Note: Thanks to Andrew Kaplan in KC, MO for suggesting this trail.

Location: Southeastern Kansas 5 miles northwest of Independence, Kansas.

Distance: A 15 mile very scenic trail - one way with a campground at the ten-mile point.

Yahoo message board comments from Bruce 4Nov03: I have done the Elk Lake Trail several times. Either direction is fine and well worth the trip. I initially spoke with one of the contacts for the trail on the kansas trail network website and he was very helpful (should be easy to find with a search for "kansas and hiking") The trail follows the lake from the Eastern end for the first 5 or 6 miles and is well marked with accurate mile markers marked in both directions. The terrain is rocky, so it is not a 'fast' trail, but there is never much elevation change so it is not a huge aerobic challenge. I have seen scout troups on the trail many of the times I have been there. There is a small parking area (3-4cars?)at the west end, but a large corps campground is onlya mile away where more cars could be left. The west end trail head is by a busy road and a little bigger (?10 cars). There are dirt roads and one paved road that cross this end to end trail about every 2-3 miles so there are lots of options for distance. Camping along the trail can be a little challenging, because it is a corridor between the lake and private farms that varies from half a mile to only a few hundred feet wide in places. Small campsites abound, but larger sites may take more scouting. There is a nice valley about 6 miles starting from the East, and the half way area has a nice field with lots of options in view of an oxbow. We often stash water or even an escape car at the paved road at about the 9 mile mark from the East, and there are some areas at 10 miles from the east to camp also, but they can be wetter if it has rained recently or the creek has been up. The last 5 miles to the west runs along the creek and has some nice limestone bluffs. Little feeder streams cross the trail every few miles but can dry up in summer. Beware that livestock is nearby (you will hear it) so treat water accordingly or leave caches. We ran into deer hunters in the Fall once so the trail area is open to hunting during season. I believe there is still a good map on the GCOC Tulsa based egroups backpacking site in the Elk Lake picture folder: "GCOC" stands for Green Country Outdoor Club. - Bruce

Distance: A 15 mile very scenic trail - one way with a campground at the ten-mile point.

Water: N/A

Parking: Overnight parking is available at the trailhead.

Comments: This trail was included in the list of 50 best trails in OUTSIDE Magazine in the April 1996 issue. The 15-mile trail coils around the north shore of the 13,000-acre Elk City Lake and up and down giant limestone boulders. A high bluff with rocky outcrops runs the length of the trail.

Maps: USGS 7-1/2' topo maps: Elk City, Caney Northwest, Table Mound, and Bolton, KS. Free Maps of the trail and lake are available from the the Corps of Engineers (316)-336-2741 or check the website at: http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/recreat/recreat.htm - and submit Elk City Lake.