You gotta be Nuts to ride there! (Kaw River State Park--Topeka, KS)

This morning since my sweetie had to work I got up and drove over to check out a possible trail called the Black Hawk Trail in 110 Mile Park on the north side of Pomona Lake.  When I got there I discovered it to be mainly a trail for horses not bicycling.  It was also too muddy to ride today.  I walked a ways down it just to give it a look see.  About 100 yards into it I heard a shotgun go off about 100 yards away from me.   That's when I decided to scrap the walking plan and head back to the car.

So you can scratch the Black Hawk Trail off our list!

Entrance to the BlackHawk Trail

About 100 yards in looking back towards the entrance

About 100 yards in looking on down the trail. 

From there I drove up to Topeka to the Kaw River Park Trail.  We had walked a little of it a couple of weeks ago, so I wanted to check it out.   It is not a very long trail, and has some washout areas that you want to keep an eye out for.  I started up at the top.  If you take Wanamaker past the roundabout north of I-70 you will eventually come to a Park Ranger office with parking.  The trail heads of to the Northwest from there into the trees and winds its way down the river bluff towards the Kaw/Kansas River.  You will definitely get a workout on this trail.

Eventually I ran into what appears to be the remnants of a road that lead up to the old Menninger Foundation building.  Thus my title you gotta be Nuts to ride there! :D

(You realize that's politically incorrect, right dear.......??????)  ~~H 

Menninger Psychiatric Hospital - Abandoned

Looking back down the hill on the road that lead up to the Menninger Building

It was quite a climb up to the parking lot so I sat there awhile catching my breath.   Then I turned around and headed back down.  I turned off on what looked like a single track mountain bike trail about 1/3 of the way back down the hill.  This trail followed the tree line back around to where I had parked my car.   I got off and walked my bike several times as the trail was a bit muddy and there were obstacles setup for more advanced MTB riders.

I then rode back down the first hilly section of the regular trail.  Then turned around and rode back up the hill.  You can see my course in the below map from MapMyRide.com

S~~

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