Lawrence River Trail

Went for a short ride on the Lawrence River Trail in Lawrence, Kansas. This was my second time on the trail, and it was an even better experience than my first run.

On my first trip, one section of the trail was underwater. This time, the water had receded and the trail had been repaired. New mile marker signs had also been added, and it was clear that the trail was in good hands (thanks, Lawrence Mountain Bike Club!).

It was also clear that the trail receives, in addition to regular maintenance, a lot of use. The trail skinny in places, wider in others, with berms around most corners, making for a smooth and fast-flowing run. The trail is mostly, at least this time of year, fine dust and sand. Though the sand made the trail mushy and a bit treacherous in places, it wasn’t really a problem.

Since the temperature was in the low 80’s, the ride was pleasant, even as the trail wound through thick stands of trees and brush. I imagine it would have been a different story had we tried this trail a few weeks ago, when temperatures were in the upper 90’s with oppressive humidity.

Though I haven’t tried every trail in the region (far from it), I have to rate the Lawrence River Trail as my favorite so far. There is enough variety to make it interesting, without the preponderance of rocks that make some other trails a bit of a masochistic experience. And since there’s really only one trail here, it’s pretty hard to get lost. You can go as fast as you like, or take it slow and enjoy the scenic woodland and occasional river views.

Here are a couple photos from the ride:

DirtBum Written by:

I enjoy riding bicycles all over -- city streets, suburbia, rural roads, gravel roads, dirt roads, rail-trails, and singletrack. I love exploring the countryside and finding the interesting and historical treasures hidden in plain sight. You can follow my rides on Strava.