Wilson State Park
2 / 3
After touring the Atlas Ad Astra missile silo, we headed over to Wilson State Park for the final stop of the trip. It ended up being exactly what we needed. After months of constantly moving, planning routes, finding campsites, chasing weather, and trying to squeeze as much as possible out of every stop, we decided to slow down. We got a campsite right on the water at Wilson Reservoir and settled in for a quieter ending.
Wilson State Park sits in the Smoky Hills of Kansas, and it surprised me. I do not think most people picture rugged shoreline, rocky outcrops, blue water, and prairie views when they think of Kansas, but that is exactly what we found. It was peaceful, open, and beautiful in a way that felt completely different from the mountains and desert landscapes we had been moving through.
The park is also known for its biking. The Switchgrass Bike Trail runs through the Hell Creek area and has become one of Kansas’s standout mountain biking trails. We were not there to hammer out a serious ride, but it was still fun to be in a place where biking is part of the park’s identity.
We bird watched, rode bikes, sat by the water, and let the trip wind down. There was a flock of gulls that kept swooping over the lake, circling again and again without ever seeming to land. They became part of the rhythm of the place, gliding above the water while we sat there doing absolutely nothing urgent for once.
The park is also known for its biking. The Switchgrass Bike Trail runs through the Hell Creek area and has become one of Kansas’s standout mountain biking trails. We were not there to hammer out a serious ride, but it was still fun to be in a place where biking is part of the park’s identity.
We bird watched, rode bikes, sat by the water, and let the trip wind down. There was a flock of gulls that kept swooping over the lake, circling again and again without ever seeming to land. They became part of the rhythm of the place, gliding above the water while we sat there doing absolutely nothing urgent for once.