S'mores Trail Might Be One Of The Most Beautiful Short-And-Sweet Hikes To Take In Kansas

What are some wonderful kid-friendly hikes around Kansas?  

For the purposes of this answer, we’ll define a kid-friendly hike as one that’s not only rated by hikers as “easy” but is also under two miles in length. Interestingly, more than half of Kansas’s more than 500 trails fit the description. Some of our favorite kid-friendly hikes around Kansas include gems like the Horse Thief Trail at Kanopolis Lake State Park. It’s 1.9 miles long and features some amazing greenery. Then there’s the Chisholm Creek Trail, at Chisholm Creek Park; that one is 1.7 miles long and comes alive with wildflowers every year. Finally, check out the epic Monument Rocks Chalk Pyramids hike, which features some rare geological formations (for Kansas, anyway) and lots of interesting views along the way.  

What are some of the most scenic hikes in Kansas?  

Kansas is a much more spectacular state than most people seem to give it credit for. It may not be a mountainous place or one with a lot of geological significance, but that doesn’t mean it’s not home to plenty of scenic hikes. Kansas is a great state for hiking! Many of the trails weaving through the state are quite scenic, especially if you’re a fan of grasslands and endless blue skies. Some of our favorite scenic hikes in Kansas include the amazing Konza Prairie Nature Trail, in Manhattan, which is a splendid hike featuring – you guessed it – some of Kansas’s only remaining wild tallgrass prairies along the way. If you’ve never seen grass waving in the breeze like all one entity (think a body of water), you haven’t lived. If you’re a fan of prairie hikes, be sure to also check out the three-mile-long trek that is the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Trail. It’s a bit more challenging than the Konza Prairie Trail, but it’s worth it even just for a glimpse of the wild buffalo herd that roams the grounds. Want some more ideas? Check out this list of short and beautiful Kansas hikes!