Been on ICT since the early 2000s. The park and rec of OP needs to serious repave vast sections of asphalt on the trail where the nearby tree roots have caused significant damage to the asphalt. No reason super rich JOCO can ignore the neglect of the trail.

Cool trail that is flat, quiet and goes a long way. Often not a lot of people.

Our quest to ride in every state in America landed us in Vassar, Kansas, a one-horse town about 30 miles south of Topeka, at a trailhead for the Flint Hills Nature Trail. Thankfully, we’d read that it was near a grain silo, otherwise, we might have missed the small dirt clearing we used as a parking lot.
The seventh longest rail-trail in America, the Flint Hills Trail stretches 117 miles across eastern Kansas on what used to be the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Today, it is a crushed stone path with occasional pieces of shale and deeply rutted soft dirt. Riding was slow and bumpy the first several miles and we had to keep a tight grip on our handlebars. The trail was straight as an arrow and flat as a pancake, although the rolling Flint Hills surrounded us. We’d read that there were turkeys and bobcats in the area, the latter of which we may have seen earlier in the day when what we thought was a large, healthy fox darted across the highway. Actually, the only wildlife we encountered while biking were very loud flying insects that reminded us of the cicadas that plague the mid-Atlantic every 17 years.
The trail was lined with scrubby cedars and other trees that formed a narrow screen between us and the farmland on either side. These provided some shade on what otherwise would have been a scorching ride in the summer sun. About every mile, we passed through a gateway with a post on either side, that looked, from a distance, like approaching figures. In fact, we only passed one other bike and two pedestrians during our two-hour ride. The trail widened and improved after we passed through a gateway onto a very broad two-lane roadway with well-packed dirt and cinder.
Award-winning beers awaited us at a brewery outside of Topeka.

Asked Ottawa Bike Shop owner which direction to go on either trail. He suggested eastbound so thats where we headed. Only rode 5 miles before heading back to Ottawa. Great trail, a little wet but very pleased how our fat tire ebikes performed in these conditions, just perfect. This part of the trail almost all canopied, very nice. Definitely going to come back, go further.

This is not a trail it is a sidewalk connecting neighborhoods and shops.

Love this trail when the single track is closed. It runs along Mill Creek and through parks, neighborhoods, and places to eat.

Rode the trail while visiting last week enjoyed the day very much.

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 stopped off in Topeka while on our quest to ride ride our bikes in ten different states in sixteen days. Our hotel was right on the trail at Fairlawn, so we jumped on the trail shortly after dawn on a crisp fall morning in October for an out and back ride.

We absolutely loved the first half of the ride through the greenway and parks to Shunga Glen Park and its colorful Rip On skate park. It was serene, peaceful, heavily wooded, and the air was filled with the songs and calls of birds as we passed through parks, nature areas, and charming neighborhoods with more bushy tailed squirrels than I have ever seen before!

The trail is smooth, and the curvy twists and turns add to the enjoyment! It is certainly a trail to be taken slowly, not only to enjoy its beauty, but because of all the locals walking and jogging. They most definitely know what a treasure this first portion is!
FIVE STARS!!

Unfortunately, the trail continues beyond Shunga Glen Park. We forged on past Fillmore at 21st into a business area, crossed Landon Path circle interchange, and into a heavily wooded area which smelled of camp fire smoke. It was at that moment we realized we had not been seeing the walkers or joggers like we had before. Where had all the fine citizens of Topeka out for their morning exercise go? Homeless then began materializing out of the woods, loud arguing could be heard within the trees, articles of clothing and trash were strewn alongside the trail, and a camp full of garbage appeared. It was at that point we didn't feel safe, so we threw in the towel a couple miles from the endpoint and turned around to enjoy the first half a second time!.
ZERO STARS.

It's one trail, but after Fillmore street it might as well be given different names such as:
Shunga Jekyll ~ Beautiful, serene, and a community treasure
Shunga Hyde ~ Scary, sketchy, and makes senior citizens feel unsafe