Three natural features many Kansas Citians miss
There’s more here than meets the eye! We just need a local tour guide. OK, we’ll do it.
It’s easy to think everyone knows what you know. That’s how we feel about “natural” Kansas City. It often remains undiscovered and unexperienced. “Wait a minute! You didn’t know about ...?” We don’t want anyone to miss out on these three local features that are right under our noses.
No. 1: The Rivers
The Missouri and Kansas (Kaw) Rivers
The Missouri River’s path is alive with nature, forests and steep bluffs. Sure, if you view it from a downtown highway bridge it’s going to seem industrial and noisy. But get a few miles away in either direction and you’ll experience the serenity of this mighty stream. Not only that, a local outfitter can equip you to float the Missouri through Downtown Kansas City (and other places).
Locations to experience the bluffs, shore and bottomland forest of the Missouri River include:
The Kansas River
The Kansas River can also be traveled by kayak and canoe. But if that’s not your thing, there are plenty of places to enjoy the river on foot. Unlike the Missouri River, which has been extensively channeled and engineered, the Kansas River retains much of its wild heritage. It’s bordered by sandbars, which make excellent places to kick back. The river is shallow, wide and winding. Some places to get up close include:
No. 2: The Flint Hills
The Flint Hills
Kansas can be the butt of jokes for its alleged flatness and humdrum topography. But it’s just not true. The Flint Hills encompass hundreds of miles of rolling and rocky hills. It’s true cowboy country, with cattle and ranches outnumbering people. While much of the Flint Hills is private land, there are several trails and public areas to explore. Highlights include:
The Loess Hills
What are the Loess Hills?
Loess Hills are wind-blown deposits that resulted in riverside hills that appear “wrinkled.” The soft nature of the soil results in steep ravines and sheer drops. Originally covered with prairie, agricultural practices have led to many of the hills becoming covered in forest. Still, some natural areas remain. The hills generally begin in Platte County, Mo., and follow the Missouri River north all the way to South Dakota. Sometimes the hills appear on the east and west sides of the river. There are several places to appreciate this unique geological feature. In fact, drive north on I-29 and you’ll parallel them for several hours.
Of course we could have listed dozens more ways to explore local geographic phenomena. We want to keep it somewhat simple so as not to overwhelm you and also to be mindful that some areas are more suited to other seasons of the year.
Carpe diem!