Kansas Travel Itinerary #4

ITINERARY #4

From Nebraska or Colorado - Two Days

Make sure to note Central Time (CT) or Mountain Time (MT)



DAY ONE

ST. FRANCIS, population 1,294

A – 10 a.m. CT St. Francis Motorcycle Museum, 110 E. Washington, St. Francis, 785.332.2400, stfrancismotorcyclemuseum.org, donations, bathrooms. 

  • St. Francis Motorcycle Museum: More than 100 vintage motorcycles are shown here from an early Indian to colorful classics.

D – 11:15 a.m. CT


GOODLAND, population 4,386

A – 11 a.m. MT. Giant Van Gogh Painting, 1998 Cherry, Goodland.

  • Giant Van Gogh Easel: Cameron Cross chose a city in seven countries to paint an enlarged reproduction of Van Gogh’s sunflowers. In the U.S., he chose Goodland for the site of this 80-foot easel.

D – 11:30 a.m. MT

A – 11:40 p.m. Crazy R’s Bar and Grill, 1618 Main, 785.890.3430, or other options. visitgoodland.com/eat-2/

  • Crazy R’s Bar and Grill: Walls and corners are filled with the antique collections of owner and cook Rod Cooper. 


COLBY, population 5,317

D – 1:30 p.m. MT

A – 1:15 p.m. CT, Prairie Museum of Art and History and Cooper Barn, 1905 S. Franklin, 785.460.4590, Prairiemuseum.org.   

  • Museum: Joe and Nellie Kuska gathered artifacts from all over the world and they are shown here in addition to county exhibits. The complex includes the Cooper Barn (8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture), the largest publicly accessible barn in Kansas, build in 1936 to house Hereford show cattle.


D – 3:15 p.m. CT


STUDLEY (Sheridan County), unincorporated

A – 4:15 p.m. CT, Cottonwood Ranch state historic site, 14432 E. U.S. 24, Studley, 785.627.5866. kshs.org/p/cottonwood-ranch/19571.

  • Cottonwood Ranch: John Fenton Pratt came to this area in the late 1800s and established a sheep ranch similar to those in his native England. The architectural style and stone coloring of the one-story stone home is unusual. 

D – 5:15 p.m. CT


HOXIE, population 1,198

A – 5:40 p.m. CT Elephant Bistro, 732 Main, Hoxie. 785.637.3977, theelephantbistrobar.com.

  • The Elephant provides a unique and entertaining dining experience, unlike anything found in Northwest Kansas, including cuisines across all cultures.

D – 7:30 p.m. CT


COLBY

A – 8:10 p.m. CT   Overnight Colby. oasisontheplains.com/lodging/.



DAY TWO

COLBY 

Breakfast at motel.

D - 8 a.m. CT Leave Colby. Drive by courthouse and statue, 300 N. Court. 

  • Courthouse: A statue of a prairie woman and her baby stands in front of the impressive 1906 Romanesque Revival courthouse.


OAKLEY, population 2,108

A – 8:30 a.m. CT Buffalo Bill Statue (8 Wonders of Kansas Art) and Cultural Center, U.S. 83 and 2nd, Oakley, buffalobilloakley.org/.

  • Buffalo Bill Statue:  This double-life-sized sculpture is about a legendary in the life of Buffalo Bill Cody that took place in this area in 1868. The sculpture is Cody on his horse shooting a buffalo.

D – 9:30 a.m. CT


LOGAN COUNTY
A – 10:15 a.m. CT Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, 400 Rd. and Gold, Logan County, 620.872.2061. ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Little-Jerusalem-Badlands. Free or $$. Lots of walking.

  • Little Jerusalem: The newest Kansas state park, these 200 acres of awe-inspiring badlands make up the largest Niobrara Chalk Formation in Kansas.

D – 12 p.m. CT Bring boxed lunches along for the ride.  Groups?  Make lunch arrangements with Travel Wallace County, 785.891.3564.


WALLACE, population 59

A – 12:15 p.m. MT Fort Wallace Museum, 2655 U.S. 40, 785.891.3564, ftwallace.com. Plus cemetery, and then Section House, signage, and Memory Bank and Wallace Trading Company, 2nd and Wall Street, 720.298.1133, Facebook.

  • Fort Wallace Museum: This has become a destination museum, not only because of the updated exhibits about the 1865 Fort Wallace (founded to protect travelers on the Smoky Hill Trail and railway workers), but also museum exhibits that include the stagecoach station, agriculture, and local history --Bill Hickok, George Custer and Buffalo Bill Cody and Bill Comstock. There is also an impressive collection of American Indian and military artifacts and the striking artwork of western and wildlife artist Jerry Thomas. Outbuildings enhance the story.
  • Fort Wallace Cemetery: The cemetery includes a cenotaph in memory of comrades lost during the Indian battles of 1867 and wooden gravestones (Eagle Scout project) that tell how people in unmarked graves died.
  • Section House: Described as the finest superintendent’s residence on the railroad, this 1879 stone building is one of only two remaining original Kansas Pacific Railway structures.
  • Wallace Trading Company: Converted bank at Wall Street and 2nd, it’s filled with antiques and gifts and she also serves coffees and snacks.

   

D – 3 p.m. Return home.


*All stops have been vetted by the Kansas Sampler Foundation. For more in-depth information about each stop, or stops in between, consult the Kansas Guidebook 2 for Explorers. Purchase the book at kansassampler.org.  The Kansas Sampler Foundation duo of Marci Penner and WenDee Rowe hit the road for parts of four years to look in every town, city, and in hundreds of other dots on the map and countryside to assemble this 480 page book that features all 105 counties, 515 cities, 4,500 attractions, 843 eateries and 1,600 color photos. Use the detailed directions, descriptions, and websites to help you choose and arrive at your destination!