Ha Ha Tonka is one of the most photogenic spots in the state of Missouri Photo by Rebecca Norden & Caleb Conditīack in 1903, Kansas City natural gas baron Robert McClure Snyder decided to build an Ozarkian oasis on a bluff above one of the state’s largest natural springs, where cool, pure green waters flow up from the earth. Take US-56 until you hit Road F, then take F until Road 290, which will take you into Dunlap. Take exit 147 toward US-56/Council Grove/Osage City/Admire. Hop on I-470 and take the Kansas Turnpike. The Dunlap City Cemetery sits right on the edge of town while the Colored Cemetery, which was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 2018, is about a half mile out in the rolling Kansas hills. One poignant reminder of the town’s history is the Colored Cemetery. A few deserted homes and an abandoned high school gymnasium still stand despite the school being demolished over a decade ago. In 1988, Dunlap’s post office shut its doors, and in 1993, Dunlap’s last black resident was buried in the colored cemetery. The population of Dunlap dwindled around the time of the Great Depression, and the town filed for bankruptcy.
There was even a separate cemetery for Exodusters. They were forced to segregate and treated poorly by white settlers. Exoduster Benjamin “Pap” Singleton migrated to Dunlap from Tennessee and started a colony there in 1880. Type “Dunlap, Kansas” into Google Maps, and there sits a small square around an unincorporated town on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills.ĭunlap was once a town for Exodusters-freed slaves fleeing to Kansas-during the Reconstruction Era that followed the Civil War. An abandoned town is as cool as it is creepy
The historic bar sits six stories below the limestone bones of the old Weston Brewing company, which dates back to the mid-1800s. While you’re there: Visit O’Malley’s Pub. Follow the park road to the last parking lot, where you will find the trailhead. GO: From I-29 north, take the Tracy exit to 273 west and follow signs for Weston Bend State Park. The scenic overlook, a planked deck tapered around a tree, gives panoramic views of the state line river and Fort Leavenworth’s imperial-looking clocktower.
There’s a lookout point a few feet from the West Ridge Trailhead-we recommend saving this for the end of your hike as a reward for your efforts. If you take the long loop through all three trails, it’ll take you about two-and-a-half hours. West Ridge easily connects to Harpst Trail and Paved Bicycle Loop. Still, it’s smart to be on the lookout for exposed roots, rocks and mini mudslides after a rainfall. West Ridge’s two-and-a-half-mile loop is moderately difficult with a few steep elevation changes, but the trail itself is pretty smooth. Weston Bend State Park has a few walking trails, but West Ridge Trail is the best: A large portion of the trail abuts the Missouri River and gives hikers sweeping views of the flowing water and the other side of the state line. To stand on a rocky Missouri bluff while experiencing breathtaking views of rolling green hills, you need to take the quick trip up to Weston. The best hiking in the KC area is up in Weston Hand sanitizer or soap, extra water and paper towels.Be self-reliant by bringing essentials with you. Things are still a little crazy out there right now-you may find that public facilities you’d expect to rely on in places like parks are closed or unsafe.
Get out there, but remember to use common sense and follow CDC guidelines. We picked spots that are safely spacious but which offer excitement, fresh air and much-needed changes of scenery. Never fear, we’re here to help with five great day trips from Kansas City that are all outside. And yet, things aren’t exactly back to normal. Stir-crazy yet? After nearly three months of social distancing, that’s to be expected.
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