildlife, fossils

trail development. The Union Pacific Railroad

and technicolor big-sky sunsets.

contracted with a salvage company to remove

Photograph: Eric Benjamin

hit the

hills See the Flint Hills Nature Trail from bike, horseback or foot words by Kimberly Winter Stern

29

Kansas Outdoors

2013

Gear Up for happy trails Packing for a day or a long weekend spent exploring the Flint Hills Nature Trail doesn’t require any heavy lifting—just the essentials to help you get the most out of this spectacular nature-bound experience. Leave the iPod at home—you’ll want to listen for the sounds of the prairie.

Journal. Pack a small notebook for jotting down the sights and sounds of the Flint Hills Nature Trail.

Camera. Photo opportunities abound on the Flint Hills Nature Trail—whether you snap images with a sophisticated camera or on your iPhone to share instantly, you’ll want to capture the scenery.

Snacks. Stash some protein bars, fresh fruit or trail mix in a backpack to munch along the way.

Water. Fill a CamelBak that you can strap on your back with water or pack an old-fashioned canteen. If you use bottled water, take care not to litter.

Binoculars. The trail is chockfull of wildlife and birds and varies based on the season. Take along a pair of high-powered binoculars to spy wild turkey, a Northern bobwhite or eagles or fluttering butterflies.

Check out www.fws.gov for a listing of bird species common to the Flint Hills. And be alert for fossils embedded in the ground that were deposited millions of years ago.

Attire. This all depends on your intended trail activity. If biking, wear comfortable shorts and shoes and wear a helmet. If walking/hiking, wear sturdy shoes. And if horseback riding … well, you probably have that figured out already.

Sunscreen/insect repellent.

Especially important during the spring and summer months.

Photographs: Jason Dailey (2)

30

TravelKS.com miles of timber tracks and rusty iron so the project could

“This truly is a natural for Kansas,” says Walker. “There aren’t

move forward.

many places in the country with all the pieces necessary for a true rail-trail experience.”

In addition to many volunteer hours spent removing brush

Kansas Outdoors

Ride the Rails

and debris from the path, more than $800,000 has been

All aboard

raised through private donations and grants over the

Today the Flint Hills Nature Trail has seven divisions, each

For a state without any

past decade. Along with considerable sweat equity, the

with a volunteer supervisor who oversees construction and

rail-trails until 1996,

conservancy has produced a breathtaking work in progress.

maintenance of a portion of the trail. It connects with the

today Kansas is full

Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail and the Landon Nature Trail; it also

of opportunities to

Linking legacy

forms a component of the American Discovery Trail, the

enjoy multi-use paths

The 38-mile Landon Nature Trail was the conservancy’s

nation’s first coast-to-coast trail.

for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Rail-

inaugural endeavor. Stretching from Topeka to Pomona Lake, the trail is the only one in the United States that

From the trail’s vantage point, Walker enjoys unparalleled

trails, including the

connects and crosses two historic national trails—the Santa

observations of changing seasons in the Flint Hills—and the

Flint Hills Nature Trail,

Fe Trail and the Oregon Trail.

unique Kansas elements. “I especially love winter when the

Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail

trees are bare,” he says. “For example, on parts of the trail in

and Landon Nature

Walker was inspired to get involved in the Flint Hills Nature

the east that follow the Marais des Cygnes River there are

Trail, beckon you to

Trail one day in 2005 while riding the Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail

bluffs and rocks on one side and the river on the other. It’s

enjoy Kansas’ natural landscape. For more

Imagine the Flint Hills Nature Trail as a patchwork quilt that stitches together diverse scenery, including sweeping vistas of unbroken countryside, abundant indigenous fauna and flora, lush farmland, rushing creeks and burbling streams and canopies of ancient oak, sycamore and hickory trees.

information on these and other planned recreation trails throughout the state, visit www.kansascyclist.com.

Blue River Rail Trail: Marysville Connects to the Homestead Trail in Nebraska. When

with his daughter. The former Kansas state legislator served

spectacular, too, what you see in the distance during that

complete, it will be a

in the Senate District of the 51-mile state-owned and

barren time of year.”

68-mile rail-trail from Marysville to Lincoln. It’s

maintained trail in Ottawa—becoming a strong supporter as The trail is still under development; sections are completed

a lovely trail affording

incrementally as the Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy receives

river views, wildlife

Walker closely followed the success of Missouri’s Katy

donations and volunteer assistance. Walker assures an

sightings and the sound

Trail and similar projects in Iowa and Nebraska, knowing

uncluttered, almost spiritual, experience on the 60-plus

of songbirds. Two

chunks of rail-banked Kansas trails were beginning to rise

miles currently open for use.

bridges and a small

it moved through stages of completion.

covered bridge are

like a phoenix. He saw significant economic and tourism potential in the trails and began connecting with other

“It’s indescribable to participate in the Flint Hills this way,”

advocates. The Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy’s mission

says Walker. “People who walk or bike the trail or explore it

is to have the Flint Hills Nature Trail connect population

on horseback are blown away.”

centers and historic Kansas sites and landscapes.

located on the trail.

Shortgrass Prairie Trail: Connects Protection, Ashland and Englewood When complete, this trail will stretch 30 miles.

Sunflower Santa Fe Trail: Connects McPherson to Marion When complete, this trail will run 33 miles.

31

Hospitality hunters Hunker down at one of Kansas’ lodges offering education, supplies and amenities words by

Carolyn Kaberline Photography by

Aaron East

TravelKS.com

Kansas Outdoors

Kansas’ lodges offer a variety of accommodations and amenities to appeal to hunters of all backgrounds and abilities, from the experienced to those on their first hunt.

“Today’s typical lodge guest is someone who

recreation area with pool tables, a poker table,

grew up in a rural area hunting game birds on

refrigerator and bar. Satellite television and

land owned by his family or neighbors,” says

wireless internet are offered, and a variety of

Keith Houghton, owner of Ringneck Ranch near

hunting supplies and souvenirs can be found in

Tipton. “This guest may now live in suburbia with

the pro-shop. In addition, the ranch has its own

no access to nearby hunting areas and may

sod airstrip for light aircrafts.

not have the facilities to own and train his own hunting dogs.”

“Operations like ours are great places for kids and dogs to start,” Keith Houghton says

While the typical Kansas lodge hosts many

of young hunters. “We cover all facets; we

in-state hunters during various hunting seasons,

provide a good hunt, outstanding meals and

most also have become destinations for hunters

excellent service.”

from other areas of the country, some from as far away as Alaska and Florida.

For the non-hunters in a group or for those who just want a change of pace, Ringneck

Guiding hunts, providing hunters with the

Ranch also offers opportunities for hiking,

creature comforts of home and creating

fossil hunting, bird watching and biking.

memorable experiences are the goals of many

Equine enthusiasts can also bring their own

hunting lodges across the state. To whet the

horses for riding through the rolling hills.

appetite of hunters of all ages, here is a closer

The ranch and its accommodations are also

look at today’s hunting lodge.

available during the off-season for weddings, family and class reunions and corporate

Ringneck Ranch

retreats. Banquet preparation and catering

Located on land originally homesteaded by

services are also offered.

the Houghton family in 1872, Keith and Debra

www.ringneckranch.net

Houghton have owned and operated the Ringneck Ranch near Tipton as a hunting destination

Barrel Springs Hunt Club

since 1983. Today’s operation includes more

Located near Tribune in western Kansas

than 10,000 acres of native habitat for ringneck

and owned by Shari and David Woelk, Barrel

pheasants, quail and prairie chickens.

Springs Hunt Club was established in 1999.

The landscape offers more than 6,000 acres

The ranch offers a professional guide staff and

of pheasant habitat, which includes CRP land,

experienced gun dogs for their hunt packages,

food plots, native weed rows and open plains.

although guests are welcome to bring their own

In addition to the controlled shooting area

canines. The ranch offers several types of on-

of approximately 3,000 acres, the club also

site accommodations of various sizes ranging

maintains a native pheasant hunting area.

from the Houghton House and Carr Creek Lodge, to individual hotel-type rooms.

Although those hunting in the controlled area are guaranteed six shooting opportunities,

Country gourmet meals are served daily, and

Woelk says, “We try to make it like opening

the ranch also offers meeting areas as well as a

weekend at grandpa’s farm.”

OPPOSITE PAGE Scenes from a guided hunt at Ringneck Ranch near Tipton.

ABOVE Debra Houghton owns and operates the ranch with her husband Keith.

33

34

Kansas Outdoors

2013 While many hunters prefer hunting in native environments only, controlled hunting areas are becoming increasingly popular in the state.

Controlled

Hunting Areas

“This is the second consecutive year we’ve had poor native game bird populations,” says Keith Houghton of Ringneck Ranch. Much of the problem can be traced to shrinkage of the birds’ natural habitat as well as extensive drought conditions. With increasing hunter days per year, and the ability to accommodate up to multiple hunting parties, many hunting lodge operators find it necessary to liberate game birds on their property.

Although the birds are raised under domestic conditions, they act like birds raised in the wild, according to Houghton; giving hunters “an opening day experience every day.”

Controlled shooting areas (CSA) are private fee-to-hunt areas licensed by the KDWPT with seasons running from September 1 to March 1. A special license is available for $17.50 for those hunting on Kansas CSAs; while hunter education certification is not required for hunting in these areas, permission of the owner or operator is necessary.

All facilities at Barrel Springs are under one

Ammunition, ice chests and hunting supplies are

roof for the convenience of guests. Those

all available at Barrel Springs; game cleaning

facilities include 24 bedrooms, each with its

and packaging are offered.

own bath, a large common area with big-screen

www.barrelspringshuntclub.com

TV, and a family-style dining area where hearty meals are served. Barrel Springs specializes in

Flint Oak

pheasant hunting.

“I don’t believe you could find a nicer piece of real estate in the United States to build a facility on,” says Jeff Oakes, general manager of Flint Oak hunting lodge. Founded by Ray and Winona

“For many, it’s the camaraderie and working with the dogs that makes the experience memorable.”

– Shari Woelk, Barrel Springs Hunt Club

Walton in 1978, the lodge is located on the edge of the Flint Hills in southeast Kansas near Fall River and owned by Tom Devlin and Bob Geist.

