Prairie Spirit Trail State Park

Prairie Spirit Trail State Park is a Kansas State Park.

The trail is built on the former right of way of the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad from Ottawa, Kansas to Iola, Kansas. The trail currently runs 33 miles from its northern terminus at Ottawa, Kansas to its present southern terminus at Welda, Kansas, though an expansion to be complete by 2007 will take the trail to Iola, Kansas for a total length of 50 miles.

The trail is open for use by hikers, joggers, and cyclists year-round, from sunrise to sunset. This trail is paved with a hard-packed limestone screening outside of the city limits of Ottawa and Garnett. Inside Ottawa and Garnett, the trail is paved with asphalt. A Kansas State Park vehicle permit is not required for use of the trail, but a separate trail permit (daily/annual) must be purchased for those using the trail outside the city limits of Ottawa and Garnett.

During flooding in June 2007, a section of the bridge carrying the trail over Pottawatomie Creek north of Garnett washed out. The trail is currently closed for 2.5 miles from 2100 Road and 2350 Road. [ [http://www.prairiespirittrail.org/friends.htm] Friends of the Prairie Spirit Trail]

Trail Route

The trail's northern terminus is located at the Old Depot Museum in Ottawa, Kansas. The Museum and terminus of the trail is located just north of the Marais Des Cygnes River in downtown Ottawa. From Ottawa, the trail heads south and detours from the right of way to cross under Interstate 35 at its intersection with US Highway 59.

Continuing to the south from Ottawa, the trail hits two small railroad towns, Princeton and Richmond. Garnett, located about midway on the 50 mile right of way between Ottawa and Iola features a restored Santa Fe depot which is used as the city's trailhead. The depot serves as a rest stop for trail users, as well as an information center for the city.

Phase 3 of the trail is now officially open from Welda, Kansas to Iola, Kansas, passing the small towns of Colony and Carlyle. Colony and Iola trailheads feature both restrooms and water, while the Carlyle trailhead has only a single restroom without water. Trail mile markers for phase three include mile 99 at Colony, mile 104 at Carlyle, Kansas, and mile 109 at the Iola terminating trailhead.

Future Expansion

Future aspirations of the trail include intersecting the future Flint Hills Nature Trail, a 117 mile trail currently under construction connecting Herington, Kansas to the west, and Osawatomie, Kansas to the east, in Ottawa. This trail is also part of the ambitious Quad-State Trail project which will connect trails together in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa [ [http://mobikefed.org/2007/02/quad-state-trail-version-2.php] Missouri Bicycle Federation: Quad-State Trail Version 2] . The project also includes the Katy Trail State Park in Missouri.

External links

* [http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/state_parks/locations/prairie_spirit_trail/ KDWP - Prairie Spirit Trail]
* [http://www.prairiespirittrail.org/ Friends of the Prairie Spirit Trail]

Contact Information

Prairie Spirit Trail State Park
419 S. Oak
Garnett, KS 66032
785-448-6767 (Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce)
[http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/ Department of Wildlife & Parks]

References