Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail:
Kansas
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Description:
From Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks website:


The trail's hard-packed limestone surface is suitable for foot traffic, bicycles, and wheelchairs. Portions of the trail inside city limits are paved asphalt adorned with ornamental lighting and landscaping. For the safety of trail users, it is routinely patrolled by KDWP officers and local law enforcement.


The trail is open during daylight hours, and special permits may be obtained for group night rides or other events. Restrooms are spaced conveniently along the trail, and picnic areas are located at each trailhead. Camping is prohibited along the trail corridor, but North Lake Park in Garnett, which borders the trail, does allow camping. Fishing is allowed only in lakes at Garnett. Hunting and all firearm possession is prohibited along the trail corridor.


For several years, bicyclers, hikers, runners, bird watchers, and other nature lovers have enjoyed 33 miles of the Prairie Spirit Trail. With the addition of the Welda-to-Iola segment, visitors now have a full 50 miles of nature to explore.

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Parking & Trail Access:
Trail Permits: A per-person trail permit is required for persons 16 years and older to use the trail outside the city limits of Garnett and Ottawa. Persons using the trail within the city limits of Garnett and Ottawa may do so free of charge. The cities of Garnett and Ottawa maintain the trail with their respective city boundaries. This maintenance is provided in exchange for usage of the trail within those boundaries at no charge.

Self-pay daily permits are $2.50 per day and may be purchased at self-pay stations located at the Ottawa, Princeton, Richmond, Garnett and Welda trailheads.

Annual permits are available for $10.50 at the following locations:

Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce
419 S. Oak
Garnett, KS 66032

City of Garnett
131 W. 5th, Box H
Garnett, KS 66032

Country Mart
2138 S. Princeton
Ottawa, KS 66067

Franklin Co. Clerk's Office
Franklin Co. Courthouse
Ottawa, KS 66067

Village Inn Motel
2520 S. Main
Ottawa. KS 66067

No permit is required for persons 15 years of age or under.

Facilities: Trail restrooms are available at trailheads Princeton, Richmond, and Welda from approximately April 15 to October 15. The Santa Fe Depot in Garnett provides restroom facilities throughout the year and is located near the town square in Garnett. The depot serves as a tourism information center as well. Picnic areas are located at each trailhead.
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Seasonal Restrictions:
Trail Hours: The Prairie Spirit Trail is open during daylight hours (outside the city limits of Garnett and Ottawa).

Special-use permits may be obtained for group night rides or special events from the trail manager. These events must be approved and planned in advance for notification of local law enforcement agencies.

Trail Manager: Offices for the Prairie Spirit Trail manager are located at the Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce in Garnett (785) 448-6767.
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Reviews: [1 trail ratings]
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Ottawa to Richmond
By webdad on May 25, 2010
To prepare for the Katy this summer, my wife and did a ride from Ottawa to Richmond and back with our BOB trailer. Trail is petty nice. I did notice at the self-pay station that a sign stated that the bridge north of Garnett is now repaired so you don't have to do the detour to get to Garnett. Another sign and map did show a new detour between Welda and Colony due to bridge construction. It is promising that the detour is due to construction at least.

Here is the route we took: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34568402 (32 miles)

Prairie Spirit Trail
By twirlymaker on September 22, 2009

Pedaled 5.5 miles south of Welda on excellent limestone surface. Sign at Princeton indicates Bridge out between Richmond & Garnett.
Noel Keller 3 Sep 09
Fun Trail
By JayeDee on October 03, 2008
I did this 51-mile, flat, crushed-limestone trail from Ottawa to Inola in early October. It offers several scenic views, from close-in and afar. Both sides of the trail have 30-50-ft-wide tree/hedge rows stuffed with numerous plants and wildflowers and its fair share of the sumac and cedar-type evergreens. Certain sections are crowded with vegetation and partial canopies, while others open up into prairie and farm views, i.e., cattle grazing next to fields of hay, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, and tall grass. The trail is spotted with creeks, streams, bridges, lagoons, ponds, and small lakes. It also has a few steep side-slopes to stay mindful of.

In the sections where the corridor borders wooded or undeveloped land with watering holes, wildlife can be seen, like, bobcats, turkeys, and white-tail deer in addition to the plentiful rabbits, squirrels, racers, and tiny lizards. Some of this wildlife leaves its own trail on the trail. :) An abundance of blue jays, doves, flickers, hawks, and small birds can also be seen all along the trail.

Most of its eight well-constructed trailheads have roof-covered picnic tables, but not all of them have running water, yet. In Iola, I used a fast-food outlet for restroom and water. The only thing missing from its self-paying benches ($3.50/day) is a bulletin-board map showing the locations of the towns and trailheads together with the mileages and the availability of food and water along the way. I enjoyed this trail much.
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