Guide to shady trails in KC, part 2
Larry Mattonen Trail, Lake Jacomo
Wait, there’s more! Yes, more shaded trails await to provide relief in the summer heat.
By Roy Harryman
Publisher
We had a great response to our first post about shady walks in Greater KC. But there are many more to list. And of course we want to cover a wide geographic area. With that in mind, we hope you can beat the heat on some of these shaded hikes. To be sure, this is not an exhaustive list, so feel free to let us know any favorites we’ve missed. Wherever you go, bring plenty of water!
Northland
Clay County: Hidden Valley Park, Kansas City North
This single-track natural surface trail is a four-mile loop. It’s almost entirely covered by forest canopy. The trail is well maintained, but you’re in the woods, so wear inspect repellent. As with all summer hikes, bring plenty of water.
Platte County: Amity Woods Nature Park, Kansas City North
This one-mile out-and-back cuts through wall-to-wall forest next to a rocky stream. Most of the trail is paved, but there is an optional wood-chip off-ramp.
South
Cass County: Omega Trail at Harrisonville City Park
The 2-mile, looping Omega Trail is entirely shaded, well marked and has a gravel and natural surface.
Central
Jackson County: Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area, Blue Springs, Mo.
You can’t go wrong with any of the trails at Burr Oak Woods. However, its most popular is the Bethany Falls Trail, shown here. It’s a shaded loop through deep woods and past rocky outcroppings. The trail is in great shape, but wear insect repellent and bring water.
Jackson County: Larry Mattonen Trail, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
There are many trails in the Lake Jacomo area, but the Larry Mattonen Trail is made of gravel and is a little wider than the single-track trails that dissect the deep forest nearby. That means you can spend more time enjoying the hike and less time swatting bugs and dodging poison ivy. Still, you’ll want to take seasonal precautions such as wearing repellent and bringing plenty of water.
Kansas
Johnson County: Tomahawk Creek Trail
This 12-miler offers many shaded stretches and showcases one of the best trails the suburbs has to offer. Although there are numerous trailheads, Leawood City Park is a great place to start. Cross Tomahawk Creek and head south, then walk as far as you like.
Flint Hills Trail: Osawatomie
Up for an adventure? Bring plenty of water and head west to the 117-mile Flint Hills Trail. A uniquely scenic section is almost entirely shaded. Paralleling the Marais Des Cygnes River, it leads under towering, wooded bluffs. To get there, head west at the trailhead at 339th St. and Pressonville Road, Osawatomie. There is no parking lot, so just pull off to the side of the road.
I hope you find some of these options helpful. If you can recommend others, please let me know at hike@kchiker.com. Wherever you travel, stay hydrated and take care of yourself so you can live to hike another day.