Explore the best rated trails in Merriam, KS. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Burroughs Creek Trail and Linear Park and Kill Creek Streamway Trail . With more than 72 trails covering 538 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Watkins Mill State Park, located on the outskirts of Kansas City, is a forested area featuring a 100-acre lake. Here, whitetail deer, wild turkeys and other birds and wildlife are abundant. A walking...
The Tomahawk Creek Trail follows its namesake waterway through the Kansas City suburbs of Overland Park and Leawood. The trail provides access for the thousands of nearby residents to a number of...
The Riverfront Heritage Trail is located in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. This downtown trail showcases the city’s heritage, as well as its continuously redeveloping downtown areas. The trail...
Spanning 51 miles, the Prairie Spirit Trail State Park runs from Ottawa to Iola, offering plenty of recreation and enjoyment for birdwatchers, cyclists, walkers, joggers and anyone with a desire to...
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The Highline Trail is only 0.7 miles, running from State Route YY southwest to Main Street. This short and easy walk, ride or roll was built on a former railroad bed, likely that of the Frisco...
The Nall Avenue Path is a paved sidepath along Nall Avenue, its namesake. The path offers connections to the residents of the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, providing access to apartments,...
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This multiuse trail invites lake visitors to walk, run or ride along Longview Lake. The reservoir was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers for the triple purposes of flood control, conservation...
The Little Mill Creek Trail offers a pleasant, woodsy route through Lenexa, about 14 miles southwest of Kansas City. The trail begins at Blackfish Parkway (along which you can hop on the Blackfish...
This is a shared use path adjacent to one of Kansas City's major east-west conduits. The concrete path sits on the wide grassy verge of the boulevard, which is named for a former mayor. On the...
The Monticello Road Path offers a paved north-south route through Shawnee on the western outskirts of Kansas City. It connects shopping areas, housing subdivisions and schools. At the north end of...
Situated within Shawnee Mission Park in Lenexa, the SMP Paved Trail offers a pleasant way for park visitors to experience the surrounding beauty without their car. The trail provides access to many of...
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The MoPac Trail begins in Pleasant Hill's charming downtown area and heads northwest towards Pleasant Hill Lake and the outskirts of Kansas City. The rail-trail is named for the former Missouri...
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The Brush Creek Trail offers a serene and scenic walking and biking experience in southeast Kansas City. The concrete greenway occupies both the north and south banks of Brush Creek, which was...
The 159th Street Path unsurprisingly parallels W. 159th St. in Olathe. The trail provides access to commercial, industrial and residential facilities, as well as Chisholm Trail Middle School and the...
Running parallel to Northwood Road is a 10-foot asphalt hike and bike path. The trail travels between residential developments on the northwest side of Riverside, Missouri, well-placed for an easy...
Maurer Road Path parallels its namesake roadway for just over a mile in the city of Shawnee on the outskirts of Kansas City. The north-south route connects residential and shopping areas and, at its...
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The Urban Trail system in St. Joseph is a suburban jewel, with lush, green scenery along most of its route. The system branches off in several directions, offering a number of customizable routes for...
The Southern Platte Trail is a hard surface, shared use path in the Kansas City metro area, Missouri. The trail begins in the City of Parkville, and then sandwiches SR 45 as it heads east into Kansas...
The Rolling Ridge Trail winds through the city of Olathe on the southwestern outskirts of Kansas City. At its northern end, the paved route provides access to Prairie Center Park, a 75-acre...
The Gary L. Haller Trail lies within scenic Mill Creek Streamway Park. Although the trail was not built on a former railroad, it parallels an active rail line for about 6 miles of its length at its...
The Riverfront Heritage Trail is located in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. This downtown trail showcases the city’s heritage, as well as its continuously redeveloping downtown areas. The trail...
Inside of Lee's Summit's Community Park, the Legacy Park Trail is a family oriented destination with an abundance of activities available. Sitting on 692 acres, the park host many youth sports games,...
The Nall Avenue Path is a paved sidepath along Nall Avenue, its namesake. The path offers connections to the residents of the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, providing access to apartments,...
The Gardner Road Trail parallels S. Gardner Road on the southern side of Gardner, Kansas. The sidepath travels through a low density suburban community and connects residences with parks and religious...
Situated within Shawnee Mission Park in Lenexa, the SMP Paved Trail offers a pleasant way for park visitors to experience the surrounding beauty without their car. The trail provides access to many of...
The Olathe Heritage Trail provides an off-road connection between two popular local parks, making this a surprisingly useful and rather scenic trail considering its length and suburban...
The Tomahawk Creek Trail follows its namesake waterway through the Kansas City suburbs of Overland Park and Leawood. The trail provides access for the thousands of nearby residents to a number of...
Although short, this paved half-mile trail provides connections to three parks, as well as a unique attraction in northern Independence. On the northern end of the trail sits Mill Creek Park, which...
Maurer Road Path parallels its namesake roadway for just over a mile in the city of Shawnee on the outskirts of Kansas City. The north-south route connects residential and shopping areas and, at its...
