Perry Lake Hiking Trail

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Perry, KS
Perry Lake Hiking Trail

29-mile hiking trail at Perry Lake, Kansas with National Recreational Trail designation. Activities include hiking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, camping.

Welcome! The volunteers and organizations involved with the 29-mile Perry Lake Hiking Trail thank you for taking the time to stop by and learn more about this outstanding recreational resource located here in Northeast Kansas. We're proud to celebrate over 30 years as part of the National Recreational Trails system. Perry Lake Trail is often a surprise for first time visitors. The trail offers a range of terrain and difficulty from easy, gentle slopes in the south to rugged, varying elevation changes in the north. Many folks refer to the Perry Lake area as the "Little Ozarks". A tribute to the beautiful, tree-covered hills that characterize the Delaware River watershed. Wildlife is abundant in the area and lucky hikers are likely to see deer, turkey, waterfowl, reptiles, small mammals and even the occasional Bald Eagle! There are many places along the trail that offer scenic views of the lake, with some portions very close to water's edge. Perry Lake Trail is a short drive from Lawrence, Topeka or Kansas City. From Topeka or Lawrence, US 24 highway will take you to Perry, Kansas and just below Perry Dam. From the town of Perry, the trail area is accessed from various points along Ferguson Road (see trail maps). With the exception of a short along-the-road portion of trail that completes the loop, Perry Lake Trail is located entirely on Corps of Engineers land. Click here to view the Corps of Engineers website and additional information about Perry Lake and Perry Lake Trail. Perry Lake Trail is designated for hiking only. The Corps website also provides information about the many other hiking, biking, equestrian and ATV trails available at Perry Lake. Want to help? Volunteer for one of our work outings (check the Events), contact us, OR make a donation via Kansas Trails Council's Friends of the Trails program (http://www.kansastrailscouncil.org/join/).

10/26/2026

In case some are not aware, there is year round potable water at 3 locations a short distance from the trail. Mile 8, mile 14.5, and mile 23.8.

I can provide coordinates if interested.

Mike

10/22/2026

Reminder of work event this Saturday. Weather will be nice with work involving lopping and blazing. One way walk back to cars.

Please PM me if you can make it!

Mike

10/06/2026

Shout out to Mike O, Kaylee B, and Stan U (sorry, no pic of Stan), for helping clear storm damage. Quite a bit of blow down between Longview and Old Military Trail trail head. Some more to do so if you can help (any day of week) please PM me.

09/16/2026

If anyone available next Monday and Tuesday (September 21, 22) could use some help cleaning up some storm damage and otherwise touching up the trail. Weather should be nice.

PM me if interested.

Mike

09/10/2026

Now that the weather has (finally) cooled off, time for some late summer and fall hiking!! Yay!

Entire trail has been mowed or w**d eated recently which makes for easy hiking.

I hope to do a couple trail reroutes late fall and winter for the purpose of avoiding areas flooded in 2019 that are now just too difficult to maintain. Will be setting up some work days around the end of this month.

Mike

06/12/2026

Funny story. Late last fall the former trail coordinator and I worked from OMT to Kiowa Road where we left a car. I got Kiowa Road about 15 minutes before him so I laid down behind his car on my chainsaw chaps. Next thing I know 2 police cars, a fire truck, and an ambulance pulled up!!! Said they had reports of someone laying in the road (I guess no one wanted to stop in case it was a setup?). I did notice that the ambulance crew made sure to personally ask if I needed help and hear my response (they don't assume or go by what someone said).

05/03/2026

Myself and a few volunteers have been working the 7 miles between Old Quarry Road and Kiowa. This is a really nice section of the trail as it is mostly woodland and 'feels' very remote.

If you are into plants, the 3 miles between Kiowa Road and 94th street has a very high degree of plant diversity including Hazelnut, Bladdernut, Green Dragon, Jack-in-the-pulput, Pawpaw, ferns, and many others.

05/02/2026

It has been very nice weather to hike, hope you are taking advantage of it. Yes, ticks are active, but there is a way to effectively combat them. Spray your clothes in Permethrin. I buy the 10% concentrate and dilute it to 0.5%, which is the same as the ready to use products. Much cheaper. I have been out all week working on the trail and haven't had one tick. Google it!!

02/17/2026

For me long post, but please read.

Note that no one showed up at the volunteer event a few weeks ago. I believe changing the date for the 'event' may have caused confusion. Also not sure, with all the junk on FB anymore, if people are seeing the events or updates. Regardless, I will try again in the near future.

All that said, I am retired and not restricted to working weekends and I have a light schedule. If you want to help, send me a PM and we can coordinate a day.

Any help is appreciated as to date over 95% of maintenance has been done by only me since last August (this isn't a complaint as my plan was to get the trail in shape first then start to recruit volunteers).

02/06/2026

Reminder that work day is tomorrow.

Meet at Old Military Trail at 9:00 am.

Mike

Address

Ferguson Road
Perry, KS
66066

Website

https://map.kstrails.org/?trail=30, https://www.kansastrailscouncil.org/trails/

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