Our Mission
The mission of Prairie Travelers is to develop, maintain and promote the Prairie Sunset Trail. Our vision is that the Prairie Sunset Trail connects neighbors and communities; promoting healthy, active lifestyles, stewardship of nature and appreciation of the region’s history. Prairie Travelers is an all volunteer non-profit, and is the cooperative effort of residents, local trail groups and outdoor enthusiasts dedicated to expanding recreational opportunities in the region through the development of rails converted to trails.
About Prairie Travelers, Inc
Many of our ancestors settled Kansas by traveling in covered wagons over historical trails such as the Santa Fe Trail and later on steam railroads. That is why Prairie Travelers, along with other state rail to trails groups, proposes to establish a network of linear trails and other recreational trails in Kansas. A resolution passed by the Kansas Legislature in 1991, authorizing the creation of a Statewide Heritage Trails Plan.
Prairie Travelers is the trustee holding title to the 8 miles of railbanked trail near Garden Plain, KS in southwest Sedgwick County. The “Prairie Sunset Trail” extends from 295th street west to 167th street west. Notices of Interim Use were issued by the Surface Transportation Board under the authority of the National Trails Act (http://www.nps.gov/nts/legislation.html) to Prairie Travelers. Rail-trails are corridors railbanked under the authority of the 1983 amendment of the National Trails Act. They are considered out-of-service corridors, protected for future national need, which are in the interim available for recreational use.
The Prairie Sunset Trail extension from 167th St W to Hoover Rd (by the Big Ditch) was built with an agreement with the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County in 2015 to complete the trail into the City for commuting and recreational needs, making the Prairie Sunset Trail 15 miles in length.
Prairie Travelers, Inc is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization.
AmeriCorp NCCC volunteers made were here for 13 weeks helping us with trails on both sides of town! It was a lot of work but a great deal of progress took place and they were a lot of fun!
Unicycle rider review of the Prairie Sunset Trail
Click here to visit our Facebook page
T-Shirts
Show your spirit! The proceeds of all t-shirt sales go directly to Prairie Travelers’ mission. The t-shirts cost $15.00 each and come in both men’s and women’s designs.
The Prairie Sunset Trail t-shirts above are available by emailing us.
Contact Information
President
Larry Hatfield
ph. 316-253-1807
lhatfield6@gmail.com
Secretary
Ruth Holliday
ph. 316-685-4545
bpedaler@sbcglobal.net
Mailing Address
Prairie Travelers, Inc.
P.O. Box 781033
Wichita, KS 67278-1033
316-641-4030
prairietravelers@yahoo.com
Associated Kansas Organizations
Blue River Rail Trail
OPEN: 9 trail miles
PLANNED: 12 miles (Marysville to Neb. state line.)
Phone: 785-562-5455
Email
blueriverrailtrail.org
Flint Hills Nature Trail
OPEN: 54 trail miles
PLANNED: 117 miles (Osawatomie, Ottawa, Vassar, Osage City, Council Grove, Herington)
Phone: 913-755-4192
kanzatrails.org
flinthillstrail.org
Great Osage Trail
PLANNED: 13 miles (Oxford, Wellington)
Phone: 316-409-3194
Email
Landon Nature Trail
OPEN: 15 trail miles
PLANNED: 38 miles (Topeka, Overbrook, Pomona)
Phone: 785-862-6551
Email
landontrail.org
Meadowlark Trail
OPEN: 5 MILES
planned: 13 miles (Lindsborg, McPherson)
Phone: 620-241-4687
Email
centralkansastrails.org
Prairie Sunset Trail
OPEN: 15 trail miles (Wichita, Goddard, Garden Plain)
Phone: 316-685-4545
Email
prairietravelers.org
Quivira Trail
PLANNED: 38 miles (Lyons, Lorraine, Beaver)
Phone: 620-408-9109
Email
Redbud Trail
OPEN:: 3 trail miles
Planned: 21 MILES (Wichita, Andover, Augusta)
Phone: 316-733-4982
aartitrail.wordpress.com
Short Grass Prairie Trail
PLANNED: 78 miles (Englewood, Ashland, Protection, Coldwater, Coats, Belvedere, Wilmore)
Phone: 620-408-9109
Email
Southwind Rail Trail
OPEN: 6.5 miles (Iola, Humboldt)
Phone: 620-365-8128
Email
thriveallencounty.org
Spirit Wind Trail
PLANNED: 10.7 miles (Jetmore, Hanston)
Phone: 620-408-9109
Email
Sunflower Santa Fe Trail
OPEN: 4 trail miles
PLANNED: 33 miles (McPherson,Galva, Canton, Lehigh, Hillsboro, Marion)
Phone: 620-241-0350
Email
centralkansastrails.org
Wam-Sag-Man Trail
PLANNED: 15 miles (Wamego, St. George, Manhattan)
Phone: 785-494-2319
wam-sag-man.org
Western Sky Trail
PLANNED: 19 miles (Chanute, Fredonia)
Phone: 620-431-9210
Email
Allied Trail Groups
Trails at Kansas state parks and lakes
Kansas Trails Council
kansastrailscouncil.org
naturalkansas.org
Natural Kansas
- American Discovery Trail
- Biking Across Kansas
- Central Kansas Conservancy
- Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
- Kansas Cyclist
- Kansas Trails Council