Catering to both new and experienced hunters, Flint Oak offers facilities that can hold up to 140 guests in air-conditioned rooms ranging

Although the lodge can accommodate hunters of

from “an old-fashioned bunkhouse” to deluxe

all ages, Woelk enjoys seeing young hunters.

accommodations with private baths in each room. Meals are more hotel style with a

“We give them a lot of attention and make sure

breakfast buffet; lunch and dinner consist of

their gun fits properly and that they are dressed

fantastic entrees off a menu with wide choices.

properly. Safety is always our first concern, so we

A cocktail bar is also available. The lodge

want to know the amount of experience they have

maintains a Pro Shop with a variety of hunting

and how they use a gun. We want to make sure

and outdoor merchandise as well as souvenirs.

they become safe hunters,” he says. “We really work

The game room, complete with card tables, pool

to make sure we get birds up in front of them.”

tables and plasma TV, keeps hunters entertained

after the day’s hunt. A heated swimming pool is a treat after a long day of hunting, available May through September.

However, the real focus at Flint Oak is hunting on the 5,000-plus acres that is both owned and leased by the lodge. Guided field hunts are conducted using well-trained hunting dogs. Most hunts last for about three hours with hunting

“Your Guides to the Great Outdoors!”

groups divided into a maximum of three hunters each.

In addition to hunting upland game birds, driven European-style pheasant shoots are held on one of six different sites, accommodating groups of 6 to 78. Deer, duck, dove and wild turkey hunts also are available. The lodge offers fishing on its 100-acre trophy bass lake. The five-star rated facility offers worldclass shooting sports and clinics, corporate picnics and reunions. The lodge is popular for business meetings and weddings; stalls and paddocks are available for equine enthusiasts who choose to bring their horse to enjoy the ranch.

We Live in Kansas We Know Kansas We Outfit in Kansas Hunt With the Best Resident Outfitters in Kansas

“For many hunters, the experience starts with getting their group together, planning all the activities, checking the catalogs for the latest and greatest ‘toys’ down to buying the right boots,” says Oakes. “We’ve had four generations of hunters in the field at one time. At the end of the day I don’t know who had the biggest smile, the youngest or the oldest—or me from watching them make memories.”

www.flintoak.com

www.kansasoutfittersassociation.com

38

Kansas Outdoors

resource guide

2013

statewide resources Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

Belleville Travel Information Center 702 12th St., Belleville (785) 527-2883

Office of the Secretary 1020 S. Kansas, Room 200, Topeka (785) 296-2281

Colby Visitors Center 350 S. Range No. 10, Colby (785) 460-7643

Pratt Operations Office 512 SE 25th Ave., Pratt (620) 672-5911

Concordia Travel Information Center 130 E. Sixth St., Concordia (785) 243-4303

Emporia Research and Survey Office 1830 Merchant, Emporia (620) 342-0658 Kansas City District Office 8304 Hedge Lane Terrace, Shawnee (913) 422-1314 Regional Offices Region 1 Route 2, Hays (785) 628-8614 The northwest quarter of Kansas that includes 26 counties.

Region 2 300 SW Wanamaker Road, Topeka (785) 273-6740 The northeast quarter of Kansas that includes 20 counties.

Region 3 1001 McArtor Drive, Dodge City (620) 227-8609 The southwest quarter of Kansas that includes 28 counties.

Region 4 6232 E. 29th St. North, Wichita (316) 683-8069 The south-central region of Kansas that includes 13 counties.

Region 5 1500 W. Seventh St., Chanute (620) 431-0380 The southeast quarter of Kansas that includes 18 counties.

travel information centers State-Owned Belle Plaine Travel Information Center 770 N. I-35, Belle Plaine (620) 326-5123 Located on I-35 Kansas Turnpike at Milepost 26. Accessible from both northbound and southbound lanes.

Goodland Travel Information Center I-70 East Milepost 7, Goodland (785) 899-6695 Located on I-70 at Milepost 7, accessible from eastbound lanes only.

Community TIC Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau 201 N.W. Second, Abilene (785) 263-2231 Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce 200 S. 10th, Atchison (913) 367-2427

Dodge City Convention & Visitors Bureau 400 W. Wyatt Earp Blvd., Dodge City (620) 225-8186 Franklin County Visitors Center 2011 E. Logan, Ottawa (785) 242-1411 Garden City Travel Plaza 1265 Solar Ave., Garden City (620) 276-3264 Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau 3007 10th St., Great Bend (620) 792-2750 Greensburg, The Big Well 315 S. Sycamore, Greensburg (620) 723-4102 Kansas Originals Market 233 Highway 232, Wilson (785) 658-2602 Hays CVB 2700 Vine St., Hays (800) 569-4505 Lawrence Visitor Information Center 402 N. 2nd St., Lawrence (785) 856-3040 Liberal Travel Information Center 1 Yellow Brick Road, Liberal (620) 626-017 Lindsborg Travel Information Center 114 N. Main (Covered Kiosk), Lindsborg (785) 227-8687 Oakley, Buffalo Bill Cultural Center 3083 US Hwy 83, Oakley (785) 671-1000 Olathe Mahaffie Stage Coach Stop & Farm Historic Site 1200 Kansas City Road, Olathe (913) 971-5111 Topeka 618 S Kansas Ave. A, Topeka Wyldewood Cellars Winery 22936 Grapevine Road, Paxico (785) 636-8466

outdoor associations/clubs Kansas City Outdoor Club Shawnee Mission www.kcoc.info Kansas Outfitters Association 806 W. Second, Holton (866) 294-1947 www.kansasoutfittersassociation.com Prairie Packers Topeka www.prairiepackers.org

Sierra Club, Kansas Chapter Statewide www.kansas.sierraclub.org

Women’s Outdoor Recreation Mission www.meetup.com/outdoor-women/

state parks Cedar Bluff State Park 32001 147 Highway, Ellis (785) 726-3212 Includes cabins and campsites Cheney State Park 16000 NE 50th, Cheney (316) 542-3664 Includes cabins and campsites Clinton State Park 798 N. 1415 Road, Lawrence (785) 842-8562 Includes campsites Crawford State Park 1 Lake Road, Farlington (620) 362-3671 Includes cabins and campsites Cross Timbers State Park 144 Hwy 105, Toronto (620) 637-2213 Includes campsites Eisenhower State Park 29810 S. Fairlawn Road, Osage City (785) 528-4102 Includes cabins and campsites El Dorado State Park 618 NE Bluestem Road, El Dorado (316) 321-7180 Includes cabins and campsites Elk City State Park 4825 Squaw Creek Road, Independence (620) 331-6295 Includes campsites Fall River State Park 144 Highway 105, Toronto (620) 637-2213 Includes campsites Glen Elder State Park 2131 180 Road, Glen Elder (785) 545-3345 Includes campsites Hillsdale State Park 26001 W. 255th St., Paola (913) 783-4507 Includes RV camping Kanopolis State Park 200 Horsethief Road, Marquette (785) 546-2565 Includes cabins and campsites Kaw River State Park 300 Southwest Wanamaker Road, Topeka (785) 273-6740 No camping Lovewell State Park 2446 250 Road, Webber (785) 753-4971 Includes cabins and campsites Meade State Park 13051 V Road, Meade (620) 873-2572 Includes camping Milford State Park 3612 State Park Road, Milford (785) 283-3014 Includes cabins and campsites

Mushroom Rock State Park 200 Horsethief Road, Marquette (785) 546-2565 No camping Perry State Park 5441 Westlake Road, Ozawkie (785) 246-3449 Includes cabins and campsites Pomona State Park 22900 S. Highway 368, Vassar (785) 828-4933 Includes cabins and campsites Prairie Dog State Park 13037 State Highway 261, Norton (785) 877-2953 Includes cabins and campsites Prairie Spirit Trail State Park 419 South Oak, Garnett (785) 448-6767 No camping Sand Hills State Park 4207 East 56th, Hutchinson No camping Scott State Park 101 West Scott Lake Drive, Scott City (620) 872-2061 Includes campsites Tuttle Creek State Park 5800 A River Pond Road, Manhattan (785) 539-7941 Includes cabins and campsites Webster State Park 1210 Nine Road, Stockton (785) 425-6775 Includes campsites Wilson State Park No. 3 State Park Road, Sylvan Grove (785) 658-2465 Includes cabins and campsites

hunting: Gun ranges www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/ Services/Education/Shooting-Ranges 3-M Hunting Preserve 1484 NE 60th St., Columbus (620) 389-2888 Air Capital Practical Shooters 7709 SE 48th St., Wichita (316) 322-7846 Ark Valley Gun Club 4500 E. 177th, Valley Center (316) 744-1834 Bakers Dozen Trap Club 1532 S. Cunningham Road, Salina (785) 823-8529 Bass Pro Shop 12051 Bass Pro Drive, Olathe (913) 254-5200 Bluerock Target Park 4500 E. 117th St. N, Wichita (316) 744-8168

Bullet Hole 6201 Robinson St., Overland Park (913) 432-0050 Central Kansas Prairie Shooters 426 W. Douglas, Ellsworth (785) 472-1076 Cheney Lake Shooting Range Cheney Reservoir, Pretty Prairie (620) 459-6922 Chisholm Trail Antique Gun Association 15090 E. 69th St., N. Wichita (316) 648-6587 Circle S Ranch Gunworks 3682 189th St., Russell (785) 483-1124 www.circlesranchgunworks.com Coffeyville Sportsmans Club West Turkey Farm Road, Coffeyville (620) 251-3522 Cokeley Farms 7260 126th Road, Delia (785) 771-3817 Covert Creek Lodge 1982 Country 671 Ave., Waldo (888) 942-3245 www.covertlodge.com Dry Creek Sporting Clays 1257 Road 137, Emporia (316) 342-0824 Ellsworth County Sportsmens Club 1015 Stanberry, Ellsworth (785) 472-5403 Falcon Skeet Club 7345 Belinder Ave., Shawnee Mission (816) 884-6695 Fancy Creek Range Tuttle Creek State Park, Randolph (785) 293-5886 Finch Club 534 N. Tallyrand St., Wichita (330) 562-9770 Flint Oak Hunting Resort 2639 Quail River Road, Fall River (316) 658-4401 Friends Of The Fancy Creek Range Tuttle Creek State Park, Randolph (785) 539-7941 Fort Larned Arms Association 604 Anne St., Larned (620) 285-9281 www.flaa.us Game On Gun Range 15945 Lincoln Road, Onaga (785) 889-7136 Gander Mountain 605 S. Wichita St., Wichita (316) 303-9333

