Little Adventure on the Prairie:Trail Run @ Konza Prairie Biological Station

View of the Konza Prairie 

So for today's post, I'm going to move down from the mountains and talk about another region that I have always found to be stunning: the Flint Hills. Specifically, I want to talk about a recent weekend trip I took to Konza Prairie Biological Station, which is a beautiful prairie preserved owned by Kansas State University and located outside of Manhattan, KS. A few friends had recommended the trails at Konza, so I decided to head out there recently to take a look...and I'm so glad that I did. It turned into a beautiful afternoon in the Flint Hills, and I actually wished that I had allotted more time to explore the area before having to head back. This is a local hotspot, but because it isn't really marked from the roadway, most people never hear about it. 

I was hoping to run the trails at Konza on my visit.  There was one main trail at the park, but from that trail were a variety of length options. The main Nature Trail was a 2.5 mile loop, with additional mileage coming from the Kings Creek Loop (which made for a total of 4.4 miles) or the longest Godwin Hill Loop (which would make your total distance 6.0 miles). The trails were clearly marked by signage and a wide, dirt-and-gravel walkway. There were also restroom facilities near the trail head for public use. 

Even though Konza is a prairie trail system, the path definitely was not flat. The trail began with a series of steep limestone steps, and there were rolling hills throughout the trail. But the hills were worth the climb; the view from the top of the Radio Tower hill was stunning. You could see miles of wide-open prairie and the rolling flint hills, plus there were views of the town of Manhattan a few miles away. Although Kansas gets a lot of crap for being "flat and boring", there is incredible beauty in the flint hills at Konza, especially as the sun began to set and the grasses were flaming with bright color. 

I really enjoyed using these trails for trail running, but they could also be used as a hiking trail. No bikes were allowed on the trails, and dogs were also prohibited. There were quite a few families with young children using the trails - especially the shorter Nature Trail. I plan to go back to Konza soon to run the trails again, and I would strongly recommend this to anyone in the area, either permanently or just passing through. The park was free to visitors, although a $2 trail maintenance donation was suggested. The park is open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. More information on Konza can be found here at their website. 

It's easy to see the mountains or the oceans as beautiful elements of nature, but I think that we often forget to notice the beauty in other places, like the prairies. There is something raw and majestic about the wide open grasslands of the Midwest, and there are so many opportunities to adventure and explore the great outdoors on the Great Plains - or anywhere! You just have to look around for pieces of hidden beauty around you. 

Been to Konza or know of any other amazing prairie hiking trails? Please comment! 

Happy wanderings! - GG