[Last Updated August 30, 2020]
My greatest joy during quarantine has been exploring all the many trails and paths the Manhattan, KS area and beyond has to offer. Daniel's lovely P. E. teacher at Amanda Arnold Elementary provided us with the above list of trails in the area, and we have been slowly working our way through the list the past few months. Below is information about each of the trails on this list that we have walked since April! [
Updated - as of the end of August 2020 - we have walked each of the above trails - so this now contains a description of ALL trails on the list!]
Tuttle Creek Trails
1. Canyon Trail
The Canyon Trail is a path that runs through the canyon that resulted when the Tuttle Creek spillway was opened in 1993 and is in the River Pond area below the dam. We picked it up when the Eagle Pass Trail (discussed below) ended. I would estimate it is around a quarter mile long.
2. Eagle Pass Trail
The Eagle Pass Trail picks up near where the Western Heritage Trail (discussed below) ends, in the Tuttle Creek River Pond campground area. It is a nature path that runs next to Tuttle Creek. When we hiked it, there were tons of spider webs across the trail, and we had to hike over a tree at one point - so it definitely feels like nature! I would estimate a little less than 1 mile point-to-point.
3. Cottonwood Nature Trail
The Cottonwood Nature Trail is about three-quarters of a mile there and back. It’s a nice nature trail running next to the water in the River Pond area.
4. Western Heritage Trail
The Western Heritage Trail is a 3-mile round-trip trail that starts near Dyer Road, crosses near the Rocky Ford area, and ends up near the Tuttle Creek river pond; it is flat, paved, and follows along the Big Blue River. It's a nice trail for kids.
5. Blue River Trail
The Blue River Trail is a 1-mile trail in the River Pond area that runs next to the water. Unfortunately, the whole area is currently under construction.
6. Cedar Ridge ADA Trail
The Cedar Ridge ADA Trail is a three-quarter mile loop trail in the Cedar Ridge Area that runs next to the marina. I’m not sure how ADA accessible the trail truly is, but it would be good for a stroller.
7. Fancy Creek State Park
I think this is probably my very favorite trail - it feels like you are in Colorado! Located in Fancy Creek State Park Area, it is about 30 minutes from our house but feels like world's away. It's a very technical trail (lots of tree roots) that is about 6 miles if you complete the whole loop.
8. Randolph State Park Trail
Randolph State Park is the home of the Randolph Blue Loop Trail, which is a little under 4 miles round-trip. The Blue Loop Trail is very nature-y and is a loop trail that goes through this north part of Tuttle Creek. Lots of spiders and ticks, but blue tree markers throughout the trail help to mark the way.
9. Carnahan Creek Trails
Carnahan Creek is listed as being in the Tuttle Creek area. I drove there with a sweet friend and discovered an area that is beautiful and solitary along the lake, complete with an old church and cemetery. However, we might have been in the wrong part of the park, because we never did manage to find any true trails. But we walked a couple of miles between the gravel roads and the lake front. I'll need to come back to see if I can discover the true trails.
10. Rocky Ford Outdoor Area
The Rocky Ford Outdoor Area is an area that you go by if you are on the Western Heritage Trail, but it is fun to visit on its own, too, and see the lake water - and dig for fossils if you want a change of pace.
County Trails
11. Wildcat Park
Wildcat Park is on the way to Keats, off Anderson, and is next to Wildcat Creek. The trail is about a half-mile total if you walk to the creek and then back to the parking area.
12. Keats Park Walking Trail
Keats Park Walking Trail is in Keats, which is a small, unincorporated town a few miles west of Manhattan on Anderson. The loop gravel trail goes around the perimeter of the park (which is quite cute with a nice playground and shelter) and is about a half-mile total.
13. K-177 Scenic Overlook
The K-177 Scenic Overlook is a pull-off on K-177 on the way into Manhattan with scenic views of the Flint Hills. The lookout to the hills is very pretty. However, I would not really call it a trail - it is less than 0.20 miles total of sidewalks. But definitely worth a stop from the road.
City Trails
14. Roger Schultz Community Park Trail (The Park at Lee Mills)
Located in Lee Mill Heights and it was formally known as the Park at Lee Mills, it's a natural prairie area with grass-mowed trails throughout. I would estimate it has about a mile of trails in total It's a beautiful place to watch the sunset.
15. Ledgestone Ridge Trail
This is a trail that connects that neighborhoods behind Anneberg Park up to Lee Mill Heights. It's fairly short - maybe a quarter mile - and is a paved series of switchbacks. Its true value is being able to connect areas that I think of as far apart in the car (Anneberg Park, Lee Mill Heights and Miller Ranch area) into a lovely walk.
16. Frank Anneberg Park Trail
Anneberg Park is known for its soccer and baseball fields aplenty, but also has a 1.6-mile flat route around the perimeter of the park that is partly wooded and shaded. It's quite lovely but is also quite popular.
