Explore the best rated trails in Ottawa, KS. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Burroughs Creek Trail and Linear Park and Rock Creek Trail (KS). With more than 62 trails covering 479 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Although only a mile long, the 79th Street Path connects important recreational amenities in Lenexa, a southwestern suburb of Kansas City. The paved, east-west route parallels its namesake roadway...
Opened in 2015, the Missouri Pacific Recreational Trail (or Mo-Pac Trail) is a half-mile multi-use pathway located in Iola, Kansas. While short, the trail nonetheless provides valuable connections: it...
The Burroughs Creek Trail and Linear Park runs from 11th to 23rd streets along an abandoned rail corridor just west of Haskell Avenue in Lawrence, Kansas. The trail was made possible through the work...
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Rock Creek Trail is a multi-use path running west-east across Mission, Kansas. The concrete multi-use path invites to residents to travel from their homes to shopping and recreation destinations...
Closure Notice: As of May 2021, a segment of the trail in southern Topeka between SW 33rd Street and SW 37th Street is closed due to replacement of an adjacent railroad bridge, with no official detour...
Spanning 51 miles, the Prairie Spirit Trail State Park runs from Ottawa to Iola, offering plenty of recreation and enjoyment for birdwatchers, cyclists, walkers, joggers and anyone with a desire to...
The Gardner Greenway Corridor is a paved trail connecting Winwood Park and Brookside Park in Gardner, Kansas. The trail runs through open space alongside dense woodlands within the two parks. The...
As a side path to a busy thoroughfare, the 20th Street Trafficway Path provides both an excellent recreational opportunity for the surrounding communities and a safe commuting alternative for...
Though it exists in three disconnected sections, the Prairie Star Parkway Path is an excellent resource for the western side of the suburban community of Lenexa. The asphalt trail is a sidepath to the...
The Southwind Rail Trail opened in 2013 for recreation and active transportation use on a converted railroad corridor stretching between the small southeast Kansas cities of Iola and Humboldt. The...
Located in Shawnee, a suburb of Kansas City, the Midland Drive Path offers a paved mile-long east-west route paralleling the southern side of its namesake roadway through the city. Views are a mix of...
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The Brush Creek Trail offers a serene and scenic walking and biking experience in southeast Kansas City. The concrete greenway occupies both the north and south banks of Brush Creek, which was...
The 143rd Street Path is a sidepath along W. 143rd Street in Overland Park. The trail offers access to the surrounding residential communities as well as nearby schools, religious faclities and...
Note: A portion of the trail between Troost and Woodland Avenues has been closed since 2012 due to the presence of a small sinkhole. Trail users should take 85th Street as a detour. Refer to the...
Paralleling Blackbob Road through the community of Olathe, just outside of Kansas City, the Blackbob Road Trail is a great opportunity for local trail users. The path connects nearby homes to schools,...
This is a shared use path adjacent to one of Kansas City's major east-west conduits. The concrete path sits on the wide grassy verge of the boulevard, which is named for a former mayor. On the...
The 6th Street Path runs along W. 6th Street—also signed as US 40—in Lawrence. The side path provides safe access to residential and commercial facilities along the busy road. At its western end, the...
The four disconnected sections of the 133rd Street Path run though the communities of Olathe, Overland Park and Leawood outside Kansas City. The trail parallels sections of 133rd and 132nd Streets,...
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The Highline Trail is only 0.7 miles, running from State Route YY southwest to Main Street. This short and easy walk, ride or roll was built on a former railroad bed, likely that of the Frisco...
Pedestrians and cyclists alike can take advantage of these 3.4 miles of smooth asphalt trail for exercise in a calm outdoor setting. The trail sits within a greenway along Coffee Creek and winds...
Not to be confused with the nearby unpaved Haskell Rail Trail, this shared-use path runs along the west side of Haskell Avenue. The trail picks up from the S. Lawrence Trafficway Trail and heads north...
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This multiuse trail invites lake visitors to walk, run or ride along Longview Lake. The reservoir was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers for the triple purposes of flood control, conservation...
Closure Notice: As of May 2021, a segment of the trail in southern Topeka between SW 33rd Street and SW 37th Street is closed due to replacement of an adjacent railroad bridge, with no official detour...
Traversing the city of Topeka through a stream valley, the Shunga Trail provides an important connection between residents and community features such as parks, medical facilities, government...
Situated within Shawnee Mission Park in Lenexa, the SMP Paved Trail offers a pleasant way for park visitors to experience the surrounding beauty without their car. The trail provides access to many of...
The Shawnee Mission Parkway Trail runs for 2 miles along the south side of the roadway. While not scenic, the paved route offers connections to restaurants, shops, and offices in Merriam, a...
Topeka's Deer Creek Trail follows the eponymous waterway for more than a mile through the eastern part of the city. Just south of where Deer Creek meets Shunganunga Creek, the trail turns west,...