Brehmer Homestead Ltd., 2128 625 Ave., Herington (785) 258-2618

Garden City Community College Shooting Club 801 Campus Drive, Garden City (316) 276-7611

Brooke Hunt Club 14064 150 Road, Smith Center (785) 282-6145

Garden City Trap Club 4000 N. Third St., Garden City (620) 275-7849

Brunner Range 701 Sheridan Road, Fort Leavenworth (913) 651-8132

Garnett Gun Club 101 W. Fourth Ave., Garnett (785) 448-3609

resource guide Geary County Fish and Game Association 3922 K-244 SPUR, Junction City (785) 238-TRAP www.gearycofishandgame.org Glen Elder Wildlife Area Range Open to the public 1 mile south of Downs, Downs (785) 545-3345 Godfrey’s Indoor Shooting and Archery Ranges 920 N. Washington St., Junction City (785) 238-0094

TravelKS.com Kuhrt Ranch 2735 Road 75, Edson (785) 899-5306

Plains Gun Club 600 East Park Ave., Plains (620) 563-7865

Lake Garnett Sporting Club 432 E. First Ave., Garnett (785) 448-5803

Prairie Powder Packers 506 West St., Norton (785) 877-2396

Lakin Gun Club 1295 South River Road, Lakin (620) 355-7490

Powder Creek Shooting Park 8601 Monticello Road, Lenexa (913) 422-5063 www.powdercreek.com

LaSada Sporting Clays 3720 183rd St., Russell (785) 483-3758

Goodland Gun Club 722 W. 13th St., Goodland (785) 890-2441

Lenora Firearm Trap Club Highway 9, Lenora (785) 622-4251

Gun Guys, The 412 S. Main St., Ottawa (785) 418-0711

Liberal Gun Club 1210 N. Cain Ave., Liberal (316) 624-5810

Gypsum Valley Sporting Clays 7702 South Niles Road, Gypsum (785) 536-4535 www.gypsumvalleysportingclays.com

Liberal Range Association E. Eighth St., Liberal (620) 624-7140

H & R Waterfowlers 11502 W. 69th Ave., Nickerson (316) 422-3273

Lil’ Toledo Lodge 10600 170 Road, Chanute (800) 955-8560

Hamilton County Bullet & Bow Club Hwy. 27 and Avenue A, Syracuse (316) 384-5511

Locust Point Gun Club 19939 S. Berryton Road, Lyndon (785) 828-3406 www.lpclays.com

Hay Capitol Gun Club Yates Center (316) 625-2773

Lone Tree Gun Club 2961 Florida Road, Elsmore (620) 754-3548

Hays City Sportsmen’s Club 5810 230th Ave., Hays (785) 628-1646

Lynbrooke Sporting Clay 1419 SE 120th, Augusta (316) 775-1715 www.lynbrooke.com

Hollister Wildlife Area Range Fort Scott (620) 449-2539 Husker-Cats-Trap 2420 I St., Belleville (785) 527-3223 Independence Gun Club Independence Municipal Airport Industrial, Independence (316) 331-6529

Marais Des Cygnes Sporting Park 2013 E. 15 St., Ottawa (785) 242-7468 Marksman Rifle & Pistol Club 1201 N. Seventh St., Arkansas City (620) 660-5574 Michael Murphy and Sons 6400 S.W. Hunter Road, Augusta (316) 775-2137

Iron Cloud Hunting Lodge 2634 Iron Road, Clyde (785) 427-2454

Mill Creek Rifle Club 7215 Gardner Road, De Soto (785) 550-6163

Jersey Creek Gun Club RR 2, Osage City (785) 528-4563

Morris Gundogs and Guided Hunts 2104 Browning Road, Manhattan (785) 539-1622

Joplin Rifle & Pistol Club 1112 Van Buren Road, Galena (417) 291-8487 Kansas National Guard Armory Open to the public 720 East Armory Road, Goodland (785) 545-3345 Kansas Trapshooting Association 3432 E. 117th St., N. Sedgwick (316) 215-3278 Kaw Valley Gun Club 3043 NW Button Road, Topeka (785) 233-1616 www.kvgc.com Kinsley Gun Club S. Briggs Street, Kinsley (316) 659-8684 Kiowa Gun Club 369 SW 50 Ave., Great Bend www.kiowagunclub.org

Nicks Archery 20230 W. 119th St., Conway Springs (620) 584-6949 Ogdens Best Gun Range 215 Riley Ave., Ogden (785) 537-4867 Old Fort Sharpshooters 745 S. Clark St., Fort Scott (316) 224-2335 The Outback Park & Public Range 368 Navajo Road, McPherson (620) 489-9407 www.theoutbackpark.com

Quail Valley Sporting Clays & Hunt Club 16501 NW 72nd, Moundridge (316) 345-8367

Show Me Birds Hunting Resort 2400 SE Quaker Road, Baxter Springs (620) 674-8863

Bob’s Creative Taxidermy Salina (785) 822-5905 www.bobscreativetaxidermy.com

Smoky Valley Shooting Sports 2341 14th Ave., Lindsborg (785) 227-4318

Campbells Taxidermy Collin Campbell Salina (785) 827-5820 www.campbellstaxidermy.com

Southwest Kansas Rifle & Pistol Club 1600 E. Eighth, Liberal (620) 624-7140 Spearpoint Ranch 1890 N. 215th Road, Barnard (785) 524-5330

Quivera Gun Club 3232 Airport Road, Salina (785) 827-8149

Special T Hunting Route 3 Box 87, Beloit (785) 529-4081

Ravenwood Lodge 10147 SW 61, Topeka (800) 656-2454

Spillman Creek Lodge 1125 E. Pike Drive, Sylvan Grove (785) 277-3424

Rawlins County Sportsman Association RR 2, Atwood (913) 626-3700

Sporting Club - Fleming 2711 SE 190th St., Atlanta (316) 775-5769

Red Rock Sporting Clay 10855 Broderick Road, Wamego (785) 456-7664

Sportsman’s Acres 5120 W. Highway K244, Junction City (785) 238-8727

Rim Rock Ranch 2254 Antler Road, Longton (620) 642-6402

Spring Creek Outfitters 1001 Russell Ave., WaKeeney (785) 743-5423

Ringneck Ranch 655 Solomon Lane, Tipton (785) 373-4835

Stafford Gun Club W. Morrell St., Stafford (620) 234-5488

Robidoux Sporting Clays 401 Hamilton St., Beattie (785) 353-2573

Tappan Hill B.P.C.R. RR 1, Glasco (785) 568-2355

Rohrers Sporting Clays 1467 Larkinburg Road, Troy (785) 985-2635

The Bullet Hole 6201 Robinson, Overland Park (913) 432-0050

Sand & Sage Rifle & Pistol Club 15550 E. Rockpit Road, Garden City (913) 440-9350

The Outback Park 368 Navajo Road, McPherson (620) 489-9407

Sandhills Guide Service 432-A Commanche Road, Great Bend (620) 792-3274

Towanda Department of Public Safety Range 110 S. Third, Towanda (316) 536-2516

Scandia Trap and Skeet RR 1, Scandia (785) 335-2859

Trails End Shooting Preserve 12803 108 Road, Dodge City (620) 430-0063

Scott County Trap Club 671 E. Road 160, Scott City (316) 872-5718

Tri County Rod & Gun Club 18573 Stillwell Road, Linwood (913) 301-3376

Shady Creek Sporting Clays 1252 N. Oliver, Belle Plaine (316) 210-4334 www.shadycreekclays.com

Tuttle Creek Trap Shooting Park 6365 Tuttle Creek Blvd., Manhattan (785) 539-4409

Shawnee Creek Preserve & Clays 2733 NE Center Star Road, Columbus (620) 674-8563 Shawnee State Fishing Lake Hunter Education Range 300 SW Wanamaker Road, Topeka (785) 273-6740

Pawnee Creek 1550 345th Ave., Burdett (620) 285-9000

Shawnee State Lake Shooting Range 8 miles north, 6 miles west of Topeka (785) 582-2834

Pine Ridge Sporting Clays RR 1, Alma (913) 765-3709

She’s a Pistol 5725 Nieman Road, Shawnee (913) 248-3288

Kansas Outdoors

Wild Wings Hunting 704 Oak St., Scott City (620) 872-3348 X-Ring Jr. Shooters 3128 SW Farmstead Road, Benton (913) 845-2244

hunting: taxidermy Back To Nature Taxidermy Hutchinson (620) 669-8487 Becks Whitetail Taxidermy Hillsboro (620) 947-1631 www.beckswhitetailtaxidermy.com

Doyle Creek Taxidermy Peabody (620) 983-2422 www.dctaxidermy.com Second Creation Taxidermy Kansas City (913) 422-3111 www.secondcreation.com Sevenwest Taxidermy Overbrook (785) 630-0166 www.sevenswesttaxidermy.com Sportsman’s Taxidermy Junction City (785) 238-1236 www.sportsmanstaxidermy.com Toms Taxidermy Council Grove (620) 440-1040 www.tombotaxidermy.com Woodward’s Taxidermy Manhattan (785)307-8699 www.woodwardtaxidermy.com

hunting/fishing lodging Abilene Outdoor Adventures 3158 Epic Lane, Abilene (785) 280-2564 www.abileneoutdooradventures.com Acorns Resort 3710 Farnum Creek Road, Milford (785) 463-4000 www.acornsresortkansas.com Arrow B Hunting Lodge 1115 Highway 24, Stockton (785) 425-5030 Ash Creek Upland Game Hunting 269 Pawnee Road, Windom (620) 489-9411 www.ashcreekhunting.com The Barn Bed and Breakfast Inn 14910 Bluemound Road, Valley Falls (785) 945-3225 www.thebarnbb.com Barrel Springs Hunt Club 416 Railroad Ave., Horace (620) 376-2701 www.barrelspringshuntclub.com Beaver Creek Ranch and Hunting Lodge R1, Box 37A, Atwood (785) 538-2363 www.beavercreekranch.org Big Hill Lodge 415 S. Liberty, Cherryvale (620) 336-2255, (877) 244-4455 www.bighilllodge.com Blue River Whitetails 416 N. Denver Ave., Hanover (785) 337-2530 www.blueriverwhitetails.com Bluestem Hunting Preserve 2301 N. Hwy 14, Kingman (620) 532-6361 www.bluestemhunting.com

