East Plains Trail

East Plains Trail
Name	East Plains Trail
Location	Great Plains, United States
Length	~120 km
Use	Hiking, cycling, equestrian, birdwatching
Surface	Mixed (gravel, dirt, paved sections)
Difficulty	Easy to moderate
Season	Year-round (weather-dependent)

East Plains Trail The East Plains Trail is a multi-use trail traversing the eastern expanse of the Great Plains region, linking a series of parks, towns, and conservation areas. It serves recreational, commuter, and ecological corridors while intersecting historic routes, municipal greenways, and regional transportation networks. The trail connects users with landscapes managed by federal, state, county, and municipal agencies and lies within bioregions recognized by conservation organizations.

Overview

The corridor links municipal systems such as City of Wichita greenways, regional authorities like the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and federal lands managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. It parallels historic alignments associated with the Santa Fe Trail, Chisholm Trail, and nearby railroad rights-of-way formerly held by Union Pacific Railroad and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Planning documents cite partnerships with organizations including the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, and local chapters of the Sierra Club. Funding sources have included grants from the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program and programs administered by the Federal Highway Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Route and Geography

The route extends across counties that include Sedgwick County, Harper County, and adjacent plains counties, linking municipalities such as Wichita, Newton, Wellington, and smaller towns. Topographically it passes through mixed-grass prairie, riparian corridors along tributaries of the Arkansas River, and through managed grasslands near the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. The trail crosses major transportation arteries including I-35, U.S. Route 54, and historic U.S. 50 alignments, and offers views of infrastructure such as McConnell Air Force Base and agricultural landscapes served by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. Geomorphology along the corridor reflects loess deposits, fluvial terraces, and glacial till preserved in local Kansas Geological Survey maps.

History and Development

Early use of the corridor overlapped with indigenous travel routes used by Plains peoples and later with trails associated with the Santa Fe Trail and Chisholm Trail cattle drives. Nineteenth-century settlement patterns by settlers linked to land policies such as the Homestead Act of 1862 shaped adjacent towns like Wellington and Newton. Railroad expansion by companies including the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and later consolidation under BNSF Railway influenced right-of-way availability. Twentieth-century conservation movements led by figures associated with the National Audubon Society and organizations like the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy advanced habitat protection in nearby refuges such as Cheyenne Bottoms. Trail construction phases were supported by federal initiatives including the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and local bond measures approved by county commissions and municipal councils such as the Wichita City Council.

Recreational Use and Amenities

Users include hikers, cyclists, equestrians, birdwatchers, and anglers visiting waterways managed by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Amenities along the corridor feature trailheads with parking maintained by county parks departments, interpretive signage developed in partnership with local historical societies and museums such as the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, and wayfinding consistent with standards from the AASHTO. Trail events have been sponsored by groups including the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, regional bicycle clubs, and nonprofit partners like Trails for All. Nearby attractions include cultural sites tied to the Plains Indians history, exhibits at the Museum of World Treasures, and festival programming in towns like Newton and Hutchinson.

Ecology and Conservation

The corridor intersects habitats supporting grassland birds listed by organizations such as the Audubon Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s migratory bird programs. Conservation efforts coordinate with initiatives at the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge and Cheyenne Bottoms to conserve stopover habitat for species documented by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Native plant restorations use seed mixes informed by the Kansas Native Plant Society and research from the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. Invasive-species management has involved partnerships with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and county extension offices. Environmental review processes follow standards promulgated under federal statutes and administered by agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency.

Access and Transportation

Access points are located near transit hubs served by regional providers such as Wichita Transit and intercity connections along Greyhound Lines routes and at junctions with U.S. Route 54 and I-35. Bicycle commuting plans from metropolitan planning organizations like the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization integrate the corridor into broader active-transportation networks. Trail signage and ADA-compliant access follow guidelines from the Americans with Disabilities Act and design manuals from the Federal Highway Administration. Parking, shuttle operations, and wayfinding have been coordinated with county sheriffs' offices and municipal public works departments.

Management and Funding

Management is a cooperative arrangement among county park districts, municipal parks departments, state agencies such as the Kansas Department of Transportation, and federal partners including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Funding streams have combined local bond measures, state grants from the Kansas Department of Commerce, federal grants from the Transportation Alternatives Program and the National Park Service, philanthropic contributions from foundations like the Ball Brothers Foundation, and corporate sponsorships from regional employers. Long-term stewardship relies on volunteer programs organized through nonprofits such as the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and local friends groups coordinated with state historical societies and municipal volunteers.

Category:Trails in Kansas