The Rolling Ridge Trail winds through the city of Olathe on the southwestern outskirts of Kansas City. At its northern end, the paved route provides access to Prairie Center Park, a 75-acre...
Located along the north bank of the Kansas River, the Lawrence Levee Trail runs along the top of the flood-control levee on the outskirts of Lawrence. The trail offers views of nearby farmland and the...
The 143rd Street Path is a sidepath along W. 143rd Street in Overland Park. The trail offers access to the surrounding residential communities as well as nearby schools, religious faclities and...
The Blue River Parkway Trail winds along both banks of its namesake river on the southern outskirts of Kansas City. The paved route begins in Minor Park and heads north, passing Alex George Lake and...
In 2018, this 117-mile rail-trail across northeast Kansas officially became a state park. Formally known as the Flint Hills Nature Trail, the trail's new name is Flint Hills Trail State Park. It links...
The Monticello Road Path offers a paved north-south route through Shawnee on the western outskirts of Kansas City. It connects shopping areas, housing subdivisions and schools. At the north end of...
The Eastbrooke Trail forms a useful link between the city of Olathe's 133rd Street Path and the lengthy regional backbone, the Indian Creek Bike/Hike Trail. This paved, short trail serves as a nice...
Maurer Road Path parallels its namesake roadway for just over a mile in the city of Shawnee on the outskirts of Kansas City. The north-south route connects residential and shopping areas and, at its...
The Burroughs Creek Trail and Linear Park runs from 11th to 23rd streets along an abandoned rail corridor just west of Haskell Avenue in Lawrence, Kansas. The trail was made possible through the work...
Paralleling Turkey Creek from the Waterfall Park north of Kansas City for nearly four miles south to downtown Kansas City, the Turkey Creek Streamway Trail provides useful connections to a number of...
Although only a mile long, the 79th Street Path connects important recreational amenities in Lenexa, a southwestern suburb of Kansas City. The paved, east-west route parallels its namesake roadway...
The Riverfront Heritage Trail is located in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. This downtown trail showcases the city’s heritage, as well as its continuously redeveloping downtown areas. The trail...
Opened in 2015, the Missouri Pacific Recreational Trail (or Mo-Pac Trail) is a half-mile multi-use pathway located in Iola, Kansas. While short, the trail nonetheless provides valuable connections: it...
Located in Shawnee, a suburb of Kansas City, the Midland Drive Path offers a paved mile-long east-west route paralleling the southern side of its namesake roadway through the city. Views are a mix of...
The Eastbrooke Trail forms a useful link between the city of Olathe's 133rd Street Path and the lengthy regional backbone, the Indian Creek Bike/Hike Trail. This paved, short trail serves as a nice...
The Tomahawk Creek Trail follows its namesake waterway through the Kansas City suburbs of Overland Park and Leawood. The trail provides access for the thousands of nearby residents to a number of...
The Gardner Greenway Corridor is a paved trail connecting Winwood Park and Brookside Park in Gardner, Kansas. The trail runs through open space alongside dense woodlands within the two parks. The...
Maurer Road Path parallels its namesake roadway for just over a mile in the city of Shawnee on the outskirts of Kansas City. The north-south route connects residential and shopping areas and, at its...
Situated within Shawnee Mission Park in Lenexa, the SMP Paved Trail offers a pleasant way for park visitors to experience the surrounding beauty without their car. The trail provides access to many of...
The S. Lawrence Trafficway Trail loosely follows the S. Lawrence Trafficway—also known as State Route 10—on the outskirts of the city of Lawrence. The trail passes by new residential developments,...
Paralleling Blackbob Road through the community of Olathe, just outside of Kansas City, the Blackbob Road Trail is a great opportunity for local trail users. The path connects nearby homes to schools,...
The Center Street Trail is little more than a sidepath paralleling N. Center Street in the community of Gardner. The trail provides recreation and transportation opportunities to the residents of...
The Haskell Rail-Trail, billed as the ‘first operational rail-trail in Kansas’, spans the eastern edge of the campus of Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence. In the north, the trail connects...
The Highline Trail is only 0.7 miles, running from State Route YY southwest to Main Street. This short and easy walk, ride or roll was built on a former railroad bed, likely that of the Frisco...
Traversing the city of Topeka through a stream valley, the Shunga Trail provides an important connection between residents and community features such as parks, medical facilities, government...
Rock Creek Trail is a multi-use path running west-east across Mission, Kansas. The concrete multi-use path invites to residents to travel from their homes to shopping and recreation destinations...
As you might imagine, the 151st Street Path is a sidepath along 151st Street though Olathe and Overland Park outside Kansas City. The path provides access to commercial centers, schools, parks,...
