Break out your boots.
Nineteen Kansas state parks, including Cheney and El Dorado, are hosting New Year’s Day hikes.
Park rangers will lead hikers through dense woodlands, sweeping prairie grass and along the shores of lakes.
Jill Johnson, an administrator at El Dorado State Park, said the hike at her park has “lots of trees” and plenty of birds.
“This time of year we see some eagles,” Johnson said. “So (we will be) kind of just taking nature in, pretty much.”
Hikes are typically a mile or two. Leashed pets are welcome and binoculars for spotting wildlife are encouraged. Weather is anticipated to be in the 20s around the state, so bring a heavy coat.
The hikes are free, but participants will need to purchase a $5 state park vehicle permit. All hikers get a “Hike Local” t-shirt.
Below is the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s information on El Dorado, Cheney and Fall River state parks. Find the full list of Kansas parks offering hikes here.
- Cheney State Park: Meet at the park office at 2 p.m. for the three-quarter-mile West Side Nature Trail hike. Easy to moderate terrain.
- El Dorado State Park: Meet at the Walnut River Cabins at 1 p.m. for a two-mile Walnut River Trail hike. Easy to moderate terrain .
- Fall River State Park: Meet at the Quarry Bay maintenance shop at 2 p.m. to hike the three-quarter-mile Post Oak Trail. Moderate terrain.
Andrew Linnabary is an intern in the KMUW News Lab.
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