Best Waterways in Kansas

Trying to find the best waterways in Kansas? Bivy has great hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, skiing, riding and more, with hand-curated trail maps, as well as detailed driving directions.

1

Kansas, Douglas County

11 :44 hrs
26.1 mi
6.0884705 ft
I

Clinton Lake is part of Clinton State Park, which is one of the state’s newest state parks constructed in the mid 1970’s. Its close proximity to Kansas City, Lawrence, and Topeka make it a very popular destination, with nearly 600,000 annual visitors from across the country. Many improved campsites, hiking and mountain biking trails, playgrounds, swimming, and other outdoor activities are available. The privately owned and operated marina is one of the newest and largest of any of Kansas’ lakes. In addition to the lake’s accessibility and amenities, it’s beautiful shoreline and vistas are a great attraction. Miles of rugged wooded shoreline, high bluffs, wildflowers, and prairie grasses are some of the natural beauties. Wildlife is also common and includes white-tailed deer, turkeys, waterfowl, songbirds, and a variety of small mammals.

2

Kansas, Trego County

08 :47 hrs
19.5 mi
0.30303955 ft
I

Cedar Bluff Reservoir is a reservoir in Trego County that was created in 1949 by the construction of the Cedar Bluff Dam. The southern shores feature tall limestone bluffs that are breathtakingly beautiful. During fall and spring migrations, the lake is home to many kinds of ducks, geese, and shorebirds and throughout the winter, Canada geese are seen. Winter also draws bald eagles to Cedar Bluff while summer brigs hawks and turkey vultures. The western end of the reservoir borders the Cedar Bluff Wildlife Area that offers great scenery and a variety of wildlife is commonly seen.

3

Kansas, Pottawatomie County

12 :15 hrs
27.2 mi
3.7999573 ft
I

Tuttle Creek Lake is the state’s second largest impoundment with 12,500 acres of water. It is surrounded by many miles of rugged wooded shorelines and four units of Tuttle Creek State Park. These units are the River Pond, Cedar Ridge, Fancy Creek, and Randolph units that make up the 1,200-acre park. Several recreational opportunities exist including camping, numerous nature trails, disc golf, wildlife viewing, and more. Fishing is good for Channel Catfish, Flathead, Bass, and Trout. Common wildlife includes shorebirds, waterfowl, white-tailed deer, turkey, quail, pheasants, squirrels, doves, and many more. This route leaves from Spillway State Park and explores the southern end of the lake where there are many coves, sandy beaches, and great views.

4

Kansas, Linn County

02 :22 hrs
5.3 mi
23.376846 ft
I

The last 14.5 miles of the Marais des Cygnes River that flow through Kansas meander through the Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge and Marais des Cygnes State Wildlife Area. This long river segment is easily broken into two completely distinct parts. This section is upstream of US-69 and holds enough water at any time of the year for a good float. A natural limestone dame located below the US-69 bridge creates a big pool that extends beyond the end of the wildlife area. This calm piece of water is nice for paddlers, bird-watchers, photographers, anglers, and hunters. It is well protected from the wind and has spectacular scenery.

5

Kansas, Coffey County

07 :34 hrs
16.8 mi
4.4605103 ft
I

Located 2 ½ miles north of Burlington in US-75 you will find the beautiful John Redmond Reservoir, a great fishing lake with a maximum depth of only 12 feet. The lake has very natural surroundings and is bordered by several Wildlife Areas and Recreation Areas including the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge, John Redmond Wildlife Area, Otter Creek, Redmond Cove, and Hickory Creek Recreation Areas. It is an important resting stop for many species of migrating waterfowl, and habitats are preserved for many shorebirds, grassland animals, bald eagles, white-tailed deer, rough-legged hawks, and several species of small mammals. This is a very beautiful paddling destination with wild scenery and many wildlife viewing opportunities.

6

Kansas, Miami County

11 :20 hrs
25.2 mi
13.3220215 ft
I

Hillsdale Lake is a 4,580-acre reservoir with a maximum depth of 57 feet located about 30 miles east of Kansas City. Hillsdale State Park is on the west shore and more than 12,000 acres of park and wildlife area fill the rest of the shores and surrounding area. Recreation opportunities include boating, fishing, hunting and camping. Common wildlife seen from the lake are white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, rabbit, squirrel, beaver, muskrat, and a variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, bald eagles, hawks, and more.

7

Kansas, Osage County

02 :43 hrs
6.4 mi
10.512543 ft
II

This short float on Dragoon Creek above Pomona Lake offers beautiful scenery, takes you over gravely riffles, and through narrow channels that are nestled in hills of hardwoods. The stream is sheltered by a rocky valley and large trees that provide excellent protection for windy days. Bald eagles frequent the area and are easy to spot soaring above the river and signs of other wildlife are also present. The river is best at levels of 100 CFS or higher. A series of S-turns, pools, and gravelly riffles down this narrow passage make this route exciting.

8

Kansas, Linn County

04 :02 hrs
9.7 mi
35.020645 ft
II

The last 14.5 miles of the Marais des Cygnes River that flow through Kansas meander through the Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge and Marais des Cygnes State Wildlife Area. This long river segment is easily broken into two completely distinct parts. This section contains a series of Class II pools, riffles, and rapids. It is surrounded by hills, bluffs, and mature trees and is well protected from the wind. It is a very beautiful and relaxing place to paddle and enjoy nature.

9

Kansas, Lyon County

04 :13 hrs
9.9 mi
8.286774 ft
I

This is a gorgeous, secluded section of river found above Melvern Lake. Arching trees shade the water and create a pleasant tunnel of green. You can expect to see plenty of wildlife such as deer, fox, coyotes, wild turkeys, bobcats, and especially beavers as the river flows through the center of the Melvern Wildlife Area. This is a great place to relax and enjoy the beautiful wildlife and nature. The minimum recommended flow is 50 CFS.

10

Kansas, Greenwood County

04 :25 hrs
10.5 mi
12.948975 ft
III

The Fall River is very diverse and has a little bit to offer for all types of paddlers. It is blessed with one of the longest and most beautiful natural pools in the state as well as two of the most beautiful, publicly accessible and runnable rapids in the state. For wildlife enthusiasts, the whole river is set within a wildlife management area and crosses through a waterfowl refuge. The two rapids, Mossy Ford and Twin Falls, are at a Class II-II+ level. At Mossy Ford, the river widens and accelerates over a washboard of steeply slanted rock shelves and Twin Falls splits around a tall island.

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