i first hiked the Konza Prairie in Fall 2014 when I moved here. I sneezed the entire time. This did lead to my going to an allergist, which is good. However, I was skeptical and did not return for awhile, even though this is so close to home. We joined the Prairie Fire Meet-Up group/Manhattan Outdoors Club for a hike yesterday, which was a sizeable group of about 20. We opted for the 6.3 mile loop. Parking is ample by the trailhead. At the start, there is a significant steep grade so be aware of that at the beginning. There are trail signs with arrows to follow. The prairie had just been burned in the area so it smelled like burnt beef jerky and was charred like some weird Stephen King novel coming to life.
However, grass was already growing through the burnt prairie and there were lush green trees throughout. Given the elevation change, there is a great view of the valley below including the city as you hike. There are also spaces to stop and see the view, drink water, and munch on a snack. There were also portable bathrooms around too.
We did the 6.3 mile loop in just over 2 hours, and I was sneeze-free! It was mostly level or downhill after the beginning part, with a nice change of greenery and burnt prairie throughout. There were others on the trail, including trail runners. There are other trails and shorter loops to take as well.
Note that this is a reserve and a biological research center, no bicycles or dogs are allowed on the trail. There is a box to donate money for trail usage at the trail head, so please do so to maintain this beautiful place. Lately, there have been threats to shut the area down due to human misuse/dogs that should not be on the trails, so take care of this place and enjoy! read more