Arikaree Breaks Is An Otherworldly Destination Hidden In The Far Corner Of Kansas
Traveling to another planet isn’t something we can do, but to feel like you’re somewhere so special that you’ve never seen anything like it in our state. This otherworldly hidden destination is a great spot to visit when you’ve got the time to travel to the corner of our beautiful state. Have you ever seen anything like this?
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
Welcome to a bit of land that looks unlike the rest of Kansas, an area called Arikaree Breaks. Hidden up in the northwest corner of our state, you might not know it exists at all until you were told.
This beautiful natural area was formed when water erosion carved this specific soil into natural cliffs and curves. Loess soil erodes easily, and doesn't appear in many areas of Kansas.
There are a few processes that make this landscape, but to be honest, we're just here for the beauty. It's not every day we can watch the hills run "down" instead of up!
Loess also appears in the extreme northeast of Kansas as well, but most of that area is the Loess Hills in Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa. We're glad to have our chunk of this beauty here in the opposite corner!
As for Arikaree Breaks, 36 miles of this landscape covers the corner of Kansas as well as parts of Colorado and Nebraska, but we don't mind the extra travel. Come explore, see the layers up close, and have a great time just taking it all in.
For any big fans of the Flint Hills, our Arikaree Breaks are just as stunning. Whether you travel as the mood takes you or you take a detailed route, we hope you enjoy the scenery that's almost out of this world.
To get to Arikaree Breaks, you’ll need to head north of St. Francis on highway 27, where you can either head towards Three Corners via turning onto Country Road W (heading west) and then turning onto County Road 3 (heading north) to Devil’s Gap, or keep exploring the area at your pace and make a day of it.
If you know of another hidden spot in Kansas that’s just as beautiful that we’ve missed out on, let us know via our Nomination Tool. We want to hear about your favorite places in the Sunflower State!own” instead of up.
Born and raised Kansan, Clarisa has lived in both tiny towns and cities during her time here in the Sunflower State, mostly in the south central area. Clarisa is a stay-at-home mother of one crazy kid, three cats, and two reptiles, and has been writing anything and everything since she's held a pencil, though Kansas and fantasy novels take up most of her time.
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