The Rock Island Spur of Katy Trail State Park totals just over 52 miles (in two disconnected sections) through woodlands, wetlands, and bucolic fields nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks. The trail...
This collection of trails was built of the site of a former cement plant and quarry along the banks of Elm Creek in Iola, Kansas. There are over 2.25 miles of gravel rail-trails occupying the railbeds...
Blackfish Parkway Trail lies in the southwestern corner of Shawnee, a suburb of Kansas City. Although the trail follows a major roadway, much of the route is lined with mature trees and nice homes....
The Riverfront Heritage Trail is located in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. This downtown trail showcases the city’s heritage, as well as its continuously redeveloping downtown areas. The trail...
The 95th Street Path is a paved, half-mile route through Lenexa, part of the Kansas City metro area. The trail is separated from the roadway by a wide grassy median and is surrounded by residences on...
Soldier Creek Trail is a hiking and biking trail in Topeka, Kansas. The concrete trail mimics the course of the stream, winding for 1.8 miles through residential and recreational areas. The eastern...
This is a wonderful new trail that is scenic and well maintained. It’s also not currently overly populated with users but everyone is respectful on the trail. Hills are the biggest challenge!!! It is not for someone who is looking for a flat ride.
South of 45th street is not paved so can be a challenge on a bike. Could use some trimming as some of the tree limbs were overgrown. Overall it was a fun ride and will ride again next time we are in town.
Been on ICT since the early 2000s. The park and rec of OP needs to serious repave vast sections of asphalt on the trail where the nearby tree roots have caused significant damage to the asphalt. No reason super rich JOCO can ignore the neglect of the trail.
Cool trail that is flat, quiet and goes a long way. Often not a lot of people.
Late March ride so weather was still a bit cool but sunny. Surface was fine for just about any bike. Most of the trail was bordered close in with trees (cedar) so not a lot of vistas. Nearly a straight shot all the way. Well preserved railroad bridge just south of Iola. Trail just ends on Humboldt end at the north edge of town. Not a lot in Humboldt but it would be nice if the trail went a half mile farther and dropped you off at Bridge St. Would make for a leisurely ride to grab lunch and return
Our quest to ride in every state in America landed us in Vassar, Kansas, a one-horse town about 30 miles south of Topeka, at a trailhead for the Flint Hills Nature Trail. Thankfully, we’d read that it was near a grain silo, otherwise, we might have missed the small dirt clearing we used as a parking lot.
The seventh longest rail-trail in America, the Flint Hills Trail stretches 117 miles across eastern Kansas on what used to be the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Today, it is a crushed stone path with occasional pieces of shale and deeply rutted soft dirt. Riding was slow and bumpy the first several miles and we had to keep a tight grip on our handlebars. The trail was straight as an arrow and flat as a pancake, although the rolling Flint Hills surrounded us. We’d read that there were turkeys and bobcats in the area, the latter of which we may have seen earlier in the day when what we thought was a large, healthy fox darted across the highway. Actually, the only wildlife we encountered while biking were very loud flying insects that reminded us of the cicadas that plague the mid-Atlantic every 17 years.
The trail was lined with scrubby cedars and other trees that formed a narrow screen between us and the farmland on either side. These provided some shade on what otherwise would have been a scorching ride in the summer sun. About every mile, we passed through a gateway with a post on either side, that looked, from a distance, like approaching figures. In fact, we only passed one other bike and two pedestrians during our two-hour ride. The trail widened and improved after we passed through a gateway onto a very broad two-lane roadway with well-packed dirt and cinder.
Award-winning beers awaited us at a brewery outside of Topeka.
We started at the Berkley Riverfront Park because there is construction at Bally's KC Casino. Very nice trail with great features such as the elevator and wooden bridge. After this point the trail was very difficult to navigate which proceeded on rough broken pavement through a heavy industrial area. There were several construction projects going on (bridges) leaving road debris.
This trail needs signage and the unfamiliar rider should not need to rely upon GPS. A good surface cleaning would also help.
Stopping every block for traffic was frustrating along with the two block stretch through parking lots with no clear idea where the trail picked back up. Lot's of folks walking and could be a nice trail but a lot of the curbs have either sunk or the gravel leading to them has washed away. Very rough ride on a street bike. Drainage appears to be a significant issue though some of that is just due to saturation after a snow. Might try it again when it's dryer. Lots of Pokestops if you do that.
Asked Ottawa Bike Shop owner which direction to go on either trail. He suggested eastbound so thats where we headed. Only rode 5 miles before heading back to Ottawa. Great trail, a little wet but very pleased how our fat tire ebikes performed in these conditions, just perfect. This part of the trail almost all canopied, very nice. Definitely going to come back, go further.
This is not a trail it is a sidewalk connecting neighborhoods and shops.
Love this trail when the single track is closed. It runs along Mill Creek and through parks, neighborhoods, and places to eat.
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