Kaw River State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kaw River State Park |
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 Kaw River State Park
Location in Kansas
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| Location | Shawnee, Kansas, United States |
| Area | 76 acres (31 ha) |
| Established | 2010 |
| Governing body | Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism |
Kaw River State Park is a special state park located in Topeka, Kansas, USA. It's unique because it's the only state park in Kansas that's right inside a city! This park is about 76 acres (31 hectares) in size. The land was given to the state in 2005. The park officially opened to the public on September 4, 2010. This makes it one of the newest parks in the Kansas State Park system.
The park sits right on the bank of the Kansas River in Topeka. It's also next to Cedar Crest, which is the home of the Kansas Governor. Nearby is MacLennan Park, a larger area with many trails.
Contents
Park History and Development
Early Trails and Land Donation
Before it became a state park, many local people knew the trails here as the "Menninger trails." This is because the land used to belong to the famous Menninger Foundation, a hospital focused on mental health.
In 2003, the Menninger Foundation moved away. St. Francis Health Care bought the hospital complex. In 2005, they generously donated the wooded hills behind the hospital to the state of Kansas. This donation helped create the park we know today.
Building the Park Trails
The original trails were first developed by the Menninger Foundation. After they left, the Kansas Trails Council helped maintain and build more trails. They also worked on the trails in the nearby MacLennan Park.
Jeffery Bender became the park's manager in January 2008. He had experience working with the National Park Service in several parks out west. He worked hard to get Kaw River State Park ready for visitors.
Grand Opening Day
On September 4, 2010, Kaw River State Park officially opened! To celebrate, visitors could take part in a "Kaw River Run." At 10:30 a.m., Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson and his wife were there to dedicate the park.
By opening day, the park already had some great new features. These included a new paved road, which provides one of the only easy ways to reach the Kaw River near Topeka. There were also two new parking lots, new gravel trails to the west of the road, and clear new signs to guide visitors.