17. West Anderson Trail
Technically, the West Anderson Trail is a new paved sidewalk near Anderson and Scenic - but, it does let you complete a loop from Anneberg Park, through the field behind the Anneberg Park bridge, and into the surrounding neighborhoods.
18. Grand Mere Trail (Vanesta)
Grand Mere Trail is another wide sidewalk, this one through Vanesta on the NW side of town. It also connects to the nearby Hudson and Kimball Trails, primarily through sidewalks.
19. Hudson Trail
One of our most-used trails, the Hudson Trail officially runs for 1 mile from Kimball Avenue up to the entrance of Washington Marlett Park. It's partially paved and partially crushed rock, and partially quite flat and partially quite hill. Its connections with other parks, trails, and neighborhoods makes it highly utilized.
20. Washington Marlatt Park Trail (Top of the World)
Washington Marlatt Park may be best known for its hill known as "Top of the World," but it is also a lovely area with all kinds of nature trails - and one that is very dog friendly. There are multiple trails that run through the park, including those that connect with the Hudson Trail.
21. Susan B. Anthony Trail
The Susan B. Anthony Trail is a fairly small, paved trail near the middle school that is even smaller these days due to school construction. But it does provide for a place to walk near Anthony Middle School, and connects with another series of sidewalks that go under Seth Childs.
22. CiCo Park Fitness Trail
CiCo Park (named for its collaborative City-County Park structure) is officially the home of the Riley County Fair, but also has a playground, baseball diamond, tennis courts, and more. There is a fitness trail with equipment in the park, but I usually walk around the perimeter of the park on the sidewalk - it is about 1.55 miles one lap around.
23. Linear Trail
The Linear Trail is an excellent place to bike in town because it is so flat, but it is also a nice place to walk, particularly on the west side of town where it is more shady and wooded. I think it is officially around 9 miles if you complete the entire Linear Trail - starting at Anderson Avenue and finishing on the east side near Knox Lane.
24. Miller Ranch Trails
The Miller Ranch Trails are a small series of trails that complete the Miller Ranch neighborhoods with nearby Warner Park. It is pretty short and not truly a trail in its own right, but fun to explore if you are in the neighborhood.
25. Warner Park Trails
Warner Park is a large, undeveloped park on the west side of town - it has a disc golf course, a large prairie/meadow, plus lots of other smaller trails that go into the woods. It is very peaceful and you feel like you are in the middle of the country.
26. Stagg Hill Park Trail
Stagg Hill is a tiny neighborhood park with a tiny accompanying trail - maybe 0.20 miles in total. Not long enough to make it worth a separate trip, but great if you are in the neighborhood.
27. Wildcat Creek Linear Trail (the trail behind Sunset Cemetery/Zoo)
The trails behind Sunset Zoo/Cemetery are one of the best-kept secrets in town. Originally developed as a WPA project in the 1930s, there are a series of limestone picnic tables and buildings that dot the path. You can start as a branch of Linear Trail, or just enter behind the zoo, cemetery, or high school. It's about 1.58 miles per my GPS from the split-off on Linear Trail to Anderson Ave. if you follow it the whole way.
28. Jorgensen Park Trail (connects Sunset Cemetery to Anderson Ave.)
Jorgensen Trail is a newer natural path that connects Sunset Cemetery to Anderson Avenue. We hiked it in conjunction with the trails behind the zoo. The picture above shows where you pop out on Anderson Avenue, near Sunset - which I never, ever noticed when driving by.
29. K-State Perimeter Loop
K-State campus provides about 2 miles of walking if you walk around the entire main perimeter, but it is also fun to walk inside, especially with everything deserted these days. We've especially been enjoying escaping to the campus at night.
30. City Park: Clarenburg Trail
City Park is the crown jewel of Manhattan, and walking around its entire perimeter is almost exactly 1 mile. It's completely flat, completely paved, and a nice play to go if you don't mind running into lots of other walkers and joggers.
31. Long’s Park
Long’s Park is a nice neighborhood park; the sidewalk around the perimeter of the park is about 0.30 miles in length. It’s certainly not a long trail, but you could easily walk around and view the playground in the middle of the park the whole time.
32. Manhattan River Trail
Manhattan River Trails are a beautiful set of trails next to the Blue River. When we visited, we parked at the boat ramp and walked about 1.33 miles round trip, but I think we could have gone longer if we had continued on.
33. Fairmont Park: River Bend Trail
Fairmont Park is best known as a disc golf course with a dog park, but it also has a nice nature trail that runs along the Kansas River. We started near the disc golf course and followed the river until we reached the road, and then followed the trail along the levee. It was about 1.5 miles in total and we could have walked further. The part along the river and through the woods was incredibly thick with mosquitoes.
34. Bluemont Hill Park Trails (path from Goodnow Park up to Manhattan Letters)
If you park down at Goodnow Park, there are at least two trails that take you up to the Bluemont Park Overlook, which is otherwise known as the Manhattan Letters. The first trail is more primitive and follows a drainage pipe; the trail to the east of the Boy Scout House is probably better maintained. It's a short climb up - maybe a quarter mile - but then there are lots of other smaller trails to explore at the top, too.