39

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Ready to Serve You With All of Your Marine Ne Est. 1962

Sport Haven on C

r edar Bluff Reservoi

Bruiser Whitetail 670 Warpole Road, Olsburg (785) 468-3640 www.bruiserwhitetail.com

Doyle Creek Ranch Bunkhouse 510 Main St., Florence (620) 878-4294 http://doylecreekangus.com

Bucks Limited 1703 Belmont, Parsons (620) 423-3994

Eckman Hunting Preserve 988 E. 1800 Road, Baldwin City www.eckmanhuntingpreserve.com (785) 830-0034

Buckshot Inn 117 W. Hwy 36, Smith Center (785) 282-6644 www.buckshotinn.com

31094 Hwy. 147 Ellis, KS 67637 (785) 726-4457

Find us on Facebook

C&W Ranch 4000 S Halstead Road, Smolan (785) 668-2352 www.cwranch.com Camelot Inn 933 N. First, Osborne (785)346-5413 www.discoverosborne.com

MISTY MORNING OUTFITTERS

Endless Hunting Opportunities in Central Kansas Whitetail • Turkey • Waterfowl • Upland Bird

109 South Kansas Haven, KS 67543

620-708-8540 www.mistymorningoutfitters.com

Morris s & guided

gun dog

Flint hills get AWAY ON SITE CABINS

hunts

Wild gAMe Birds, Wild turkeY & deer hunts

Bring your cammo, your blaze orange, and your stamina...it won’t be a walk in the park.

gs.com

gundo ww.morris

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Premium Hunts on Private Land in the Kansas Flint Hills

hArd hunting english setters & lleWellin setters

developed specifically for the foot hunter with natural family disposition.

785-539-1622

www.morrisgundogs.com

CockleBur Creek Hunting Service 1456 O Road, Larned (620) 285-5099 www.cockleburcreek.com The Country Cabins 2534 Kestrel Road, Hiawatha (785) 742-4320

PREMIER HUNTING Pheasant PreDatOr chucKar anteLOPe * Deer *

caLL fOr DetaiLs

416 RAILROAD TRIbune, KS 67879 ph: 620-376-2701 www.bARReLSpRIngShunTcLub.cOm

Flint Hills Adventures 1439 Road 29, Elk City (620) 673-4066 www.flinthillsadventures.com Flint Oak 2639 Quail Road, Fall River (620) 658-4401 www.flintoak.com Flying W Ranch R1, Box 11, Cedar Point (620) 274-4357 www.flinthillsflyingw.com Gasper Farms Hunting 1326 W 160th Drive, Osborne (785) 346-2697 Iron Gate Lodge 12104 Udall Road, Oswego (620) 795-8945 www.irongatelodge.com Kansas Creek Gamebirds 1055 Young Road, Concordia (785) 335-2381 www.kansascreekgamebirds.com

Covert Creek Lodge 1982 Co 671 Ave., Waldo (785) 942-3245 www.covertlodge.com

Kansas Creek Inn 1330 Union Road, Concordia (785) 243-9988 www.kbba.com

Cowboy Way Ranch & Vacations 10075 Shanuk Lane, Westmoreland (785) 844-0457 www.cowboywayranchandvacations.com

Kansas Trophy Whitetail 1537 Indian Road, Morrowville (785) 265-3360 www.kansastrophywhitetails.com

Cressler Creek Log Cabin 1302 North Road 80 East, Hoxie (785) 675-1295 www.cresslercreeklogcabin.com

Kuhrt Ranch Ringneck Resort 2735 Road 75, Edson (785) 899-5306 www.adventurehunting.com

Dairy Barn Lodge RR 1 Box 20, Atwood (785) 626-3743

Lazy D Outfitters 3330 DD Road, Madison (620) 343-4300 www.lazydoutfitters.com

Davis Farm 3127 W. Road, Hill City (785) 421-5478 www.davischarolais.com

Double E Pheasant Ranch 2038 15th St., McPherson (620) 242-5430

* Deer & anteLOPe hunting LimiteD & seLf guiDeD

Farmyard Lodge 1281 Vale Road, Concordia (785) 243-7336

Country Lodgings 4062 O Road, Smith Center (785) 389-6281

Double Arrow C Ranch 1209 P Road, Eureka (620) 583-7271 www.doublearrowc.com

Western Kansas Premier hunting

lodGING

Claythorne Lodge 1329 NW 100 Road, Columbus (620) 597-2568 www.claythorne.com

Don’s Guide Service 308 N. Hobart, Glen Elder (785) 545-3551 www.kansashunting.net

Barrel Springs Hunt Club

a Large cOmmOn area famiLy-styLe Dining area 24 beDrOOms - Private bath

Cecil’s Trails End Hunting 12803 108 Road, Minneola (620) 430-0663 http://hunttrailsend.com

Evergreen Lodge 805 E. Broadway, Jewell (785) 428-3569

Lil’ Toledo Lodge 10600 170th Road, Chanute (620) 244-5668 www.liltoledo.com The Lodge 250 S Main St., Hoisington (620) 653-4771 www.purpleprairie.net Midwest Outfitters 1275 Heritage Road, Washington (785) 325-2577 www.midwestoutfitters com Mickey’s Quality Hunting 829 N Cedar, Stockton (785) 425-7082 www.mikeysoutfitting.com Mom’s House County Hunting Lodge 610 Road 25, Bird City (785) 734-2549

resource guide

TravelKS.com

Morris Gun Dogs & Guided Hunts 2104 Browning Ave., Manhattan (785) 539-1622 www.morrisgundogs.com

Spearpoint Ranch 1890 N. 215th Road, Barnard (785) 524-5330 www.spearpointranch.com

Murphy’s at Stark Main Street, Stark (620) 754-3222 www.murphysatstark.com

Special T Hunting R3 Box 87, Beloit (785) 529-4081 www.specialthunting.com

Pheasant Hunters Paradise 15068 Road 17, Kismet (620) 629-1342 www.swkansaspheasanthunting.com

Spillman Creek Lodge 1125 E. Pike Drive, Sylvan Grove (785) 277-3424

Pheasant Runn Hunting club HC 1 Box 39, Collyer (785) 628-2642 www.pheasantrunn.com Pilgrim Ranch Retreat RR1, Box 53, Cottonwood Falls (620) 344-5991 www.pilgrimranch.com Posusta Lodging 20436 Beatty Road, Lucas (785) 526-7767 Prairie Wings Gamebirds RR1 Box 43, Webber (785) 753-4871 Rancho Milagro Ranch 2316 Hwy 140, Brookville (785) 472-4850 www.ranchomilagrokansas.com Ravenwood Lodge 10147 SW 61st St., Topeka (785) 256-6444 www.ravenwoodlodge.com Rim Rock Ranch 2254 Antler, Longton (620) 642-6402 Ringneck County 2098 Road 80, Goodland (785) 899-5882

Ringneck Ranch 655 Solomon Lane, Tipton (785) 373-4835 www.ringneckranch.net Rooster Palace PO Box 511, 303 Buffalo St., Jewell (785) 428-7272 www.roosterpalace.com Saline River Hunting Lodge & Guide Service 20015 260 Ave., WaKeeney (785) 743-5878 www.salinelodge.com

Sportsmens Lodge 2523 Ave E., Wilson (785) 658-2424 Spring Creek Outfitters 1001 Russell Ave., WaKeeney (785) 743-5423 www.springcreekoutfitters.net Sunflower Inn 102 Clifton St., Clifton (785) 455-3770

The Fin and Feather Lodge 200 E. Kansas, Glen Elder (308) 390-9370 www.thefinandfeatherlodge.com Thunder Valley Trophy Hunts & Lodge 906 - 240th St., Hiawatha (785) 742-2008 www.thundervalleyhunts.com Timber Creek Lodge 1960 W. Seventh Road, Mankato (785) 428-3601 Twin Fork Outfitters 7385 NW 40th St., Penalosa (620) 532-3559 West Lake Inn 259 West Hwy 24, Downs (785) 454-3345 www.downsks.net Wheatland Hunting Lodge 2589 Hwy K-148, Agenda (785) 732-6498

Wolf Creek Outfitters 20050 Mellard Road, Lucas (785) 525-6200 www.lucaskansas.com

fishing: State fishing lakes Region 1 Jewell State Fishing Lake 2131 180 Road, Glen Elder (785) 545-3345 Logan State Fishing Lake 1.5 mile north and 3 miles west of Russell Springs (785) 726-3212

Woodson State Fishing Lake Toronto (620) 637-2748

Ford State Fishing Lake Dodge City (620) 895-6446

Region 1

Goodman State Fishing Lake Ness City (620) 276-8886 Hain State Fishing Lake Spearville (620) 895-6446 Hamilton State Fishing Lake Syracuse (620) 276-8886

Sherman Wildlife Area Located 7 miles south, 2 miles West of Goodland.

(785) 726-3212

Hodgeman State Fishing Lake Jetmore (620) 276-8886

Region 2

Brown State Fishing Lake Robinson (913) 367-7811

The Farm House 22035 160 Ave., WaKeeney (785) 769-5351

Finney State Fishing Lake Garden City (620) 276-8886

Sheridan State Fishing Lake Located 12 miles east and ¾ mile north of Hoxie.

T&C Wildlife Hunt Club 2461 Arrowhead Road, Arcadia (620) 638-4300 www.time2hunt.com

Shaps Beaver Creek Ranch 6404 Road 23, Goodland (785) 899-5942 www.shapsranch.com

Solomon Valley Outfitters 110 N. McKnight, Stockton (785) 425-6294

Saline State Fishing Lake North from I-70 exit 249 to Watkins Road, then east 1 mile to Gerard Road, then north ½ mile to entrance.

