Find the top rated birding trails in Great Bend, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Wish they would take care of the bike trail. The expansion strips are too large of a gap. My husbands spokes on his wheels broke off, because of how bumpy it is! He had to replace his wheels which are not cheap. And his bike was brand new!! I love the trail, I just wish they would fix the gaps, so we do not ruin our bikes. Will not ride, until they are fixed. We drive to Wichita to ride on the trails there.
Winds along a river bed from one park to another. Several optional alternatives along the way, do some of them north, then the others south. As has been mentioned, pretty wide "expansion strips" every 50 feet or so on long sections of the trail making for bumpy ride, no worse than most city streets. Easy to pop over to Main St in Hutchinson for every downtown store/restaurant experience in a town this size.
Fantastic ride, sure it is a bit worn but the plus side is no Vehicular traffic. several miles long it also winds through Carey park and connects to So. Hutchinsons bike trails.
The scenery seen from the trail is pleasant enough. However, the asphalt surface has many, many wide cracks across it --- from one end of the trail to the other. These can considerably lessen the enjoyment of riding this trail, particularly if your bike has small wheels. My folding bike has 20" wheels, so the wide cracks were quite noticeable and are the reason for rating this as only two stars.
Ran this trail in a pretty strong wind, which is not unusual in Kansas. The trail is now completely paved, concrete in some places, asphalt in other. It is hard to access from west of downtown, you have to go completely to the western end, but there are a couple of eastern access points.
Not hugely scenic as, in part, it goes through the industrial section of Great Bend, but any trail is better than fighting traffic. Mostly runs along the Arkansas River, but don't expect a lot of water unless there have been recent rains.
There is also a short trail through the city park that is more scenic, but only runs for a couple of miles in loops around the park.
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