Excited to update my prior review now that this trail has been rolling for a few years. This is a…read morestretch of thirteen car-free miles of trails to bike, walk, run and explore. Some portions are wooded and some open, there are bridges throughout, and then the highlight of the trail, the 100+ year old Vale Tunnel. Techinically, you can park in the Truman Sports Complex, Lot L, if you want to start on the western end. My advice if you're coming from downtown/midtown/Plaza area is to simply plug Crane Brewing into your GPS and make that your start and end. It's a wonderful local brewery, there's parking everywhere, and it's literally right on the trail. More reasons to skip the Truman Sports Complex: busy on game days, tough to navigate, and the stretch of trail between there and Crane is very forgettable. Now the trail itself is really nice. It's often wooded and bucolic, and the crushed limestone trails are similar to the Katy Trail, Trolley Track Trail, rails-to-trails etc. (You probably can ride a road bike on this, but you'll be more comfortable with a hybrid, cross, or gravel bike that has at least 32mm tires). At some points, there are boulders lining the outer edge of the trail that cut the wind very nicely. More trees, bridges, creeks and scenery keep unfolding in the mid-points of the trail. The bulk of this was an old railroad line so much of it is nice and flat, and scenic, especially in the fall. Speaking of the railroad line, about 6 miles from Crane, you'll come across the Vale Tunnel. This train tunnel was forged from dynamite around 1903, and nicely restored and bolstered over the past decade for this recreational trail. If I could change one thing, I'd love for them to build out a little trail spur so you could ride into downtown Lee's Summit. My friend and I did this but had to ride some busy sidewalks to get there which worked but was just OK. Job well done by all involved to help KC along for nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, cyclists, runners, walkers, kids (what kid doesn't love a gigantic tunnel to explore) and more. Stray notes to add: - I found water fountains (warm months only) at the Hartman trailhead near Lee's Summit, and there are also Port-a-Potty's throughout the trail. - This trail has always felt very safe to me, with lots of people out on a beautiful day. Vibes are good! - There's good signage to know you're on the trail, as well as etiquette (call out when passing via bike on the left, etc.) - This could *potentially* connect to the larger, more rural Rock Island Spur (Pleasant Hill, MO to Windsor, MO) which already connects directly to the Katy Trail. So you could conceivably ride all the way to the outskirts of St. Louis via trails. There's currently a gap in Greenwood of 8 miles that might be trails in the future. - Here is the best trail map I've found, and they have this marked along some trailheads as well: https://www.makeyourdayhere.com/files/assets/parksrec/trails/documents/ri-trail-map-1-and-2.pdf

This is a great trail. There are several entry points to this trail and the views are nice. I like…read morewalking near riding star ranch because you may get to see a horse.

This is a great little hike. Scenic with hills and flat areas. Some paths mowed while others are…read moregravel. Saw several deer and some large turtles in the pond and on the paths. We will definitely be back for a couple mile hike.

Okay, so...little bit of a secret. This place has great fishing! It's a wonderful place to spend a…read moreday, if you've got the gumption, a pair of hiking boots, and a lot of time on your hands. You have to hike in for sure, but the pond on property is wonderful: clear, clean, and colorful. There are many picnic tables throughout the reserve, and the wild nature of the place is worth the visit. Quite a few evenings I've stayed longer than the sun was willing to, and found myself walking through the actual prairie at sundown - which I'm not ashamed to say is formidable with the right company. I once witnessed an assault there, but the lady told me it was her brother that did it, so she didn't need any assistance. Barring that, it really is a wild and wonderful place to spend the day. It can get a tad bit crowded on the weekends, and the path can and does get congested, but there is so much to walk that it shouldn't be too much of a problem. There's one spot on the map that gets a little treacherous: a downward sloped and rocky hill, so take it easy down that. But otherwise, it's a myocardial wonderland! Get a good pair of walkin' boots, a camera, and possibly a fishing pole, and get out there!

While on our visit to Kansas City we decided to bring our dog here (very short drive from Oakland…read morePark) and we have never seen anything like this for the public. A 66 acre park, everything you can imagine is here. Many different trails, LOTS of open fields, 2 or 3 different play grounds for kids, a water park area with pools and slides, soccer fields and many soccer goals, 2 basketball courts, pickleball, tennis, you name it they probably have it. Extremely well taken care of and felt very safe walking around at dusk even on the trails with just my dog. The dog parks were HUGE, and everything was very clean and NEW. Just a beautiful area we were happy to have stumbled upon by accident. Great if you're roadtripping and need to get some exercise or wear out your kids and dog!

Time to update this old review as we're all currently practicing social distancing and this is a…read moregreat spot for many people to easily do so. I rode my bike out here on one of the warmest days of the spring and it's always a nice destination. There are tons of trails connecting through it that are best suited for walkers/joggers. Cyclists can ride on them, but they're twisty and full of people, so I'd recommend sticking to the roads more than these on the bike. There are soccer fields, a dog park (with it's own Yelp page), a pool, and it's right in the middle of Leawood and easily accessible off 435. Really glad the city had the foresight to design such a big amenity for Johnson County. If you're a dog owner, there are portions where you can get down to the creek if your doggo needs a quick swim. Granted there are leash laws, but if you have a dog that you can recall well, I say go for it. It's really a nice park overall and perfect for those needing a dosage of sunshine and nature right now.