(785) 546-2279

Atchison State Fishing Lake Atchison (913) 367-7811

Whitehouse Hunting Lodge RR 1, WaKeeney (785) 743-2454 www.whitehouselodge.net

Smoky River Rendezvous 115 Belleview, Winona (785) 846-7785 http://smokyriverrend.com

Rooks State Fishing Lake 1140 10 Road, Stockton (785) 425-6775

Swinging G Lodge & Hunts 2155 W. 100th Drive, Osborne (785) 346-2404

Sappa Creek Lodge Route 2, Oberlin (785) 475-3720 www.sappacreeklodge.com

Slate Creek Lodge 411 South West Road, Wellington (620) 717-1655

Ottawa State Fishing Lake Located about 25 miles north of Salina on US-81, and 8 miles east on KS-106.

(785) 658-2465 Ext. 3

Douglas State Fishing Lake Baldwin City (913) 845-2665 Geary State Fishing Lake Junction City (785) 461-5402 Leavenworth State Fishing Lake 24421 Parallel Road, Tonganoxie (913) 845-2665 Louisburg Middle Creek State Fishing Lake Louisburg (913) 783-4507 Miami State Fishing Lake Fontana (913) 783-4507 Nebo State Fishing Lake Holton (913) 367-7811 Pottawatomie Lake No. 1 and No. 2 State Fishing Lakes Manhattan (785) 539-9999

Kansas Outdoors

Kiowa State Fishing Lake Greensburg (620) 895-6446 Meade State Fishing Lake Meade (620) 227-8609

fishing: reservoirs

Cedar Bluff Reservoir 13 miles south of I-70 Ogallah Interchange (exit 135) on K-147 (785) 726-3212 Glen Elder Reservoir 2131 180 Road, Glen Elder Kanopolis Reservoir 33 miles SW of Salina on K-149 and K141 US, Kanopolis (785) 546-2294 Keith Sebelius Reservoir/Norton Wildlife Area Located at 4 miles west and 1 mile south from Norton Lovewell Reservoir Webber Webster Reservoir 1210 9 Road, Stockton

Scott State Fishing Lake 520 W. Scott Lake Drive, Scott City (620) 872-2061

Wilson Reservoir Sylvan Grove (785) 658-2551

Region 4

Region 2

Black Kettle State Fishing Lake Moundridge (620) 628-4592

Clinton Reservoir 5 miles west of Lawrence

Butler State Fishing Lake Latham (620) 876-5730 Chase State Fishing Lake 1130 Lake Road, Council Grove (620) 767-5900 Cowley State Fishing Lake 20467 U.S. Hwy 166, Dexter (620) 876-5730 Kingman State Fishing Lake 8685 W. Hwy 54, Cunningham (620) 532-3242 McPherson State Fishing Lake 2450 Pueblo Road, Canton (620) 628-4592 Region 5

Hillsdale Reservoir Paola Milford Reservoir 5 miles northwest of Junction City on US-77 Perry Reservoir Perry Tuttle Creek Reservoir Manhattan Region 4 Cheney Reservoir Wichita Council Grove Reservoir 1 mile north of Council Grove El Dorado Reservoir El Dorado

Rocky Ford State Fishing Lake Manhattan (785) 539-9999

Bourbon State Fishing Lake 10 miles south of Moran on Hwy 59 to Elsmore, then east 4 miles (620)-449-2539

Shawnee State Fishing Lake Silver Lake (913) 845-2665

Crawford State Fishing Lake 9 miles north, 1 mile east of Girard (620) 362-3671

Washington State Fishing Lake Washington (785) 461-5402

Lyon State Fishing Lake 2272 Road 250, Reading (620) 699-3372

Region 3

Montgomery State Fishing Lake Independence (620) 331-6820

John Redmond Reservoir ½ mile south and 1 mile west of New Strawn (620) 364-8613

Neosho State Fishing Lake Saint Paul (620) 449-2539

La Cygne Reservoir Southeast of La Cygne (913) 795-2218

Osage State Fishing Lake Carbondale (620) 699-3372

Melvern Reservoir 35 miles south of Topeka on US-75 (785) 549-3318

Wilson State Fishing Lake Buffalo (620) 637-2748

Toronto Reservoir 15 miles southwest of Yates Center, Fall River (620) 583-6783

Barber State Fishing Lake Medicine Lodge (620) 895-6446 Clark State Fishing Lake Kingsdown (620) 227-8609 Concannon State Fishing Lake Garden City (620) 276-8886

Marion Reservoir Hillsboro Region 5 Elk City Reservoir Independence Fall River Reservoir Fall River

41

42

Kansas Outdoors

resource guide

2013

fishing: rivers and streams Region 1 Saline River Low-water dam at Lincoln Saline River Wilson Reservoir Wildlife Area Smoky Hill River Kanopolis Reservoir Wildlife Area Smoky Hill River Salina Solomon River Beloit Solomon River (north fork) Glen Elder Reservoir Wildlife Area Solomon River (south fork) Glen Elder Reservoir Wildlife Area Solomon River Low-water dam at Minneapolis Region 4 Arkansas River Oxford Region 5 Neosho River at Chetopa Dam Chepota *Community Lake resources can be found at http://kdwpt.state. ks.us/news/Fishing/Where-to-Fishin-Kansas

bait shops

B & B Outdoors 315 N. Santa Fe, Chanute (620) 517-0765

Cabela’s 10300 Cabela Drive, Kansas City (913) 328-0322

Drivey Dock 1495 Hwy 141, Brookville (785) 546-2414

J.K.’s Remark 1310 N. A, Wellington (620) 326-2440

Backwoods Bait & Tackle 174 Hwy 105, Toronto (620) 637-2337

Cabela’s 2427 N. Greenwich Road, Wichita (316) 854-3130 www.cabelas.com

Fast Trax 2115 Ferguson Road, Perry (785) 597-5460

J & B’s 315 East G, Kingman (620) 532-5685

Fat Cat Farms 1600 S. Langley Road, Hutchinson (620) 474-2757

J and J Bait 1748 Indian Road, Fort Scott (620) 547-2444

Fat Cats North 4305 N. Halstead, Hutchinson (620) 200-4186

Jayhawk Marina 26353 Jayhawker Drive, Paola (913) 557-9900 www.jayhawkmarina.com

Bait and Tobacco Shop 1606 E. Iron St., Salina (785) 404-6810 Bait Hut 715 NE U.S. 24 Hwy, Topeka (785) 232-7400 www.baithut.net

Carter’s Pawn 521 W. Madison, Arkansas City (620) 442-2650

Bath, Bark, and Beyond 504 East D., Kingman (620) 491-1787

Cedar Creek Outfitters 317 South Maple, Garnett (785) 448-3781

Baxter’s Bait & Tackle 1209 9 Road, Stockton (785) 425-6321

Chapman Creek Outdoors 2701 North Marshall Ave., Chapman (785) 922-6630 www.chapmancreek.com

Big Mouth Bait and Convenience Store 326 Laurel Canyon, Junction City (785) 238-2193 Bill’s Bait and Tackle 189 20000 Road, Cherryvale (620) 336-2601 Bill’s Outdoor Sports and Bait Farm 835 S. 81, McPherson (620) 241-7130 BJ’s 66 4218 N. US Hwy 77, Junction City (785) 238-5966 Blackwater Marine 4009 Marina Road, Vassar (785) 828-4777 www.lighthousebaymarina.com

77 Bait and Tackle Shop 4312 U.S. Hwy 77 North, Junction City (785) 238-1475

Bluestem 4 Bait 3021 NE Hwy 177, El Dorado (316) 655-2424

6 Green Briar Drive, Mound City (913) 795-2153 998 N. Hwy 54, Fort Scott (913) 795-2153 24/7 503 E. Main, Osawatomie (913) 795-2153 24/7 730 Main St., Mound City (913) 795-2153 24/7 Albers Marine Inc 403 N. Hwy 69, Arma (620) 347-8853 www.albersmarine.com AmAn 955 E. 23rd St., Lawrence (785) 842-1600 Angelo’s Deli and Market 9057 SW Highway 160, Columbus (620) 597-2525

Camp 50 Sporting Goods 303 W. South St., Arma (620) 347-4800

B and Re’s Baits 481 Sun Lane, Herington (785) 258-3909

3 Wiener Dogs Bait & Tackle Shop 324 W. Main St., Cherryvale (620) 891-0194

A Groovy Worm Farm 24-Hour Bait Vending 1803 S. National St., Fort Scott (913) 795-2153

Cadek Bait and Tackle 359 W. 60th St., South Wellington (620) 863-2474

Blue Streak Drilling of KS 7553 222 Road, Winfield (620) 441-8755 Bo’s 1 Stop 1116 W. Fourth, Pittsburg (620) 231-6305 Bob’s Bait/Radiators-R-Us 815 21st, Parsons (620) 423-8144 Brant’s Custom Fishing Rods and More 1223 Carroll St., Saint Paul (620) 249-8952 www.brantscustomfishingrods.com Brown’s Bait and Tackle 1000 S. Payne St., Olathe (913) 764-8675 Brown’s Tackle Shack 1418 No. 4th, Arkansas City (620) 442-1374 Brown Bears Bait 780 KS 14 Hwy, Beloit (785) 738-5001 B Squared Enterprises 4700 SW Topeka Blvd., Topeka (785) 862-2776 Bud’s Bait 425 E. 96 Hwy, Mission www.budsbait.com

Cinnamon River Outdoors 403 S. Stafford, Spearville 2500 Central Ave. Dodge (620) 371-6400 Claude Donham 294 SE Bluestem Road, El Dorado (316) 213-8045 Clinton Marina 1329 E. 800 Road, Lawrence (785) 749-3222 www.clintonmarina.com Consigner Emporium 35 Fifth Road, Wilson (785) 658-3830 235 Highway 232, Wilson (785) 658-3830 www.consigneremporium.com Council Grove Marina 1025 Lake Road, Council Grove (620) 767-5924 www.councilgrovemarina.com Country Junction 153 Hwy 54, Toronto (620) 637-2384 Country Pet Supplies 17 S. Pearl St., Paola (913) 294-9071 County Guns and Ammo 123 W. Santa Fe Ave., Burlingame (785) 654-3143 Crystaldolphins 1803 County Road 3950, Coffeyville (620) 251-3545 D and J 200 W. River, Eureka (316) 583-5211 Daras Fast Lane #8 8811 East Highway 24, Manhattan (785) 770-9847 Depot House Bait Shop 212 Ford Road, Kingsdown (620) 255-5413 Derick’s Bait and Tackle 4700 Tuttle Creek Blvd., Manhattan (785) 587-9356 Domans General Store 4961 E. Hwy 268, Vassar (785) 453-2446

