Prairie Spirit Trail State Park
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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. [1]
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[edit] 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.
Going south about 8 miles, the trail ends up at its present southern terminus at Welda, another small railroad town located on the right of way.
[edit] Future Expansion
By the end of Summer of 2007, Phase 3, which is the last of three phases in construction of the Prairie Spirit will be complete. This 17 mile long phase will continue the trail south of Welda, heading through the town of Colony before making its permanent southern terminus in the city of Iola. The construction of this phase started on November 20, 2006. [2] Phase 3 is currently scheduled for a Grand Opening June 7, 2008, in conjunction with National Trails Day.
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 [3]. The project also includes the Katy Trail State Park in Missouri.
[edit] External links
[edit] Contact Information
Prairie Spirit Trail State Park
419 S. Oak
Garnett, KS 66032
785-448-6767 (Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce)
Department of Wildlife & Parks