Kansas trails · Scenic Overlook Trail
Scenic Overlook Trail
A 3.2-mile out-and-back in Kansas, with 228 ft of climbing. Reaches Barbara's Knoll.
Elevation profile
The climbing is spread fairly evenly along the route.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Barbara's Knoll (viewpoint)
Getting there
Southwind Nature Trail access — parking nearby, restroom. About 1 h 25 min drive (75 mi) from Topeka. 38.43363, -96.55762 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 7:07 a.m., the sun rises at 7:34 a.m. and sets at 6:49 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:16 p.m. (CDT) — 11 h 16 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 6.5-mile round trip takes roughly 2 h 38 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 10:12 a.m. — 8 h 38 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Z Bar Spur + Scenic Overlook Trail + Ranch Legacy Trail — 3.4 mi loop, 193 ft gain
- Davis Trail + Prairie Fire Loop + Scenic Overlook Trail — 7.6 mi loop, 435 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Prairie Fire Loop — 2.1 mi
- Kanza Heritage Trail — 15.0 mi