On a whim, Ali and I tried out the Riparian Woodland Nature Trail for our morning walk. The trail is adjacent to the Sedgwick County Extension Center and Sedgwick County Park. We normally try to avoid busy trails because Ali is a little jerk when it comes to meeting other dogs 😆. In other words, she’s rude and does not get along with others.
I’ve walked on the trail before, but years ago. At 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning, it was perfect. Not many people and the weather is warming up for the Spring.
There’s a paved trail and little side dirt trails. Trees and bushes are marked with placards providing more details about each one.
I read on Google reviews the squirrels are tame enough to eat out of your hand. With Ali by my side, no squirrels were brave enough to stick around. But there were tons of them scurrying about. This one ran up a tree and then stared at us for a while – long enough for me to snap a picture.
There were lots of birds around including a few cardinals (that’s one of the only types of birds I recognize). The trail included lots of benches for resting and enjoying wildlife and nature.
I could not find any information about the origin of this trail, other than it’s a great little hidden gem in Sedgwick County Park. “Riparian” means “relating to wetlands adjacent to rivers and streams.” That makes sense since the trail is near a stream and trout fishing pond.
We didn’t stay long, but it was long enough for Ali to need a nap on the deck when we got home.
One Kansas Girl 