Explore the Arboretum’s wild back country

The majority of the Overland Park garden’s property is seldom visited. And it holds surprises.

By Roy Harryman
Publisher

If the cultivated, popular portion of the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens was all that existed, it would be worth it. But wait, there’s more!

The majority of the park’s 300 acres is wild and missed by most visitors. If you follow the trails south and out of the cultivated gardens, you enter a completely different world where you’ll find:

• Native prairie

• Clear prairie streams

• Small waterfalls

• Rocky ravines

• Massive cliffs and boulders

• Clear, cascading Wolf Creek

• Wild flowers

• And whatever else you discover!

Prepare to do a little bushwhacking and wear long pants. In season, you’ll need insect repellant. And always bring water. Exploration and curiosity are rewarded. Check out our photo gallery below for a taste.

Below, we’ve customized the Arboretum’s map to highlight the southern, back country area (this is an unofficial version of the map). In our experience, the All Trails app’s guide to this area is mostly accurate and may be helpful as well.

Carpe diem!

Optional: High-resolution trail map (longer download)