Kanopolis State Park

This is one of my favorite parks in the state for camping and hiking. I started coming to this park as a kid and still love it! It really hasn't changed much, would someday like to ride horses out there...

Some of the sights visitors can expect to see while hiking the trails at
Kanopolis State Park.

Mushroom Rock State Park

At only 5 acres, Mushroom Rock is the smallest State Park in Kansas

This is a great picnicking spot if you're around Lindsborg

A field of sumac just off the trail

Kansas' own Old Faithful

Big Basin Prairie Preserve & St. Jacob's Well

Our last stop on this trip was Big Basin Prairie Preserve and Saint Jacob's Well... This is a really wonderful and worthwhile trip in itself, but adding Clark and going through the hills is an excellent addition. If you go in spring or early summer you can catch miles of green prairie along with colorful wildflowers. It's a beautiful wildlife area! We didn't spot any bison roaming around out here this time, so I was happy we got to see some earlier in the trip. I actually had to drive past a young bull on the road the day before, which was a bit nerve racking for about a minute!

I'd like to bring my telescope out here on a clear night

Looking out on the Big Basin

Small flora growing on the rocky bluffs

St. Jacob's Well lies nestled in the Little Basin

Grasses, shrubs and flowers warm the path to the well

Barbed post rock fencing keep the bison out of the water

A partial view from the Living Water Monument

(left) Still missing the plaque! (right) Windmills water the bison herd

For more information on Big Basin and St. Jacob's Well Visit:
Natural Kansas
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Kansas Photo Tour

Clark State Fishing Lake

Camped out here after going through the hills. Clark is a really nice lake! Clear water, tall bluffs, awesome scenery... Curtis said it was like Chase on steroids! We didn't do much fishing, but an old timer showed up and was bringing in 2lb channels after each cast. I told Curtis I was almost embarrassed to fish next to him! He knew what he was doing. Really, I was just too worn out from the heat, it must have been 110° with little to no shade. I had a really good time and hope to get out there a lot more in the future.

I really admire how the KDWP utilizes native stone on most park signs

Looking south from the north end

Going around the lake and facing east

South end, near the spillway

On the southwest edge looking east


Same as above, with a bit of zoom




Clark State Fishing Lake is worth the drive!

Red Hills of Barber County

Behold! The majesty of southcentral Kansas and more commonly referred to as the "Gypsum Hills", the Red Hills of Barber County hold a beauty unique to the state of Kansas.

Following a route found on the Natural Kansas website that lead us south of Medicine Lodge along Highway US-281 and west of Hardtner, our drive took us through countless vistas of the beautiful countryside and into remote reaches of the Kansas/Oklahoma borderland.

The US-160 Scenic Byway is a wonderful drive, but being able to stop and snap photos so easily on the quiet dirt roads was an excellent choice in my opinion and I must thank Jim Mason at Natural Kansas for the Wildlife Drive suggestion. Truly awesome!

There seems to be quite a bit of info on the web about these hills, so other than including some links, I'll let our photos do most of the talking... Hope you enjoy.

Our first stop, quiet and peaceful

The weather this day was HOT and DRY! I realized early in the journey that having a cooler full of water bottles was a very good idea!

I guess this is why they call them the "Red Hills"

Trout is one lucky dog!

Another awesome view!

Outcroppings of Gypsum begin to show as we get further northwest

A close look at some of the outcroppings

Bison roam free in miles of open range

For more information on the Red Hills visit:
Natural Kansas
GeoKansas
Kansas Photo Tour

Pottawatomie Lake #1 in Konzascope!

Spent a night here with Isabel and Curtis last summer and snapped this panorama on the way out. It's a nice little lake. I caught a black bullhead just after sundown, but didn't have great luck fishing after that. I remember making some really good chili and being greeted by every local that would drive by with their horn honking. It was an enjoyable experience.

Chase County in Konzascope!

I'm ready for some nice weather! Can't wait to get out and go fishing. These photos were taken last year and on different trips. Just a little something to help us pass the cold season...

Chase State Fishing Lake

Sunset at Chase State Fishing Lake (the storm just missed us)

The dam at Cottonwood Falls (flowing pretty good)

Read more about Chase County with the following links:

Chase County, Kansas

KansasTravel.org

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

NaturalKansas.org

Konza Prairie in Konzascope!

I really enjoy making panoramic photos. I remember someone, maybe Curtis, long ago lining up small 4x6 photos on a table and thinking how cool it was. Well, with digital technology, now the process of creating panoramas is as easy as snapping a line of pictures and stitching them together with software. The result being 'almost' seamless.

I'm sure most people out there have taken photos of scenic vistas, only to be disappointed after seeing the developed results, remembering how much more epic it actually was being there. Maybe not, but I know throughout my years of travel, to me this has happened over and over again.

I hope that with our Konzascope! panoramas, viewers will be able to get a much better visualization of the places we visit and speak about than what a normal aspect photo could provide.

Kansas is full of beautiful country and the only way to truly experience the grandeur of this state is to be a part of it. Getting out in rural Kansas is sure to open your senses to this beauty I describe. Until then, enjoy.


Konza Prairie Overlook off Highway K-177 (south of Manhattan)

Fall River in Konzascope!

No folks, this isn't How the West Was Won, but it might be How the Midwest Was Won! Kansas is going widescreen via KonzaScope! Enjoy, haha!




Mossy Ford - Access Point


Twin Falls - Access Point


Good looking stretch of Fall river


Fall River Dam

Otter was flowing around 2.5' at 80 CFS'ish this weekend. Didn't catch the lake levels, but still low for a fun run at Twins Falls or Mossy Ford.

Stayed tuned for more KoNzAsCoPe! panoramic goodies coming soon!