This is a fun trail to hike on. Most of it is paved, although there are some off paths that are all…read moreterrain and wooded. I was not familiar with this trail so it was a little confusing to get to. Tip: you can access the trail by the tennis courts on Blue river rd. Tip 2: the bathrooms by the tennis courts were not open yet (March) and no bathrooms along the trail. Along the trail you pass lots of the park's amenities: shelter house, tennis courts, benches, playground, golf course, water, love lock bridge and more. If you do the entire hike it's about 5 miles. Parts of the path are secluded but I was with a friend and felt safe. I would recommend doing the hike with at least another person, although there were lots of people walking, running, and cycling on the trail. Good trail for all levels.

It was great hike, very long but seemed to be forever. I ended up turning around. The bridges were…read moreawesome and the lock bridge was really cool, but you just get to the red bridge and only go on it and turn around. The tennis courts seemed nice and they had basketball hoops, a park and bathrooms . You can go to the bridge and then go on the other paths. I will say there was about seven cars with older men in the parking lot in the last parking lot just sitting in there cars which was kind of interesting . Honestly for being a younger woman with her kid I probably wouldn't go back by myself again, everyone was friendly though. Also a semi parked just off the dirt/ gravel way with a car and I didn't feel comfortable going that way so I had to just turn around completely. The people do come and clean the bathrooms which is good, I didn't go in there but I saw the guy going in at one point before my walk. By the bridge there was literally trash next to the trash can so like come on my fellow walkers do better.

An urban/suburban crushed limestone trail that hits some of the most scenic, beautiful…read moreneighborhoods in KC. I don't know what to call the Trolley Trail other than a freaking gem. If you like walking and jogging, this is the spot at any time of the year with the obvious peaks being late spring and fall. If you like cycling on trails, read on. Cyclists: This ain't always the best trail for you, and I say that as someone who likes biking trails like this. It's often so full of pedestrians that wall up the path that it makes it difficult to ride through. Throw a bike bell on there if you're going to be riding this on a weekend to give folks a heads up, and I wouldn't expect to fly on this one like you can on other trails outside the city. I'd recommend riding occasionally or off-peak hours. The reason I stripped a star off this trail is simple: The city of KCMO crapped the bed by breaking up the Trolley Trail at 63rd and Meyer. At least 63rd attempts to have a crosswalk (though no cars pay attention to it) but the Meyer crossing is a serious accident waiting to happen. Cars turning every which way, going fast, and really no real crossing for trail users. I'd say it's easier to cross a random back highway than this. But at the end of the day, one quarter-mile stretch that's tough to navigate out of the handful of other miles isn't what you'll remember. You'll notice the beautiful homes, the big trees, UMKC and the Plaza on the north end, Waldo and KC Bier right off the path near the south.. It's really a pretty special trail and one that I'd love to see more neighborhoods copy as we aim to shed our car-centric KC nature.

Hello, Pleasantville! I now know you…read more At the idyllic Trolley Track Trail, bikers, walkers and dogs share a path without any conflict. Yesterday I almost had to pinch myself because that whole "why can't we all just get along" nonsense that I always thought was just a myth really came into play. I was with some dogs and some friends and for a split second, or a half hour, everything was practically zen. No kidding. It's a comfortable path and full of grass for the pups to roll around in and do their business in (baggies are conveniently available). And the bikers coming up behind you are prone to being kind enough to announce, "on your left." I love such etiquette! And dog owners all talk to each other. That always cracks me up, because I'm a cat person and cat people have to "relate" on cat forums and through dorky photos on our Iphones. For a serene and enjoyable late summer/early fall day, I can't think of a better place to stroll. Yes, I can appreciate zen with the best of them.

I love this trail! Great way to get out and soak in some natural vitamin D. Blacktopped and seems…read moreto be well maintained.

Fantastic walking trail! So glad I discovered it. We parked just past the train tracks on Johnson…read moreDrive and then walked the section of the trail that runs along the creek north/south- it's so serene and pretty. Nice trees and benches here and there. It's 2.2 miles round trip- a perfect quick jaunt before we went and ate a ton of sushi!!

A little escape in the middle of the city. With a large lake with fishing , boat rental, swim beach…read moreand more (even scuba diving with permit) Hiking and biking trails. Disc Golf and a dog park. There is plenty of stuff for everyone. Rent a shelter and have a party, take the kids to one of the many playgrounds. Catch one of the Theater in the Park shows or go sky gazing. This park has a lot to offer.

I love this place I have been here a-half dozen times with the dogs and the dog park is awesome…read more Ive walked around the lake also with a fishing pole and didn't catch anything but its a nice lake

The Trails at unity Village are beautiful, mostly shady and well marked. There is no charge, it's…read moreperfectly OK to bring leashed pets and all the trails are groomed and clean.

Great 5k hike/walk in Lee's Summit! My friend and I used it four our annual 5k Turkey Day hike!…read moreIt's a gravel or grass path for most of it.