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Elk City State Park and Wildlife Area is located in the Osage Questas of southeastern Kansas, where thick oak hickory woodlands meet rolling meadows of big bluestem and Indian grass.
Hiking is especially pleasant in fall when the hardwoods are ablaze with color. There are 4.5 miles of trails, including two short nature trails that wind through oak-hickory forest and wind-carved rocks and bluffs, yielding spectacular views of the lake. Eagle Rock Mountain Bike Trail is approximately four miles long and begins with a loop through the big sycamore and oak trees along the Elk River.
The three-mile Table Mound Trail is named for the park's most prominent feature, a precipitous limestone bluff. The paved 1.5-mile Squaw Creek Trail is wheelchair- and bicycle-accessible. More hiking is available outside the park on the nearby 15-mile Elk River Hiking Trail, managed by the U.S. Corp of Engineers.
The 4,500-acre reservoir is home to crappie, channel catfish and sauger. There are boat ramps and a wheelchair-accessible fishing dock.
Birdwatchers and photographers keep an eye out for pileated woodpeckers, which are common in the mature trees along the Elk River. A solar-powered wildlife feeder attracts animals in the park.
Other facilities include a campground, playgrounds and modern restroom/shower buildings.
Outdoor Activities |
