Trails & Green Spaces
If you bring your walking shoes, bikes, or kayak, Topeka is the place to be! If you're searching for a tranquil retreat among flowers and manicured gardens or an adventurous hike through the wooded trails, you'll find your path in Topeka. Enjoy a jog or hop on your bike to pick up the pace like the locals with the Top City Trails Alliance. Most of Topeka's trails are friendly for all types of explorers as long as you share the trail. Download a Shawnee County Parks and Recreation Trail Guide (PDF) -- the guide includes a map of both Lake Shawnee and Shunga trails.
Trails | Nature Areas | Request Map
Trails
** Local Favorite ** Lake Shawnee Walking/Biking Trail
Lake Shawnee completed their walking/biking path that encircles the entire lake. The trail is a little over 7 miles wide concrete path that meanders around beautiful Lake Shawnee. There are markers on the path that denote each quarter mile.
** Local Favorite ** Shunga Trail is a concrete bicycle/pedestrian path beginning at Crestview Park (near SW 27th and SW Fairlawn) and continuing to the east near SE 10th & SE Branner. The trail is being constructed in phases and will eventually stretch across Topeka. Bicycle riders, skateboarders, and in-line skaters are reminded that walkers have the right of way and are always asked to ride under control.
Azura Trails at Skyline Park Four Single-track, natural surface loop trails comprising 4.47 miles of natural surface trails through wooded and prairie areas.
Cedar Crest/Governor's Mansion/MacLennan Trails, located at 1 SW Cedar Crest Rd, consists of multiple trail loops. With limestone trails and dirt single-track hiking and biking trails, these loops provide many options for the novice to the advanced outdoor enthusiast. Access to the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism Region 2 trails and the Kaw River State Park are also a plus as each provides more trails, access to the riverfront, and wooded areas to explore.
Brookfield Park is a concrete pedestrian path beginning at SW 23rd and SW Kingsrow and extends 0.3 miles.
Betty Phillips Park .44 mile paved trail
Deer Creek Trail 3.6 mile trail from SE 2nd and SE 6th to SE 29th, connecting to Lake Shawnee Trail via SE 29th
Dornwood Nature Trail at SE 25th and SE Highland is 9.9 miles of natural surface and woodland hiking trail that has evolved from prairie to hardwood forest. This is a popular field trip for school classes studying plants, soil, or wildlife.
Freedom Valley is a concrete pedestrian path beginning at SE 14th and SE Locust, extending 0.75 miles.Landon Trail is a gravel trail being converted to concrete in sections. Southeast 17th to SE 45th Street have been completed. The trail is converted from an abandoned railroad track right-of-way from SE 17th to SE Sanneman Drive, extending 4.75+ miles.
Gage Park Fitness Loop Trail 2 mile paved trail encircling the park and crossing over Westlake via a bridge
Grant-Bradbury Located west of Topeka Regional Airport, two miles of natural surface trails run through 80 acres of virgin prairie that has never been plowed. The area includes hundreds of native prairie species, some of which are scarcely found elsewhere in the state.
Orville Rice Nature Trail winds along Shunga Creek from SW Gage Boulevard to Shunga Glen Park. The mowed grass trail is popular for bird watching and viewing aquatic wildlife. Wear your boots, and this is a nature trail!
Shawnee North Nature Trail is a 2-mile natural surface trail on undeveloped parkland comprised of grasslands and wooded areas. A .8-mile paved perimeter trail encircles the west side of the park.
Soldier Creek Trail is located in North Topeka. This 1.8-mile concrete bicycle/pedestrian trail runs from NE Garfield Park to NE Lyman Road.
Welton Grove Park Three miles of natural surface trails
Willow Park .5 mile paved walking paths
Nature Areas
Clarion Woods is Topeka's newest nature area at SW 37th and SW Fairlawn. It features a fishing pond and a half-mile trail through a red cedar forest. The site includes a barrier-free fishing dock.
Warren Nature Area at SW 25th and SW Gage (East of Felker Park) has approximately 3 miles of trails. A wetland area shows how nature cleans runoff water and keeps silt from entering large streams. This area is the top spot in the Topeka Park system for viewing birds and insects. Many offshoot trails are available, and additional walks ranging from 1 - 2 miles can be taken.
Iliff Commons is private land open for public use at NE 31st Street. The entrance to this area, native prairie, and woods is a chipped driveway 50 feet east of the intersection on the south side of 31st Street.
Request a map
City of Topeka and Shawnee County Trails Map
The Trails Map is available at any Shawnee County Parks and Recreation community center by calling 785.251.2600 or visiting parks.snco.us.
