Just a few clicks on a website and people can access information on 2,958 miles of trails in Kansas.
That's right, nearly 3,000 miles of free trails that you can hike, run, bike, or horseback ride. With a few more seconds worth of clicks you can find which trails are within an hour of your house, which ones you can complete in a half-day and which ones are graveled or paved.
You can also learn what's happening, that day or in the near future, for more than 30 outdoor activities ranging from archery shoots to wildlife viewing from all corners of Kansas, hosted by some of 119 organizations.
It's all on getoutdoorskansas.org,
"Basically it's a website that provides a free, and quick, way for organizations or individuals to post their outdoors events. It also for the public to view those activities or find any trail we have," said Mike Goodwin, of the Kansas Trails Council and originator of the online idea. The site went live about two years ago. Goodwin said it's rolling well.
Kansas Wildscape, Kansas Trails Council and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism have been the main players. Grants and contributions of more than $100,000 helped get the project going.
Goodwin said the project has about filled his original dream of better trail education, and proved his thought that Kansas had more miles of trails than most realized.
"I was thinking we'd probably top out at close to 3,000 miles and we're really close," he said. "I think we'll top it because more trails are being built all the time."
All of those miles have been walked, biked, floated or ridden with GPS units to get exact readings for locations and length. Trails range from paved city park walks of a few hundred yards to the Flint Hills Nature Trail, which is 117 miles long.
Goodwin said the site was designed so users can use filters that only show trails of desired lengths, that allow certain styles of use and are within a preferred distance of the user's location.
"If you want, you can find what trails are two miles long, or longer, within a 50 mile radius of Wichita, for bikes," he said. "It's all pretty easy and pretty quick."
Site users can also find others of similar interests, if they desire. Goodwin said as well as all styles of trail users, orienteering, distance running and fishing groups post their upcoming activities. It's any easy way for some small towns to publicize special events, too. Farmers markets are also using the site in some towns.
Charlie Black, Wildscape director, likes that the site encourages users to get involved. Hikers can post photos of their experience on particular trails. The best comprehensive gathering of trail information in Kansas, it's hoped it leads to better use of funds and resources in the future, too.
"It's made so planners and engineers can use it as a resource tool when making more trails," said Lynn Gentine website project director. "They can go in and use one of the filters to locate what's already within a certain radius of there area. That way they can know if there's a need for trails of a certain kind of surface, or length. It should be a way for (trails) in Kansas to just keep improving."