Watkins Mill State Park, located on the outskirts of Kansas City, is a forested area featuring a 100-acre lake. Here, whitetail deer, wild turkeys and other birds and wildlife are abundant. A walking...
The four disconnected sections of the 133rd Street Path run though the communities of Olathe, Overland Park and Leawood outside Kansas City. The trail parallels sections of 133rd and 132nd Streets,...
Paralleling W. Madison Street, the Madison Street Trail is a sidepath that provides access between nearby residences and public facilities. Gardner Edgerton High School is located near the western end...
Spanning 51 miles, the Prairie Spirit Trail State Park runs from Ottawa to Iola, offering plenty of recreation and enjoyment for birdwatchers, cyclists, walkers, joggers and anyone with a desire to...
Lake Shawnee opened in 1939 as a project of the Works Progress Administration and has been providing the residents and visitors of Topeka with a host of recreational opportunities since that time. A...
The Switzer Road Trail parallels Switzer Road in Overland Park. The sidepath connects to the 133rd Street Path, 143rd Street Path, 151st Street Path and Tomahawk Creek Trail, making it an important...
Running from the small town of Weston to the nearby Weston Bend State Park, the Weston Bluffs Trail provides a safe and scenic means for park visitors to visit the quaint town, and for town residents...
The Eastbrooke Trail forms a useful link between the city of Olathe's 133rd Street Path and the lengthy regional backbone, the Indian Creek Bike/Hike Trail. This paved, short trail serves as a nice...
This is a shared use path adjacent to one of Kansas City's major east-west conduits. The concrete path sits on the wide grassy verge of the boulevard, which is named for a former mayor. On the...
Lackman Road Path begins across from Swarner Park, where you'll find a number of recreational amenities, including sports fields, a playground, fishing pond, and skate park. From there, you head south...
The 6th Street Path runs along W. 6th Street—also signed as US 40—in Lawrence. The side path provides safe access to residential and commercial facilities along the busy road. At its western end, the...
Located in Shawnee, a suburb of Kansas City, the Midland Drive Path offers a paved mile-long east-west route paralleling the southern side of its namesake roadway through the city. Views are a mix of...
The Gardner Road Trail parallels S. Gardner Road on the southern side of Gardner, Kansas. The sidepath travels through a low density suburban community and connects residences with parks and religious...
Located outside of bustling Kansas City, this beautiful, partially paved, 15-mile riverside pathway is a favorite for locals and visitors alike. Unlike many of the rural trails that you find in...
Although only a mile long, the 79th Street Path connects important recreational amenities in Lenexa, a southwestern suburb of Kansas City. The paved, east-west route parallels its namesake roadway...
The Little Mill Creek Trail offers a pleasant, woodsy route through Lenexa, about 14 miles southwest of Kansas City. The trail begins at Blackfish Parkway (along which you can hop on the Blackfish...
The Rock Island Spur of Katy Trail State Park totals just over 52 miles (in two disconnected sections) through woodlands, wetlands, and bucolic fields nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks. The trail...
As you might imagine, the 151st Street Path is a sidepath along 151st Street though Olathe and Overland Park outside Kansas City. The path provides access to commercial centers, schools, parks,...
The Gardner Greenway Corridor is a paved trail connecting Winwood Park and Brookside Park in Gardner, Kansas. The trail runs through open space alongside dense woodlands within the two parks. The...
The Olathe Heritage Trail provides an off-road connection between two popular local parks, making this a surprisingly useful and rather scenic trail considering its length and suburban...
This is a shared use path adjacent to one of Kansas City's major east-west conduits. The concrete path sits on the wide grassy verge of the boulevard, which is named for a former mayor. On the...
The Indian Creek Bike/Hike Trail links two states, four communities and a multitude of parks along Indian Creek. The trail provides numerous connections to the surrounding areas, making it an...
In 2018, this 117-mile rail-trail across northeast Kansas officially became a state park. Formally known as the Flint Hills Nature Trail, the trail's new name is Flint Hills Trail State Park. It links...
Note: A portion of the trail between Troost and Woodland Avenues has been closed since 2012 due to the presence of a small sinkhole. Trail users should take 85th Street as a detour. Refer to the...
The 6th Street Path runs along W. 6th Street—also signed as US 40—in Lawrence. The side path provides safe access to residential and commercial facilities along the busy road. At its western end, the...
The Clinton Parkway Trail parallels Clinton Parkway on the southwest side of Lawrence, Kansas. The trail provides access for nearby residents to a number of community facilities and commercial...
The Brush Creek Trail offers a serene and scenic walking and biking experience in southeast Kansas City. The concrete greenway occupies both the north and south banks of Brush Creek, which was...
The Nall Avenue Path is a paved sidepath along Nall Avenue, its namesake. The path offers connections to the residents of the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, providing access to apartments,...
Although short, the Route 152 Trail is an important connector in Kansas City. The paved pathway begins at 88th and Madison and intersects with the Line Creek Trail as it heads west, paralleling its...
