Kansas has a lot of nature trails and I suspect many are easy walking or even accessible for wheelchair riders, but I can’t tell from the online descriptions.<\/p>\n

These\u00a0links were found through Internet search. \u00a0I would love to have some first-hand recommendations. \u00a0With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of the need for more accessibility. Please e-mail me with your suggestions using the form in the sidebar.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Federal<\/a>
\nState<\/a>
\nLocal<\/a>
\nPrivate<\/a>
\nMiscellaneous<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Federal<\/h2>\n

• Quivira National Wildlife Refuge<\/strong>\u00a0 –
  \n<\/strong>This wildlife refuge in mid Kansas consists of 22,135 acres, one third of which are wetlands.\u00a0 It is a wonderful place for birding.\u00a0 \u00a0Here is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone is 620-486-2393.
  \nMigrant’s Mile Nature Trail:<\/em>\u00a0There are two long boardwalks through cattail wetlands.
  \nBirdhouse Boulevard Nature Trail:\u00a0<\/em>A 0.2 mile loop just west of the visitors center.<\/p>\n

  <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

• Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve<\/strong>
  \nTallgrass Perserve is\u00a0a partnership between the National Park Service and Nature Conservancy.\u00a0 \u00a0These 10,894 acres represent a small portion of the once vast tallgrass prairie.\u00a0 \u00a0Before the arrival of settlers and ranchers, it was the traditional land of the Kaw, Osage, Wichita, and Pawnee.\u00a0 Here is their website<\/a>.
  \nAccessibility<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Map & Brochure<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 620-273-8494
  \nBottomland Nature Trail<\/a>\u00a0accessible loops of\u00a00.5 or 0.75 mile.<\/p>\n

  <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

  <\/a>State<\/h2>\n

  • Cheyenne Bottoms\u00a0Wildlife Area\u00a0<\/strong>is the largest marsh in the interior US at about 60 square miles lying north of the Arkansas River in the center of Kansas.\u00a0\u00a0“The area is considered the most important shorebird migration point in the western hemisphere. ” \u00a0 “Although known primarily for birds, the area also contains raccoons, deer, beavers, muskrats, and mink as well as a variety of reptiles.”\u00a0 \u00a0Try 620-793-3066 or\u00a0<\/span>Fort Hays State University’s Kansas Wetlands Eduction Center in Great Bend: \u00a0phone 620-566-1456 or toll free 1-877-243-9268.\u00a0Here is their website.<\/a>\u00a0 The Nature Conservancy owns 7,500 acres immediately northwest of the state property.\u00a0 Here is the Conservancy website.<\/a>\u00a0 See the post under Private.
    \n<\/a>“Visitors can drive or walk on approximately 15 miles of gravel roads within the area.”<\/span><\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • Here is a\u00a0list<\/a>, with links, of Kansas State Parks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

    <\/a>Local<\/h2>\n

    • City of Great Bend\u00a0<\/a>
      \n<\/strong>Here is a brochure<\/a> about Great Bend outdoor opportunities and here is their\u00a0website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Phones\u00a0 620-792-2750 or 877-427-9299
      \n<\/a>?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>There is a seven mile paved levee road along the\u00a0Arkansas River<\/a>\u00a0at Great Bend. \u00a0The site doesn’t mention accessibility, but\u00a0since it is flat and paved it\u00a0ought to be pretty easy.\u00a0 Call first to be sure it is accessible.<\/p>\n

      <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • Johnson County Park and Recreation District
      \n<\/strong>Here is the Park and Recreation District’s website<\/a>.
      \n<\/strong>Ernie Miller Park and Nature Center\u00a0<\/a>has three miles of nature trails including a 1\/4 mile self-guiding accessible nature trail. Phone\u00a0913-831-3359
      \nSunflower Nature Park<\/a>\u00a0is a 60 acre park with a one mile accessible nature trail. Phone\u00a0(913) 438-7275<\/p>\n

      <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • City of Merriam
      \n<\/strong>Most of Merriam’s Parks<\/a> have easy walking trails, some of which may be wheelchair accessible.\u00a0 Call to find out: 913.322-5550.
      \nTurkey Creek Streamway Park Trail<\/a>. \u00a0“Approximately four miles of paved, multi-use trail running from 75th Street to Antioch Road.\u00a0 The trail route follows the path of Turkey Creek and passes through wooded areas, a butterfly garden, and several parks.”<\/p>\n

      <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

    • Overland Park
      \n<\/strong>Overland Park has 35 miles of paved trails. Ten miles of the seventeen mile Indian Creek Hike and Bike trail are in Overland Park.\u00a0 Here is a map<\/a> of the\u00a0Indian \/ Tomahawk Creek Bike and Hike Trail System and here is the website<\/a>.\u00a0 For more information call\u00a0\u00a0913-895-6109.
      \nIndian Creek Hike and Bike Trail\u00a0 17 miles of paved trail with accessible parking at all trailheads which are in seven parks and a recreation center.<\/p>\n

      <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

      <\/a>Private<\/h2>\n

      • Nature Conservancy<\/strong>
        \n<\/a>Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve<\/a>.\u00a0 North of Great Bend,\u00a0 “Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife area is a designated wetlands of international importance, covering 19,857 acres. Located in a 41,000 acre natural sink near Great Bend. Although there are no designated hiking trails, you can hike for miles on the gravel roads and dikes that border the marshes.”\u00a0 Here is a brochure<\/a> from Big Bend which gives information about Cheyenne Bottoms. Phone 785-233-4400.<\/p>\n

        <\/a>?<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0Smoky Valley Ranch<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Here you can see “…bison roaming a prairie as they did hundreds of years ago. Dramatic chalk bluffs overlook large expanses of grassland, rocky ravines and Smoky Hill River.”\u00a0 \u00a0Phone is 785-233-4400.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There is a one mile loop here which is described as “relatively easy”. \u00a0I hope someone will let me know if it is not appropriate for this website. \u00a0Here is a \u00a0trail map and instructions.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

        <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

        <\/a>Miscellaneous<\/h2>\n

        • Nature For The Blind<\/a> has a directory of Braille trails for almost every state in the US and for many other countries.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

        • The\u00a0Rails-to-Trails Conservancy<\/a>\u00a0lists wheelchair accessible trails in Kansas.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul> Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Kansas has a lot of nature trails and I suspect many are easy walking or even accessible for wheelchair riders, but I can’t tell from the online descriptions. These\u00a0links were found through Internet search. \u00a0I would love to have some first-hand recommendations. \u00a0With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and … Continue reading Rails-to-Trails – Kansas<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-352","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=352"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2990,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352\/revisions\/2990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}