Road trippin' is about what it does inside you. It's the search, the journey.
You will love what Rural Kansas offers. Enjoy the quirks and things you won't find in bigger cities.
Find some of the best and freshest food in the state.
Places we think you will love to shop.
The four links above only work for last year's multi-county road trip. We apologize for any confusion.
Cimarron National Grassland, located near the county seat of Elkhart, it contains 23 miles of the Santa Fe Trail - the largest section on public land. Established after the Dust Bowl to prevent soil erosion, the CNG is dominated by three ecosystems—shortgrass prairie, sandbag prairie, and wooded riparian. More than 345 bird species as well as pronghorn, elk, and mule and whitetail deer, live here. From Morton St. in Elkhart, 2 miles east on U.S. 56, 7 1/2 miles north on K-27, then west into the park and follow the signs.
The views from Point of Rocks located at the Cimarron National Grassland, is incredible! The sky goes on forever and you can imagine thousands of wagons traveling through this wide open space. Use the directions above then cross the Cimarron River bridge, and turn west. Great place for photos and don't forget the binoculars to look for birds and other wildlife.
Cimarron National Grassland Range Office, 242 E. U.S. 56. Open Monday-Friday 8am-12pm and 1-5pm. 620.697.4621. Office will be closed on Saturday so arrive early enough on Friday to pick up auto tour brochures, bird and wildlife charts and other information.
Eight Mile Corner, from Morton St., 1/2 mile south on U.S. 56, 7 3/4 miles west on A Blvd. (State Line Rd.). You'll see a windmill with a weather vane bearing the names of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. A large brass plate in the middle of the road points where the states meet. Don't miss your chance to step into three states simultaneously!
Morton County Historical Museum, 370 E. U.S. 56. Open Friday 10am-3pm, Saturday 8am-7pm. Start your county exploration at this excellent museum. Acquaint yourself with the Point of Rocks Ranch, the adobe city hall, the POW camp that stood on the site of the present El Rancho Motel, and Olympic track stars who grew up here. Special presentation by Barb Iman about the pioneers and Dirty Thirties at 9am. Olympic track star, Thane Baker, will also be here from 1:30-4pm. See more below under Events.
City Hall, WWII Memorial and Olympic Champions, 433 Morton. The WPA (Works Progress Administration) built this adobe building in 1937. If you stop in on Friday before closing time at 5pm, you might ask the city clerk (if she's not too busy) to open the closet door so you can see the original adobe bricks. At the entrance to City Hall you'll see an unusual 1941 WWII veterans memorial—a small monument with an attached drinking fountain. Nearby stands a red granite monument to Glenn Cunningham and Thane Baker, two Olympic track champions from Elkhart.
Doric Theatre, 508 Morton. New life has been breathed into this historic building. It first opened as a vaudeville theatre in 1918, then silent moving pictures were added followed by the "talkies." The Theatre operated until the 1980s and in 2015 the multistage Mitchell Theatre chain, owned by a local farm family and headquartered in Elkhart, restored and reopened the theatre. Oscar's Lounge located upstairs also has an outdoor patio where cocktails and appetizers are served.
Whistle Stop Park, Morton St. and U.S. 56. Get your steps in by walking the 2 1/2 mile path that winds its way from east to west paralleling U.S. 56. This lovely green space has plenty of benches to rest, trees for shade and old-fashioned street lights. This is the location for The Stump and Kansas Explorers Club meeting at 10am on Saturday, May 3.
Point Rock Golf Club, 619 Airport. Line up your shot and golf the cornerstone of Kansas. The county-owned nine-hole, grass-green course is an enjoyable escape. The signature seventh hole includes a pond and retaining wall in front of the green, the fourth and fifth hole are built over an airport runway and the fourth is only 30 yards from Oklahoma, so you have an opportunity to hit your ball clear out of the state!
Cunningham Park, Morton St and Stanton St. Named for Glenn Cunningham, world record-setting miler and Olympian who grew up in Elkhart. The park is bordered by a 1930s WPA stone fence.
Rolla Skating Rink, 307 Washington. Roll into the roller rink and pay only $1 to skate. Located in the old American Legion Hall the 1950s wooden rink is the oldest in western Kansas. Open during the Pop Up on Friday 6 -10pm and Saturday 4-10pm.
Rolla Murals, 206 and 215 Washington. Even the smallest towns in Kansas find the resources to beautify their downtown with public art. Good job, Rolla!
Richfield Methodist Church, 451 Walnut. The paneled, multi-colored stained glass windows are especially vibrant from inside the church where the sunlight makes the wooden rafters glow. Constructed in 1910 is thought to be the oldest building in Morton County. Be sure to add the ice cream social to your schedule. It runs from 2-4pm on Saturday.
You can tell people about a good piece of made-from-scratch pie but there's nothing like actually smelling the aroma of it and taking that first bite and making swirls with the filling that drips on the plate and mixing it with the little pieces of sugary crust. Eating a pie in the location it's made is priceless. There is nothing like being there.
The Big Kansas Road Trip is designed to turn people on to exploring by doing it and to do it in a way that will help sustain our communities.
Kansas communities are bolstered by people who love to explore.
The idea is to get people onto the back roads and into Kansas towns to actually SEE PLACES. To actually EAT IN LOCAL CAFES and to talk to and GET TO KNOW THE LOCALS.