The Best of Water Worlds

worlds The best of water

If water-related or any outdoor recreational activities are your thing, Barton County is the place. Within the county’s borders and shortly beyond them are several lakes that can meet the yearning to be outside.

A big part of Veteran’s Memorial Park in Great Bend is Veterans Lake. A city park located on the northwest corner of the community, it is a great place for the family to have some fun in the sun. It includes baseball/soft ball fi elds, sand volleyball, tennis courts, disc golf course, fi shing bridge, playground, dog park, walking and biking trails, picnic shelters, bathroom facilities.

On the south side of Great Bend is Stone Lake, another city park. Th is 43-acre fi shing lake off ers limited boating, fi shing docks, and nearby access to a nature trail along the Arkansas River and a paved walking-biking path.

Another option is Rotary Lake, owned by the city in southwest Great Bend. Formerly MacArthur Lake, the name was changed in 2018 when the Great Bend Rotary Club took the lake on as a service project.

With donations and grants, they added picnic shelters and other improvements.

Outside of the county

Barton County also sits between two of Kansas’ pre-

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mier reservoirs - Wilson Lake and Kanopolis Lake. Both off er fi shing, boating, camping, biking, hiking and other outdoor recreational activities.

Wilson Lake

Wilson Lake is located north of Wilson, 54 miles northeast of Great Bend, along the Post Rock Scenic Byway about 5 miles north of I-70, west of K-232

Wilson State Park is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the state. Wilson Reservoir features a rugged shoreline punctuated by scenic cliff s and rocky outcrops. Th e park and surrounding wildlife area off er the opportunity to view and photograph deer, pheasant, waterfowl, songbirds, and furbearers.

Wilson Reservoir off ers excellent white bass and striped bass angling. Th e Cedar Trail in the Otoe area is a one-mile loop with a concrete surface and is great for a leisurely, lowstress walk. Th e 25.5-mile long Switchgrass Bike Trail is popular with mountain bikers to pursue this challenging activity.

Wilson Wildlife Area is located on the upper end of 9,000 acre Wilson Reservoir. Th e 8,069-acre public hunting area is made up of 5,000 acres of rugged rolling hills of native prairie, along the Saline River, Cedar Creek, Turkey Creek, and Elm Creek. Th e area has a waterfowl refuge that was established in 1996.

Contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism offi ce at 785-658-2465 or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers offi ce at 785-658-2551.

Kanopolis Lake

Kanopolis Lake is located on the Prairie Trail Scenic Byway northwest of Marquette along K-141, about fi ve miles north of the K-4/K-141 junction (or) about seven miles south of the K-140/K-141 junction east of Ellsworth. It is about 44 miles northeast of Great Bend.

Th e fi rst state park in Kansas, Kanopolis State Park is situated in the rolling hills, bluff s and woods of the scenic Smoky Hills region of the state. From the towering Dakota sandstone bluff s to the caves and crevices of Horsethief Canyon, the park and surrounding area off er rugged beauty and stunning vistas. Th e park is split into two areas north and south of the dam and there are two federal parks, as well.

Kanopolis off ers more than 30 miles of trails open to hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders, 15 of which are on the Smoky Hill Wildlife Area. Th e 3,500-acre lake and 12,500-acre wildlife area provide anglers and hunters abundant fi sh and game. Nestled near the Smoky Hill River toward the northwest portion of the wildlife area is Faris Caves, which were carved by early pioneers and served as milk house, school house, and living quarters.

Wildlife viewing and photography opportunities are plentiful. Kanopolis State Park also manages nearby Mushroom Rock State Park, a picnic area with unusual geologic formations .

Contact the KDWPT offi ce at 785-546-2565 or the Corps offi ce at 785-546-2294.