Each week, we cover a different hiking trail. This week the trail at Kaw Point Park. The Park is established at the point where the Missouri River and the Kansas (Kaw) River meet. The intersection of the rivers was first visited by Lewis and Clark in 1804. Down the Kansas River was the lands of the Kaw (Kansas), tribe. The town of Kansas was established as a trading post with the Kaw and Osage Indians. This later became Kansas City.
The trail runs a two-mile circular path around the point and offers great views of the Kansas City, Missouri skyline, the Kansas City, Kansas skyline (such as it is), and the Downtown Airport.
Lewis and Clark were charged by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Missouri River and to reach the Pacific, so their exploration of the Kansas River was minimal.
Can you believe there were initially Parakeets indigenous to the area? One of the many species of fascinating wildlife we hunted out of existence.
Kansas City is the location where the Missouri River moves from a West to East course from a North to South. As the River veers northward, it becomes the border between Kansas and Missouri.
The actual site of the encampment
The trail is both Boardwalk and asphalt
The currents of the Missouri River are hazardous and powerful. Lewis and Clark commented that if anyone fell in the water, they would not come out of it alive.
The Downtown Airport is located directly across the River. It is very common to see planes ascending and descending while on the trail.
You can actually tell the point where the waters of Missouri and The Kansas Rivers meet. The flow of the Kansas River is much slower and tends to be siltier.The Kansas City, Missouri skyline as seen from Kaw PointA silhouette of Lewis and Clark pointing NorthwardThe Silhouette up closeThe I-70 Bridge leading into Kansas City, KansasAlmost no currents at all on the Kansas River.The River has been invaded by the evasive Asian Carp. The fish eats other native fish and are prolific. The Kansas River does have people who fish on the banks, The river has a great deal of agricultural and industrial run-off so eating fish from the river is not illegal but not advised.The recent rains have lead to some low-level flooding. The fishing platform is partially submerged.
The Park is located in Kansas City, Kansas, The trail is mostly level and runs parallel to the Missouri and Kansas Rivers.
Pros: Scenic trail, Mostly flat, and historic significance
Cons: Runs very close to Rivers, Could be dangerous if trail is wet or slick, Kansas City, Kansas can be a little dangerous after dark, but should be fine during daylight.