Fish n Ponds 6700 SW Topeka Blvd, Building No. 14, Topeka (785) 267-7663 www.fishnponds.com Friends Group Beach House 250 Beach House Drive, Scott City (620) 872-7044 FW Bait Shop 112 E. 2nd St., Halstead (316) 835-2631 Glen’s Bait 923 E. First St., Newton (316) 283-0259 Good Luck Fish Bait and Supplies 1807 24000 Road, Parsons (620) 421-4810

Jo Jo Dee’s Pets 301 Cherokee, Leavenworth (913) 364-6035 K&K Fly Fisher’s Supply 8643 Grant St., Overland Park (913) 341-8118 K & M’s Lake N Dale 25495 Old KC Road, Hillsdale (913) 783-4684 Knotheads at Wilson Lake 132 East Shoreline Road, Sylvan Grove (785) 658-2166 Lake Bound 11149 E. 39th St., Perry (785) 597-5256

Green Service TTS 200 Washington, Fredonia (620) 378-3979

Lake Perry Marina 10770 Perry Park Road, Perry (785) 597-5555 www.lpym.com

Grouse Valley Grill and Grocery 501 Hwy K-15, Dexter (620) 876-5617

Lakeside Convenience 2100A 190 Road, Glen Elder (785) 545-3150

Guns Outback & Bait 323½ N. Sixth St., Fredonia (620) 288-9003 www.gunsoutback.com

Lakeview Bait and Tackle 203 N. Main, New Strawn (620) 364-8354

Haag Inc DBA The Dock 2838 SE 29th St., Topeka (785) 266-8755 Harold’s Bait and Tackle 241 SE First St., Kirwin (785) 543-5048 Hill Billy Inn 301 W. Second St., Kirwin (785) 543-5993 Hilltop Bait Grocery Cafe 153 West Shore Road, Toronto (620) 637-2700 Hodgeman County Outdoors 110 Wash, Jetmore (620) 357-3536 Home Oil Service and Convenience Store 5499 K18 Hwy., Lucas (785) 525-6366 Hooterville Flea Market 12165 S. Topeka Ave., Carbondale (785) 836-7175 Hudson’s Bait Shop No. 1 Office Drive, Marion (620) 382-3240 Hunter’s Bait 9027 NE 12th, Newton (316) 799-2014 Ike’s Mini Mart 2210 Y Road, Webber (785) 753-4041

Lake Wilson Marina No. 4 Park Road, Sylvan Grove (785) 658-2392 L and L Pets 621 Commercial, Emporia (620) 343-3398 Lee’s Bait and Treasures 416 E Grand Ave., Hartford (620) 392-5818 Lincoln Building Supply 1111 N. Fifth, Lincoln (785) 524-4416 Little Bait Shop 1017 Ninth St., Cawker City (785) 781-4246 Little Bear C-Store 301 Main, Neodesha (620) 325-8974 Lovewell Marine and Grill 2400 250 Road, Webber (785) 753-4351 www.lovewellmarina.com Lucky Bait and Tackle 1220 N. Main, El Dorado (316) 321-3443 Lucky Convenience Store 301 E Hwy K-15, Udall (620) 782-3611 Lucky T’s Bait & Tackle 606 N. Cherokee, Girard (620) 724-8790

Lyin’ County Bait Company 28 S. Commercial, Emporia (620) 342-7111

Rand Oil Co 304 S Metcalf, Louisburg (913) 837-2416

M and L Service Center 325 W. Main, Madison (620) 437-2850

Red’s 1641 Oak Ave., Hoxie (785) 675-3327

Mary’s Pet Shop 521 W. Kansas, McPherson (620) 241-6593

Rob-Roy 540 E. 370th St., South Wichita (316) 524-3217

Mass-Stop 1733 Massachusetts St., Lawrence (785) 811-6500

Rock Creek Marina and Resort 6049 West Lake Road, Ozawkie (785) 484-2656

Master Bait & Tackle 501 Union, Council Grove (620) 253-0696

Route 92 Quick Shop & Bait 409 Jefferson St., Oskaloosa (785) 863-2817

Maylayia’s Bait Shop Pratt County Lake, Pratt (620) 594-2435

Santa Fe Market 522 Ames, Baldwin City (785) 594-7466

Maylayia’s Bait Shop 60188 SE 50th Ave., Sawyer (620) 594-2435

Sharp’s Short Stop 118 W. Randolph, Randolph (785) 293-5293

Miller Mart 2301 Wakarusa Drive, Lawrence (785) 749-1666

Shorty’s Lakeside Country Store 15541 NE 50th St., Cheney (316) 542-9924

Minnesota Bait and Fly Co. 1124 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City (913) 371-0343

Snyder’s Marina Corp 9912 South Titan Road, Cheney (316) 542-0163 www.snyderscheneymarina.com

Moline Q Mart 520 E. Third St., Moline (620) 647-3231 Mongo’s Bait Supply 325 S. Goddard Road, Goddard (316) 209-7230 Mr. Reasonables This and That Thrift Store 115 West Pacific, Salina (785) 643-0897

Southside Convenience 703 Vine St., Hays (785) 628-2411 South Side Loaves N Fishes 35003 310 Ave., Ransom (817) 372-1225 Spirit/Boeing Employee Association 4226 S. Gold, Wichita www.beatoday.com

Myers 267 W. Hwy 24, Downs (785) 454-3520

Sport Cache Bait & Tackle 321 Hwy 56, Baldwin City (785) 979-5467

North Shore Bait and Tackle 1201 9 Road, Stockton (785) 425-7072

Sport Haven 31094 Hwy 147, Ellis (785) 726-4457 www.facebook.com/SportHaven

Old Town Trading Post 410 N. Washington, Wichita (316) 440-4870 One Stop Bait and Tackle 760 N. Broadway, Salina (785) 643-6060 www.onestopbaitandtackle.com

Sports Mart 24131 S. US 75 Hwy., Lyndon (785) 828-3293 Steve’s Bait and More 303 Maple, Chetopa (620) 762-1829

Outback Bait & Tackle 128 W. 85th St., Haysville (316) 337-5896

Steve’s Bait and More 2535 K 9000 Road, Oswego (620) 717-8385

P& P Seed & Bait Co 1901 E. 21St., Wichita (316) 265-9930 www.pandpseedandbait.com

Steven Burton 725 East Maple, Columbus (620) 429-3480

Phil’s Bait/Whitehead Taxidermy 225 West Main, Independence (620) 331-7740 Picker’s Paradise 21748 U.S. 75, Holton (785) 364-3500 Plainville Shortstop 603 S Washington, Plainville (785) 434-2312 R and J Bait 1594 S 1300 Road, Council Grove (620) 767-7880

Stevenson Bait Shop 202 South Seventh, Mound (913) 795-2486 Straight Path Archery 110 NE U.S. Highway 24, Topeka www.straightpatharchery.com Sue’s Bait Shop 206 S. Grove, Yates Center (620) 625-2987 Sunset Ventures 25500 Old KC Road, Hillsdale (913) 783-4411 Tackle Shack 112 John Riggins Ave., Centralia (785) 857-3768

Load up on one of Hodgdon’s 30 smokeless powders. Match your gun, your game, the weather you’ve got it bagged.

Phone 913-362-9455 • www.hodgdon.com

Ready. aim. JeRky

T and D Bait Shop 307 E. Penn St., Norton (785) 874-4687 T and O Fish Farm 109 Breezy Hill Drive, Mulberry (620) 764-3691 Ted’s Tackle & Bait 206 N. Main, Benedict (620) 698-2105 The Little Bait Shop 101 79th, Cawker City (785) 781-4246 Trading Post 314 E. Hwy 54, Meade (620) 873-5253 TRI-Corner Bait & Convenience Store 252 Z SO Road, Fall River (620) 658-4606 Tri County Bait and Tackle 203 Russell St., Scott City (316) 285-4928 Turkey Point Bait and Archery/ Barb’s Sports 4818 W. 309th St., Osage (785) 528-4473 Wade’s Bait & Tackle 22157 Valley Road, LaCygne (913) 515-5034 Wards Garden Center 2703 Taylor Ave. Garden City (620) 275-1902 Watersports Bait Shop 500 Cherry St., Dodge City (620) 225-8044

Historical Lecompton Civil War Birthplace Where slavery began to die

Watson Park 3022 McLean Blvd., Wichita (316) 529-9940 Wayne’s Sporting Goods 129 S. Mill, Glen Elder (785) 545-3333 www.waynessportinggoods.com Wayne’s Wholesale Bait 1810 280 Road, Beloit (785) 738-4142 West Side Bait Shop 512 West St., Iola (620) 365-5873

Visit Constitution Hall & Territorial Capital Museum 10-5 pm Wed-Sat • 1-5 pm Sun Tours (785) 887-6148 • www.lecomptonkansas.com

Westside Propane & Convenience 616 W. Wichita, Russell (785) 483-5450 Wormville Bait & Supplies 207 North First St. Hamilton (620) 750-0066 Xpress Fuel 21657 Valley Road, LaCygne (913) 757-3835

k a n s a s

Zeiner’s Bass Shop 737 S. Washington St. No. 6., Wichita (316) 265-5551

outdoors official

guide

2013

Find your OutdOOr destinatiOn

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AbOuT hOw YOuR buSINESS CAN REACh KANSAS

see

Byways

11

Camping

in Kansas

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contact

Sunflower Publishing

sunpubads@sunflowerpub.com | 888.497.8668

trails Biking Central Kansas Mountain Bike Club www.ckmbc.com

Coasters Bicycle Club (Wichita) www.locojoe.com/coasters Earthriders Mountain Bike Club www.earthriders.com

Kansas City Bicycle Club www.kcbc.org Kaw Valley Bicycle Club Topeka www.kvbc.org Lawrence Mountain Bike Club www.lawrencemountainbikeclub.org Lawrence Bicycle Club www.lawrencebicycleclub.org Oz Bicycle Club (Wichita) www.ozbikeclub.com Equestrian Kansas Horse Council www.kansashorsecouncil.com Bluestem Trail Sand Hills State Park Open year-round Boulder Bluff Horse Trail El Dorado State Park Trail is a scenic stroll through the Flint Hills along the shoreline of El Dorado Lake.