35. Northview School Trail
The Northview School Trail is a loop around the field to the east of Northview Elementary. It is mainly a small path through the field with one edge running also along the sidewalk. My GPS said the total loop was 0.42 miles.
36. Knox Lane Trail
Knox Lane Trail is a wide sidewalk running on Knox Lane that begins at the Northeast Community Park and runs up to Casemont Road. I would estimate that it runs for approximately a quarter of a mile.
37. Northeast Community Park Trail
Northeast Community Park is a 2-mile walking trail with crushed rock that is on the NE side of town off of Allen/Knox. There is a huge grassy meadow in the middle and it is very peaceful, as well as quite flat.
38. Cecil Best Birding Trail (connects NE Community Park to Linear Trail)
The Cecil B. Best Birding Trail is an offshoot of NE Community Park that connects the park with the Linear Trail. Not too long, but through a wooded, shaded area, and quite serene and peaceful.
39. McCall Road Multi-Use Path
The McCall Road Multi-Use Path is more of a functional walkway than a beautiful trail. It connects from Linear Trail and eventually over to McCall Road, and is very convenient if you need to go between the two.
40. Kansas Water Trail
The Kansas Water Trail is not a walking trail, but a river trail you can boat down. There are nice views of this from the Manhattan River Trails.
41. Denison Avenue Trail
Denison Avenue Trail is a wide sidewalk (pedestrian/bike pathway) that begins at Kimball Avenue and runs for approximately one mile up to Marlatt Avenue. Denison Avenue itself has a sidewalk beginning south of Anderson (although not nearly as wide), so you could walk alongside Denison for quite a while.
42. Old Blue River Trail
The Old Blue River Trail is a 0.70 mile gravel path offshoot from Linear Trail that connects from Hayes Drive to the McCall Road/Tuttle Creek Blvd. area. It feels like you are both in the middle of a city (industrial businesses around) and the country (walking through planted fields).
43. Kimball Trail
Kimball Trail is really just 0.5 miles of sidewalk on Kimball that has been widened, but, in any event, walking from the Hudson Trail down to Grand Mere on Kimball is much more peaceful these days.
Other Trails
44. Konza Prairie Nature Trails
The Konza Prairie is a private research site that is open to the public to hike on in designated places. This trail is, in my opinion, THE preimier place to hike or walk in Manhattan. No dogs are allowed, and the trail is crushed rock with different loops of around 3, 4.5, or 6 miles. Some of the most beautiful views around, especially after climbing the large hill and overlooking the prairie.
45. Oregon Trail Nature Park (Belvue)
The Oregon Trail Nature Park is outside of Belvue (east of Wamego), and has some very well-maintained trails - as well as a very steep, slightly washed out trail with a high incline that rewards you with fabulous views of the lake below - and power plant across. I believe the park is maintained at least partially by Jeffrey Energy Center.
46. Flint Hills Nature Trail (Council Grove)
Somehow I had never heard of the Flint Hills Nature Trail, but it is a 117-mile long rail-to-trail in eastern Kansas. We walked for several miles starting at the Council Grove Trailhead and it was very flat and extremely well-maintained. Our family wants to return with bikes!
47. Geary County State Lake (waterfalls)
Geary County State Lake is accessible from 177, south of Junction City. While it is named for the fishing lake, it is best known for the waterfalls just pass the lake. Having any sort of waterfall in Kansas is a treat and if it has rained a great deal recently, these are quite lovely. The path is quite short to get to the waterfalls, and it is a fun place for kids to play.
48. Milford State Park Trails
Milford State Park is located near Junction City, and there are multiple trails around the Milford Lake area. I think of area as primarily an area for boating, but there are fun places to walk around if you are in the area.
49. Republican River Trail (Junction City)
The Republican River Trail is about 9 miles long in total, and runs along the Republican River from Milford Lake to Junction City. It reminded me a lot of Linear Trail in Manhattan, and we had fun riding bikes on it next to the river.
50. Mt. Mitchell (Wamego)
Mt. Mitchell is a prairie preserve outside of Wamego. The views from the top of the hill are very nice, and there are other trails that loop around the prairie, too, for a total of about 2 miles of hiking. Recommended if you enjoy the Konza Prairie but want something a little shorter (or different).
51. Tallgrass Prairie Natural Preserve
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is 1 hour and 7 minutes from my house, so it isn't quite a Manhattan trail, but such a wonderful place to go if you are looking for a change of pace. There are multiple crushed rock and other grass nature trails. We hiked around 4 miles the time we went but there were many other paths to try, too.
52. Prairewood Retreat & Preserve
Finally, Prairiewood is a private retreat center in which the owners have graciously opened to the public to hike on their trails certain days of the month - currently, it is open certain Sunday evenings from 4-8 p.m. It is about 10 minutes west of Manhattan and has great views over the hills; around 2 miles or so of hiking is available.
We are so fortunate to have so many great places to explore in Manhattan - and had so much fun completing this list!
