This Hidden Trail in Kansas Is a True Local Secret

When you think of Kansas, you may conjure images of endless flat horizons, amber waves of grain, and perhaps the occasional tornado shelter (thanks, Dorothy!). Those familiar with the state’s diverse terrain might point to the Flint Hills or the Smoky Hills in western Kansas, but there's even more to the state's story. Tucked into the topography northeast of Hutchinson, you'll find a landscape that defies the standard Great Plains stereotype: Sand Hills State Park. While the park itself is well known to regional visitors, one of its less-traveled trails is a bit of a local secret—one you'll definitely want to check out.

Sand Hills State Park is a geological curiosity. This 1,123-acre preserve is characterized by shifting sands that are remnants of the last ice age, when the glacial Arkansas River carried sediment from the Rocky Mountains, down onto the plains, where the wind sculpted it into rolling dunes. Most visitors to the park come for the novelty of exploring the dunes themselves—walking across open, sun-baked prairie sand that feels more like a desert coast than the Midwest. But the local secret lies beyond the dunes, where the sand meets the shade, and far fewer people visit. Welcome to the Woodland Trail.

The trail is an easy, 2.7-mile loop that offers not only a lovely hike but also a respite from the full, unblinking gaze of the Kansas sun. This is the secret that makes this particular trail so appealing for Hutchinson locals: It's an oasis of shade in the otherwise exposed landscape of Sand Hills State Park.

What makes the trail a local secret is really the park’s primary branding. People come to the park for the Sand Hills and their arid, exposed topography. So hikers tend to stick to the trails that highlight these features, and skip the Woodland Trail altogether—if they even realize it exists. Those seeking a more wooded or less exposed hike will usually just head to a different park. This means you may frequently find that you have the Woodland Trail to yourself, with only by the rustle of deer moving through the brush or the call of a northern bobwhite for company.

Stepping onto the trail, you are immediately struck by the way it feels under your soles. The ground beneath your boots is still the soft, yielding sand for which the park is known, but what's above you has changed. Instead of open sky, you are flanked by towering eastern cottonwoods and thickets of rough-leaf dogwood. It makes for a wonderful contradiction in sensations: a hike that feels like a beach walk but looks like a forest trek.

The trail is also excellent for the diversity of nature it offers. This is because it traces the transition zone where the water table is just high enough to support tree growth, taking advantage of the “edge effect” that attracts a higher density of wildlife and a greater variety of species than the open dunes. In the spring, the dogwoods erupt in creamy white blossoms, a stark and beautiful contrast against the sand and the weathered grey bark of the cottonwoods. What's more, the birdwatching here is better than anywhere else in the county.

Next time you're visiting the Hutchinson, Kansas, area and looking to stretch your legs, don't sleep on the Woodland Trail at Sand Hills State Park. I think you'll love this hike—especially on a hot, sunny day. What are some of your favorite "local secrets" in Kansas? We'd love to hear about them over on our Nomination page.

Next time you're looking for an adventure in Kansas, be sure to check out Only In Your State’s itinerary planner for some extra inspiration.