Overland Park Arboretum

The Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Garden – a beautiful place to spend a winter day

When does the Arboretum close for the winter? It’s a question the staff hears often. The good news is that it doesn’t.

The Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens are open all year, and the winter offers an exciting new experience for visitors. The four miles of trails through the woods and 180 acres of prairie provide so much to see. The leaves have dropped and suddenly a whole new world of bark, acorns, fungus and rock outcroppings are on view. The trails move through hickory, oak, cedar, hornbeam and pawpaw populations.

There are signs everywhere that animals have moved through. Most animals are not visible during the day, except some very busy squirrels, but they leave behind scat, rubbings on trees and holes dug in search of food.

Geology enthusiasts can observe the layers of soil and rock exposed along Wolf Creek and the multilayered bluffs, some of which have broken off their “parent” cliff. The Kansas Geological Survey website includes information about rock formations visible at the Arboretum.

Stop in the Environmental Education Center and pick up an Arboretum Champion Tree Tour map. There are four maps (one for each trail) that feature the largest species on the property. Each trail provides one to two hours of fun, and the opportunity to see a variety of ecosystems and the trees growing there.

Arboretum staff and volunteers are in the process of blazing a new trail, located on the west side of the property, providing approximately 1.5 additional miles to hike and explore. This part of the Arboretum is maintained as naturally as possible. Very little is paved and signage is kept to a minimum so that visitors are able to escape city life and become immersed in the natural surroundings.

Make time this winter to put on sturdy shoes, dress in layers, turn off your phone and explore! Walk trails through the scenic woods to discover the unique characteristics of Sycamore tree bark, moss on rock outcropping, or fungus growing on a fallen tree. Learn more at opabg.org.