Explore the best rated trails in Newton, KS, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Railroad Park Bike Path and Sunflower Santa Fe Trail . With more than 21 trails covering 234 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.
10-2 ft vintage asphalt trail along lovely river. Concrete surface near downtown with unmarked bike detours. Washouts, huge amounts of trash. Homeless population an issue but total lack of maintenance could be addressed Wasted two days visiting to ride this trail.
Attempted a two day ride. First day ride from Ottawa to Osawatomie and back. Trail was muddy in spots . Lots of sticks and small branches. Trail is just two tracks in most places with loose material in middle. Rained on way back. Songbirds were incredible. Especially cardinals!! This section is tree lined. Then ride west from Ottawa to Pomona and back. Trail is much better condition and a bit more open. Second goal was to ride from Osage City west to Bushong and back. Delayed start due to thunderstorms. Trail west from Osage City was pretty good but littered with sticks and leaves from recent storm. A Moved a couple of trees off the trail At the third tree that was too big to move I turned around and went back. Only made it 5 miles.
Flint Hills Park Trail. It was a beautiful February day; 68 degrees! Started @ Orlis Cox Sports Complex in Ottawa. Rode to Pomona and back; 21 miles round trip. This section of the trail passes through farmland (broke ground) and treed areas, alternately. Some of the trail is next to an active rail line. One safety-engineered highway crossing. Well-maintained trail; kudos to the maintenance team. Wide trail; rode side-by-side, which we enjoy. Fine gravel surface. Some leaves and sticks on the trail in spots. Rail trail; no steep grades. Fantastic bridges; new, clean, wide, perfect surface! Trail head in Pomona had lots of parking and a unisex outhouse in excellent condition. To the people who rode bikes or horses on the trail when it was wet/soft - shame on you. In summary, a great ride; We will definitely ride this section again in the future! 5 stars.
I’m not sure why there are negative remarks regarding this trail. From the Rice Park end all the way around the Carey Park Loop and back to the Rice Park beginning, it is 11.5 miles of various scenery. I love the diversity of feeling like I am in rural, city, residential areas all in the same trail. Little Cow Creek is beautiful to me, and the Carey Park area is as well. It’s peaceful and serene. Lots of places to pull off and snap photos of flowers, trees, wildlife, and water. A zoo and golf course are also passed. There are plenty of picnic tables, bathrooms, and garbage cans along the route as well. The path is paved, fully, and is slightly rough in a few spots but nothing to complain about really. I can tell that the City of Hutchinson mows regularly and keeps the garbage emptied very regularly. I find it to bean outstanding gift to that community. .
This trail was absolutely a delight to ride. We stayed in Council Cove in an rv park by the trail. We rode 18 miles out and back. We rode past Bushong and almost to Allen. I wish we would have had more time to do more of the trail. Fall is my favorite season and the countryside was beautiful!!
The trail was in good shape. Sunflowers blooming in the open spots and nice tree coverage for the last hour in the sun. The favorite section was from Goddard to Garden Plain as it was more rural and quiet. The trail is well marked and has benches for rest and snack breaks. The park in Goddard is a great spot with a beautiful picnic pavilion.
The blazing star were blooming profusely! Lots of butterflies and dragonflies. The trail was in good shape from Council Grove to the Rock Creek Bridge.
The trail is in good shape from Council Grove to the Rick Creek Bridge. Blazing Star is profuse and there were lots of butterflies and dragonflies.
We started at Mile Zero and rode out 15 miles and rode back. The trail is beautiful and well maintained but also has a rustic feeling to it. Most parts were crushed limestone and some parts were bigger gravel rock. Be prepared for no restrooms or official rest areas on this segment. We will definitely ride this trail again!
I rode the entire trail in June 2025 from Osawatomie to Council Grove and back, detouring through Lyndon to avoid construction. I had planned to ride to Herrington, but found that section closed. I say don't advertise that it's 118 miles long until it is! (I see it was just inducted into the Conservancy Hall of Fame touting its 118 mile length.) I travel the country to do multi-day rides on rail trails over a 100 miles long. Came up short on this one.
That said, I had an excellent ride. Had no issues with trail surfaces. On all my rail trail tours, I like to support the local economy and found several good restaurant stops along the way. I highly recommend the ride. Just don't expect it to be 118 miles long.
As a local resident, I was thrilled to discover that the Flint Hills Trail runs directly through Herington and wanted to explore more of what’s described as one of Kansas’s most scenic long-distance trails. Unfortunately, the segment between Herington and Delavan feels forgotten — undermaintained, underpromoted, and in some areas, barely passable. There are no directional signs or kiosks marking the trailhead within Herington, and most residents I’ve spoken to don’t use the trail at all or frequently. Access can be found off N F Street near the edge of town (no public parking lot), but once you begin walking, it quickly becomes evident that this portion hasn’t received consistent upkeep in years. Grasses and brush are heavily overgrown along and across the path, sometimes reaching knee to waist height. Drainage is poor in spots, and the trail bottlenecks frequently due to barbed wire fencing and narrow rocky corridors, making it difficult to exit quickly if needed. There are no benches, bathrooms, safety features, or trail mileage indicators along this portion. I encountered no other hikers or riders — and very little sign that anyone else uses this stretch regularly. Most notably, on my most recent walk I observed over a dozen large scat piles spaced along a 1–1.5 mile stretch near the US-77 underpass, many of which appeared fresh (within 12 hours), contained hair, had a strong urine scent, and were significantly larger in diameter than what is typical of local coyotes or raccoons. There was also visible tree bark stripping nearby. I’ve submitted photos and a report to Kansas Wildlife & Parks out of an abundance of caution, as the signs could potentially indicate the presence of a large omnivore or predator (possibly a bobcat, bear, or mountain lion passing through). This section of trail has great potential and stunning views of Kansas prairie and farmland, but without basic upkeep, signage, or safety monitoring, it’s not suitable for families or casual walkers. I hope more attention is given to this western end of the trail so it can become a safe and welcoming community asset again.
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