An equestrian campground is available in Boulder Bluff Area 1.

Cottonwood Trail At Sand Hills State Park Open year-round Crystal Trail Milford State Park Open year-round Dune Trail Sand Hills State Park Open year-round Eagle Ridge Trail Milford State Park Open year-round Equestrian Trails Perry State Park The trails start and end in Perry State Park, but some of the trail traverses across the COE Rock Creek public-use area.

Horse Trail Eisenhower State Park Open year-round Kanopolis Multi-use Trails at Kanopolis State Park Access from Trailheads A,B,C, D Alum Creek Trails These two trails form an 8.3-mile loop across pastures, through canyons, trees and along creeks. There are two minor water crossings.

Open February 1-October 31 Horsethief Canyon Trails Two sections of the trail system, referred to as the Horsethief Canyon trails, connect the Rockin’ K Trails to the Prairie Trails. These crossings can be very deep.

Prairie Trails Two trails, which are referred to as the Prairie Trails, connect the Horsethief Canyon Trails to the Alum Creek Trails.

Open February 1-October 31 Rockin’ K Trails (Access from trailhead A, D) Two 2-mile sections of the trail system are called the Rockin’ K Trails. These are relatively easy trails.

resource guide Pipeline Trail Milford State Park Open year-round Pond Trail Sand Hills State Park Open year-round Prairie Trail Sand Hills State Park Open year-round Randolph Equestrian Trail Tuttle Creek State Park Encompasses a wide variety of terrain offering views of the Flint Hills, the lake and wildlife.

Rock Creek Horse Trail Clinton Wildlife Area Horse trail is open seasonally, trailhead is in Rockhaven Park.

Saddle Ridge Trails Hillsdale State Park Four different loops of trail systems: NW blue trail, SE red trail, SW red trail and the Outlet loop. Vehicle permits are required for entry.

Tallgrass Sand Hills State Park Open year-round Woodland Trail Sand Hills State Park Open year-round Hiking Kansas Trails Council www.kansastrailscouncil.org Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy www.kanzatrails.org

Watersports 100th Meridian Initiative www.100thmeridian.org The 100th Meridian Initiative is a cooperative effort among state, provincial and federal agencies to prevent the westward spread of zebra mussels and other aquatic nuisance species in North America.

Boat US www.boatus.com Boat Owners Association of the United States

TravelKS.com Discover Boating www.discoverboating.com The Discover Boating Program is a service of the recreational boating industry, spearheaded by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, with the goal to “help people become boaters.”

US Coast Guard www.uscg.mil

Friends of the Kaw www.kansasriver.org

United State Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety www.uscgboating.org

Kansas City White Water Club www.kcwc.org Kansas Canoe & Kayak Association www.kansascanoe.org Kansas Whitewater Association www.kansaswhitewater.org National Water Safety Congress www.watersafetycongress.org A nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting recreational water safety in the United States, the National Water Safety Congress was organized in 1951 in response-to a growing number of recreation related drownings. The Congress promotes two basic approaches to reduce water recreation fatalities, injuries and property damage— education and enforcement.

Pomona Lake Ski Club www.skipomona.com Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating and thereby increase public awareness and appreciation of the need for protecting, conserving and restoring this nation’s aquatic natural resources. www.rbff.org Safe Boating Council www.safeboatingcouncil.org Shawnee Boat and Ski Club (Topeka) www.shawneeboatandskiclub.com States Organization for Boating Access www.sobaus.org US Army Corps of Engineers www.usace.army.mil

US Coast Guard Auxiliary www.cgaux.org US Power Squadrons www.usps.org

advertisers Barrel Springs Hunt Club 416 Railroad, Tribune (620) 376-2701 www.barrelspringshuntclub.com

Go Wichita 515 S. Main St., Suite 115, Wichita (316) 265-2800 www.gowichita.com Hays CVB 2700 Vine St., Hays (785) 628-8202 www.haysusa.com Hodgdon Powder Company 6430 Vista Drive, Shawnee www.hodgdon.com

The Barn 14910 Bluemound Road, Valley Falls (785) 945-3225 www.thebarnbb.com

KOA Kansas Outfitters Association 806 West Second, Holton www.kansasoutfittersassociation.com

Coffeeyville CVB 807 Walnut, Coffeyville (620) 251-2550 www.coffeyvillechamber.org

Labette County Tourism 506 E. Main St., Parsons (800) 280-6401 www.visitlabette.com

Crawford County CVB 117 W. Fourth St., Pittsburg (800) 879-1112 ww.visitcrawfordcounty.com

Lecompton Historical Society 640 E. Woodson, Lecompton (785) 887-6285 www.lecomptonkansas.com

Dodge City CVB 400 W. Wyatt Earp Blvd., Dodge City www.visitdodgecity.org

Manhattan CVB 501 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan (785) 776-8829 www.manhattancvb.org

Flint Hills Tourism Coalition PO Box 244, Alma (866) 660-2622 http://kansasflinthills.travel Flint Oak Hunting Lodge 2639 Quail Road, Fall River (620) 658-4401 http://flintoak.com Geary County CVB 823 N. Washington St., Junction City (800) 528-2489 www.junctioncity.org

Norton Chamber 205 S. State St., Norton (785) 877-2501 www.discovernorton.com Pratt Chamber of Commerce 114 N. Main, Pratt (620) 672-5501 www.prattkansas.org QUWF - Quail & Upland Wildlife Federation (417) 345-5960 www.quwf.net

Kansas Speedway 400 Speedway Blvd., Kansas City (913) 328-3300 www.kansasspeedway.com

Flint Hills Hunts (620) 221-3767 www.kansashunts.com

45

Morris Gundogs & Guided Hunts 2104 Browning Ave., Manhattan (785) 539-1622 www.morrisgundogs.com

Great Bend CVB/Kansas Wetlands & Wildlife National Scenic Byway 3007 Tenth St., Great Bend (620) 792-2750 www.visitgreatbend.com

Black Jack Kennels 23800 Douglas Road, Chanute 620-431-7242 www.blackjackkennels.com

Finney County Convention & Visitors Bureau 1513 E. Fulton Terrace, Garden City (620) 276-0607 www.finneycountycvb.com

Kansas Outdoors

Midland Railway 1515 W. High St., Baldwin City (785) 594-6982 www.midlandrailway.org Misty Morning Outfitters 109 S. Kansas, Haven 620-708-8540 www.mistymorningoutfitters.com

Retire to the Flint Hills 501 Poyntz, Manhattan (785) 776-8829 www.manhattaned.org Ringneck Ranch Inc 655 Solomon Lane, Tipton (785) 373-4835 www.ringneckranch.net Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure 625 N. Hedville Road, Salina (785) 827-9488 www.rollinghillswildlife.com Sport-Haven 31094 147 Hwy, Ellis (785) 726-4457

Marion County 200 S. Third St, Suite 104, Marion (620) 382-2185 www.marioncoks.net McPherson CVB 306 N. Main Street, McPherson (620) 241-3340 www.mcphersonks.org

Ravenwood Lodge 10147 SW 61st, Topeka (785) 256-6444 http://ravenwoodlodge.com

Shawnee County Parks & Recreation 200 SE Seventh St., Topeka (785) 267-1156 http://parks.snco.us Sherman County CVB (785) 890-3515 www.goodlandnet.com Thunderbird Marina 4725 Rolling Hills Drive, Junction City (785) 238-5864 Vanderbilt’s www.vanderbilts.com

America’s Premier Shooting Resort

Featuring Field Hunts, European Driven Shoots, Duck Hunts, 5-Star Shooting Sports. Luxury accommodations and fine dining Memberships available Flint Oak, Fall River, KS

620-658-4401

www.flintoak.com

160

83

?

iv e

r

MEADE

Meade

R

Attica Atwood Auburn Augusta Axtell Baldwin City Barnes Basehor Baxter Springs Bazine Beaumont Bel Aire Belle Plaine Bellevillew Beloit Belvue

Kansas Official Travel Guide

C10 A10 A6 B12 A5 C12 F14 D12 E10 E10 F9 F11 E15 F5 C9 A15

F8 A3 C13 E11 A12 C14 A11 B15 F15 D5 E12 E10 F10 A9 B8 B12

Bennington Benton Bird City Blue Rapids Bonner Springs Brewster Bucklin Buhler Burden Brookville Burlingame Burlington Burrton Caldwell Caney Canton

B9 E10 A2 A11 C15 B2 E5 D9 F11 C9 C13 D13 E10 F9 F13 D10

Carbondale Cassoday Cawker City Cedar Vale Chapman Chanute Cheney Cherryvale Chetopa Cimarron Claflin Clay Center Clearwater Clements Clifton Clyde

C13 D11 A8 F12 C10 E14 E9 F14 F15 E4 C7 B10 F10 D11 A10 A10

283

Minneola

F14 B2 F6 B4 F15 A9 F9 E3 A9 D12 C12 E8 B5 B9 E10 D4 E5 E11 B13 A8 C14 B14 E11

5

Ashland

Coffeyville Colby Coldwater Collyer Columbus Condordia Conway Springs Copeland Courtland Cottonwood Falls Council Grove Cunningham Damar Delphos Derby Dighton Dodge City Douglass Dover Downs Edgerton Effingham El Dorado

160

Fowler

54

Ford

400 Mullinville

Haviland

M ed

F1 D8 C6 C8 A15 D12 E14 C12 C15 E12 C15 E5 B15 B11 E15 F4 A11 E13 F15 F15 D10 E3 C15

6

Coldwater

183

Pawnee Rock

160

7 D14 E14 D8 E15 B9 E9 D10 B1 C6 D7 E6 B3 B3 A10 D10 A11 D5 F9 E9 E6 C6 E10 C11

Pratt

Garnett Gas Geneseo Girard Glasco Goddard Goessel Goodland Gorham Great Bend Greensburg Grinnell Grainfield Haddam Halstead Hanover Hanston Harper Haven Haviland Hays Haysville Herington

icine

281 St. John

56

36

Sylvan Grove

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8

Kiowa

TravelKS.com

D10 A14 A14 B5 D10 A10 E3 B13 C8 A14 E12 B4 B14 E8 F2 E14 D9 F13 E4 D9 E14 B9 D5

Attica

Smolan

?

