Journies Outside

Category: Trail

  • Kessler Mountain – Second Trip

    Kessler Mountain – Second Trip

    December 6, 2024

    This was my second visit to this area and I had planned to follow the original trails that I didn’t follow on my first visit. Well, this did not happen again and I made my own trail.

    I started on the Saddle Up trail which is just to the left of the entrance into the wooded area. When I came to the first intersection, I turned to the right and followed it to The Last Call Trail. When I reached the intersection of Terrapin Station, turned to the left and followed it. This trail will lead you passed several large rock formations. Where Terrapin Station and Chinkapin Oak trails join, I followed Chinkapin Oak. I really enjoyed this trail. It was very diverse and had different terrains to travel through. It follows along the edge of the mountain. (There is a place where it meets Bewitched. I hope one day to go back and do this trail.)

    Chinkapin Oak will intersect with Crazy Mary. I took the Crazy Mary trail to the left to the intersection of Trent Trail and Spellbound. There were workers working on the Spellbound Trail so I turned back to the intersection of Chinkapin Oak and Crazy Mary and followed Crazy Mary. Not far after starting Crazy Mary, I came across a “pond” on the top of the mountain. Crazy Mary will take you along the edge of the mountain at times and you can see quite a ways. I enjoyed this trail very much.

    When it intersected with Fayetteville Traverse, I followed the Fayetteville trail to Trent Trail. I knew the Trent Trail would take me back to the intersection of it, Spellbound, and Crazy Mary but I hadn’t walked this area before so I walked to the intersection and back to Serpentine and then followed it to Fayetteville Traverse.

    This path had me hiking almost 9 miles. It was a work out as most of the trails are difficult and moderate. The Last Call and Trent Trail are the easiest in that they are a little wider and smoother in several areas but there are still roots and rocks.

    It was a very enjoyable hike.

    When I arrived, two runners were leaving and as I reached the parking lot one person was starting out so I had the trails to myself.

    People have marked this area as having bathrooms but I still have not been able to find any.

    I have a few photos of the day on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836

  • Cedar Niles Park

    Cedar Niles Park

    December 24, 2024

    Today’s hike was a last-minute outing and am I so very glad that I went. The original plan was to do the 5 mile Cedar Niles Columbine Loop but as usual when I start following the trails, I get a little side-tracked and want to cover more than planned. (I’m already there, might as well. Right?)

    At the “B” marker, you can go to the right and follow the Billy Goat Trail but today I chose to go to the left and follow the Columbine trail clockwise. The trail is nice larger and flatter rocks with a little dirt sometimes. You will travel through the trees and then you may come to a little clearing. There is an overlook just passed the intersection where the Scapegoat trail/trailhead sign is. You can see quite a distance from the ledge.

    When I came to the Columbine Bypass and Columbine Trail intersection, “F”, I chose to stay on the Columbine Trail at this time. When I reached the “J”, I took the Tech Loop. The Tech Loop is a harder trail than the Columbine, which is rated as a moderate trail. The Tech Loop trail is narrow and has lots of ups and downs but it also has some nice rock ledges. When I finished the Tech Loop, I did walk back to the “J” intersection so I didn’t miss anything.

    Between “L” and “M” I encountered several deer in the area. When I reached the car, I followed the Columbine ByPass trail to where it meets the Columbine Trail and turned back around and at the car, once again, continued along the Columbine Trail. When I once again came to the Columbine Trail and Billy Goat intersection, I followed the Billy Goat trail to the open ledge area near the Scapegoat trail/trailhead sign. The Billy Goat trail is also a harder and narrower trail. At the ledge, I turned back around and went back to the parking lot.

    Following my route today I did about 9 miles. You can download a map of the park and see where all the letters are and it will kind of give you an idea of the trail I traveled. My trail had me seeing the letters in this order: B, C, E, F, J, L, M, N, H, I. I think it might be fun to go back another day and try to follow the letters in order and see that route.

    The parking lot for the trailhead is a nice size and has a port-a-potty and water station. This is a very popular trail area for hikers and bikers. I was the first one there today but when I left, the parking lot was completely full. I had the trail mostly to myself and about half way through I started encountering others on the trail. Also, because I started out early, about sunrise, the trail was pretty solid but as the temperatures began to warm and the trails became busier, the trails became wet and muddy. The wet conditions were due to the snow, ice, and rain that had been in the area previously. I did check with the Johnson County Parks website and made sure that the trail was going to be open. The Urban Trails of Kansas City also shows trails that are open and closed.

    There is also a paved trail that starts at the parking lot. I’m not exactly sure how far it goes but I was able to see it when walking on the Columbine Loop and the Billy Goat Trails. A nice alternative if the trail happens to be closed.

    Overall, a very nice hike and I would recommend.

    There are a few more photos of the things I came across along the trail on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571357578836