Passing through the suburban community of Olathe, the W. Santa Fe Street Path is a sidepath that parallels W. Santa Fe Street. The path connects residential neighborhoods, commercial centers,...
Running half a mile along the creek of the same name, the Jumping Branch Trail is a multipurpose recreational trail in the heart of Riverside, Missouri. The trail allows residents in the neighborhoods...
I went tonight for the first time, and some of the trail is better maintained as far as cracks... but, some is also filled with that black sticky seal coat and it can get a little rough.... Still a go to!
We enjoyed riding about 11-12 miles on this trail. Great trail, beautiful fall scenery!
I was able to ride from Pleasant Hill to Windsor back in June 2019 with my wife. Kim of Kim's Cabin's helped out with a shuttle so we could then go up and ride in KC on Little Blue Trace, Gary Haller and Indian Creek Trails. A storm blew in so we moved our starting point out to the Purvis Road trailhead and stayed dry and just ahead of that storm!
We came back in May 20201 and got to ride from Hartman Park in Lee's Summit through Vale Tunnel northbound on an 18 mile loop for a fantastic day. Hoping to get back up there once the trail is finished up to the sports park and when weather allows! Highly recommend this trail!!
prai-rie n. 1. A large open area of grassland.
Prairie Creek Greenway astounded me! Visiting from Southern California, I envisioned a flat ride along a meandering stream on a grass covered prairie. However, to my surprise, Platte City and Prairie Creek Greenway are within rolling, tree covered, scenic hills, and once away from the creek, the path is anything but flat. There are lots of hills, many of them steep, to get your heart pumping. Thank goodness these two senior citizens were able to activate their Swytch pedal assists as needed!
The ride through the greenway is hilly where it leaves the creek, but it is mostly enclosed within the shade of woodlands which kept us cool on an eighty degree afternoon in early October. The sound of birds, squirrels, crickets, and the creek add to the joy of this ride. Lots of curves, bridges, and a park-like setting make it fun to bicycle.
Be sure to discover the waterfall at a U-shaped pullout, most definitely the highlight of the ride for me! (That and seeing my first beautiful red cardinal in the wild! We don't have those in California)
The trail was especially popular with locals who, for the most part, were walking it. We encountered only two other bicyclists.
A couple of spurs take you along main roads and into upscale neighborhoods which the local residents must surely appreciate, but don't bother with them if you're there for the solitude of the greenway. Speaking of spurs, first timers will certainly want to utilize the Trail Link app to stay on course.
Also, be alert for a couple of spots where the trees have done a number on the asphalt with their roots. My wife was actually sent off the trail by protruding roots!
All in all, I'm confident the fine citizens of Platte City know what a gem of a greenway trail system they have, and it's certainly worth spending an hour or two for a couple of out-of-towners or out-of-state explorers like us!
Started the trail at Riverside Park in Iola on the south end of the trail where the Southwind Railtrail begins. We rode north for a few miles. The trail surface was mostly paved while in town. At the edge of town the surface changes to the compacted finely crushed stone surface that isn’t much different than the paved surface. This is a wide surface with lots of room to ride two abreast. Nicely done trail. Time permitting worthy of further exploration. Noted all the trail are some mileage markers, in this section they are numbered in the low 100’s. Not sure the origin point in the north for the mileages.
Started the trail at Vasar and rode 11 miles west. The first seven miles were on mostly crushed stone that has been in use for many years. It was nice riding but did have some soft spots from recent rains. The final four miles were on a new trail surface of finely crushed stone, nearly like sand but well compacted making for a very smooth ride. Not exactly like a paved surface but close to it. This portion of trail had many trees along side and is mostly straight with some grade but very little. We enjoyed the ride through the countryside.
This is a good bike ride for us but as you can see on the trial map it’s in 4 parts and that necessitates street riding between the 4 parts. We’ve only used the 3 east most parts but will ride the other part before winter. I’d recommend but maybe not with kids as the places between paths are on busy streets
Have taken this trail both on foot and via bike. Great trail with views of the creek but is really busy on weekends. Rode most recently on a Sunday morning and needed to slow down a lot to pass walkers. Would recommend especially during the week
Rode this and much of the Leawood south loop. The trail along the creek is pretty but on a Sunday morning was really busy. Lots of walkers, dogs, and other bikers. That said it’s close to the house and has some pretty bridges and creek views
We have electric bikes and enjoy checking out all the nearby trails. The Urban Trail in St Jo was great. It is very different from many others we have done. As in previous reviews this trail has a lot of hills so this gave us the opportunity to use lots of gears and PAS options. We enjoyed looking at all the different scenery along the way as we went through park, residential, older and newer areas and lots of squirrels. The whole trail is paved which was nice. The main trail is about 10 miles but there is a side trail to 29 that will add a few more miles to get a longer ride.
Rode this trail today and I was very satisfied with the smoothness of it and the absence of vehicle traffic.
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