MUSHROOM ROCK

Marquette

Lindsborg

KANOPOLIS

Brookville

Yoder

160

Goddard

E1 C11 B15 A7 E8 E6 F8 C6 D15 E14 E2 B15 D6 E11 C14 D13 B15 C15 A8 D13 B14 C15 A5

TravelKS.com

Johnson City Junction City Kansas City Kensington Kingman Kinsley Kiowa La Crosse La Cygne La Harpe Lakin Lansing Larned Latham Lawrence Le Roy Leavenworth Leawood Lebanon Lebo Lecompton Lenexa Lenora

81

Wellington

81

Clearwater

Haysville

Caldwell

56

Whitewater

77

Marion

Peabody

Hillsboro

Marion Reservoir

Pilsen

77

White City Council Grove Lake

Cassoday

Leon Leoti Lewis Liberal Lincoln Lindsborg Linn Linn Valley Little River Louisburg Lucas Lyndon Lyons Madison Maize Manhattan Mankato Marion Marquette Marysville Matfield Green Mayetta McCracken

10

35

Winfield

E11 D2 E6 F3 B8 C9 A10 C15 D9 C15 B8 C13 D8 D12 E10 B12 A8 D11 C9 A11 D11 B13 C5

Burden

166

160

Howard

Lebo

Me lvern Lake

EISENHOWER

ELK CITY

A5 B14 B3 A4 B11 A11 C15 B12 C13 D15 B7 B14 F15 C7 C14 C14 C15 F11 B14 C15 E10 F14 D7

ou

Ft. Leavenworth

Perry 40 Lecompton

Bonner Springs

Basehor

Lansing

Winchester

McLouth

CLINTON

M 73

Tonganoxie

PERRY

35

73

169

B12 D10 B14 A6 D11 E14 F15 F4 B6 D15 C14 E11 B15 E7 E9 F6 B4 C5 A9 B11 F1 E10 B12

59

435

Arma

Frontenac

C7 C2 A13 C9 F3 A9 D3 C13 F12 A13 C1 B15 B12 C10 A7 C9 E5 C15 A13 A1 B12 D7 B13

Weir

400

160

B11 B12 A11 A11 A15 D14 F15 C11 C14 C1 F15 B12 C12 A14 E10 E10 C14 C8 B15 F11 B7 E13 E9

Kansas Official Travel Guide

E14 E8 D8 B6 D12 B4 F3 A12 B8 E1 B8 C15 B13 E11 C1 A15 E11 E2 E10 B14 A12 C6 B5

Wakefield Wamego Washington Waterville Wathena Waverly Weir Wellington Wellsville Weskan West Mineral Westmoreland White City White Cloud Whitewater Wichita Williamsburg Wilson Winchester Winfield Woodston Yates Center Yoder

F

E

D

C

69 Galena

St. Paul Stafford Sterling Stockton Strong City Studley Sublette Summerfield Sylvan Grove Syracuse Tipton Tonganoxie Topeka Towanda Tribune Troy Udall Ulysses Valley Center Valley Falls Vermillion Victoria WaKeeney

15

Baxter Springs

Columbus

West Mineral

Chetopa

Russell Russell Springs Sabetha Salina Satanta Scandia Scott City Scranton Sedan Seneca Sharon Springs Shawnee Silver Lake Solomon Smith Center Smolan Spearville Spring Hill St. Benedict St. Francis St. George St. John St. Marys

14

166

Girard

CRAWFORD

Fort Scott

69

Pleasanton

54

160

69

La Cygne

Linn Valley

Mound City

Leawood

OVERLAND PARK

Prairie Village

KANSAS CITY Fairway

OLATHE Louisburg

Spring Hill

Pittsburg Oswego

400

St. Paul

Erie

Altamont

Coffeyville

160

Cherryvale

Neodesha

Chanute

La Harpe

Gas

169 Garnett

Moran

59 PRAIRIE SPIRIT TRAIL

Paola

Edgerton

A

Leavenworth Merriam Ri

Elwood

HILLSDALE

Osawatomie

Parsons

Iola Humboldt

Piqua

Le Roy

Burlington

?

Williamsburg

Pomona

Ottawa

Wellsville

Baldwin City

Overbrook

Waverly

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13

75

Independence Caney

56

Clinton Lake

Lyndon

75

Yates Center

Fredonia

CROSS TIMBERS

Sedan

FALL RIVER

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POMONA

Burlingame

J ohn Redmond Reservoir

Madison

Norton Nortonville Oakley Oberlin Ogden Oketo Olathe Onaga Osage City Osawatomie Osborne Oskaloosa Oswego Otis Ottawa Overbrook Overland Park Oxford Ozawkie Paola Park City Parsons Pawnee Rock

12

Cedar Vale

Beaumont

Latham

McLouth B14 McPherson D9 Meade F4 Medicine Lodge F8 Meriden B14 Merriam B15 Minneapolis B9 Minneola F5 Montezuma E4 Moran E14 Morland B4 Moscow F2 Mound City D15 Moundridge D10 Mt. Hope E10 Mullinville E6 Mulvane F10 Natoma B7 Neodesha F13 Ness City D5 Newton D10 Nickerson D9 Nicodemus B5

11

Arkansas City

Oxford

77

Mulvane Belle Udall Plaine

?

Douglass

Rose Hill

Andover Derby

Leon

KAW RIVER

Perry Lake

59

59

Ozawkie Oskaloosa Meriden

TOPEKA

Osage City

335

54

Valley Falls

Nortonville

73

Atchison ?

Wathena Troy

15

Shawnee 70 Lenexa ?

Auburn Lawrence Eudora ?

Carbondale 59 Gardner Scranton

Dover

Emporia

Eskridge

Alma

Eureka

400

35

Cottonwood Falls

Americus

56

70

159

36

Highland

White Cloud

14

Effingham

Horton

73

Hiawatha

Hoyt

75

Mayetta

Holton

St. Marys

Seneca

13 Sabetha

Paxico Rossville Silver Lake ?

Belvue

Wamego

Alta Vista

Strong City

177

Matfield Green

Clements

TALLGRASS PRAIRIE NATIONAL PRESERVE

24 St. George

Council Grove

50

Chapman

Ogden

Ft. Riley North

Onaga Westmoreland

Frankfort

Manhattan

TUTTLE CREEK

Tuttle Creek Lake

77

Blue Rapids

Vermillion

Axtell

St. Benedict

Summerfield

12 Marysville

Oketo

Potwin Valley Park EL DORADO Center City Towanda Benton Bel El Dorado Maize Aire Augusta

Burrton

?

Abilene

Herington

Moundridge

Newton

Andale

Conway Springs

9

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Milfor d Lake MILFORD

Wakefield

Riley

Junction City

Solomon

Goessel

Galva

Assaria

WICHITA Cheney

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Salina

135

Haven

Cheney Res. Mt. Hope CHENEY

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Bennington

24

77

Waterville

36

Hanover

11

Barnes

Clay Center

Linn

Washington

Clifton

Haddam

10

Clyde

Agenda

Hesston

Halstead

SAND HILLS

Buhler

Anthony

Harper

56 Inman

?

?

Belleville

Concordia

McPherson

Pretty Prairie

Kingman

50

Delphos

Glasco

Minneapolis

Nickerson

Little River

Geneseo

Kanapolis Lake

Lincoln Center

Hutchinson

Hesston Hiawatha Highland Hill City Hillsboro Hoisington Holcomb Holton Holyrood Horton Howard Hoxie Hoyt Hudson Hugoton Humboldt Hutchinson Independence Ingalls Inman Iola Jamestown Jetmore

281

Medicine Lodge

400 54

Lyons

Sterling

Cunningham

Stafford

Hudson

Ellinwood Ri

CHEYENNE BOTTOMS REFUGE

Claflin

Holyrood

Ellsworth

?

WILSON

Tipton

Jamestown

81

Republic

9

Scandia

LOVEWELL

Courtland

Lovewell L Reservoir R

Beloit

Mankato

Glen Elder

8

Wa conda Lake

GLEN ELDER Cawker City

Wilson

Hoisington

70

Lucas W ilson Lake

281

281 Lebanon

Downs

Smith Center

Osborne

Russell

24

Great ?

Bend

Otis

Larned

Greensburg

?

Lewis

Elkhart Ellinwood Ellis Ellsworth Elwood Emporia Erie Eskridge Eudora Eureka Fairway Ford Fort Leavenworth Fort Riley Fort Scott Fowler Frankfort Fredonia Frontenac Galena Galva Garden City Gardner

183

Protection

Bucklin

Victoria

La Crosse

183

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Gorham

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Natoma

Woodston

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Kensington

7

2013

Abilene Agenda Agra Alma Almena Alta Vista Altamont Americus Andale Andover Anthony Arkansas City Army Ashland Assaria Atchison

4

Montezuma

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50 56

Kinsley

?

Plainville

C ree k

Hanston

Bazine

McCracken

Spearville

Jetmore

283

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Dodge City

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Webster Res.

Stockton

Hays

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Plains

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Hill City

Lenora

Collyer

R iv e r

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Studley

N ort h

F o rk

Phillipsburg

183

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Kansas Cities & Towns

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56

Ingalls

24

Dighton

Grainfield

Garden City

Sublette

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Grinnell

Hoxie

83

Almena

Norton

283 Keith Sebilius Lake

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56

Moscow

Satanta

Ulysses

Hugoton

160

Holcomb

83

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Elkhart

CIMARRON NATIONAL GRASSLAND

Johnson City

Lakin

Leoti

SCOTT

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Scott City

Oakley

?

Russell Springs

Colby

Cim

F

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400 50

40

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Oberlin

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Syracuse

Tribune

Sharon Springs

70

Brewster

Cr

Atwood

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Goodland

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36

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Kansas Outdoors

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46 state map