Rock Island Trail

This is a great trail. There are several entry points to this trail and the views are nice. I like walking near riding star ranch because you may get to see a horse.

The Rock Island Trail is one of my favorite trails in the KC metro. This trail was built upon the old Rock Island railroad which makes it mostly flat with only minor elevations. The trail itself is made up of crushed and compact gravel with a few spots that are paved or sidewalks. It's great for biking, hiking, running, walking with pets or strollers. I've used it for all of the above. Running from Lee's Summit all the way to Arrow Head stadium, with several trail heads along the route. One of my favorite spots is Crane Brewery in Raytown, I like to stop in for a beer and food while I rest up before heading back out. Rock island trail is very peaceful and quite even though it's located in the heart of the city. At times it can feel as if you are deep in the forest, with tree canopy shading more than 75% of the route. I've seen deers run across the trail, turtles, and even snakes! So be careful. It can get busy on the weekends and especially when the weather is nice, but mostly just around the trail heads/parking lots. I love this trail and hope that they eventually extend it to downtown Kansas City and connect it the Rock Island trail out in Pleasant Hill.

What is this new Rock Island Trail? Thirteen car-free miles of trails to bike, walk, run and explore. Some portions are wooded and some open, there are bridges throughout, and then the highlight of the trail, the 100+ year old Vale Tunnel. I was ready to give this trail some stars just for existing, but riding the whole thing has me firmly excited for its potential. I'll do my best to break it down for you here. If you're on the western side of the metro, I'd recommend starting from the Truman Sports Complex, Lot L. The map is updated on this page and there is dedicated, free parking for people utilizing the trail, provided it's not a game day (check Royals/Chiefs schedules before heading out to be sure). If you're coming from the eastern side, there are handfuls of various trailheads and entry points.The trail itself is really nice. The first few miles felt a bit like a golf cart path and then a sidewalk bumping against Raytown traffic, and I was like "Hmm, okay, this is kinda cool." It only got better from there. Soon enough, you'll be at Crane Brewing, a favorite local brewery with outdoor seating plus coffee & BBQ on the weekends. Keep rolling from there and the crushed limestone trails become more prominent, similar to the Katy Trail, Trolley Track Trail, rails-to-trails etc. (You probably can ride a road bike on this, but you'll be more comfortable with a hybrid, cross, or gravel bike that has at least 32mm tires).At some points, there are boulders lining the outer edge of the trail that cut the wind very nicely. More trees, bridges, creeks and scenery keep unfolding in the mid-points of the trail. The bulk of this was an old railroad line so much of it is nice and flat, and scenic, especially in the fall. Speaking of the railroad line, about 8 miles from Arrowhead Stadium, you'll come across the Vale Tunnel. This train tunnel was forged from dynamite around 1903, and nicely restored and bolstered over the past decade for this recreational trail. Job well done by all involved to help KC along for nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, cyclists, runners, walkers, kids (what kid doesn't love a gigantic tunnel to explore) and more.Stray notes to add:- I found water fountains (warm months only) at the Hartman trailhead near Lee's Summit, and there are also Port-a-Potty's throughout the trail.- This trail felt safe to me, with lots of people out on a beautiful day. I do carry pepper spray when I ride, for what it's worth.- There's good signage to know you're on the trail, as well as etiquette (call out when passing via bike on the left, etc.)- This could *potentially* connect to the larger, more rural Rock Island Spur (Pleasant Hill, MO to Windsor, MO) which already connects directly to the Katy Trail. So you could conceivably ride all the way to the outskirts of St. Louis via trails. There's currently a gap in Greenwood of 8 miles that might be trails in the future.- Here is the best trail map I've found, and they have this marked along some trailheads as well: https://www.makeyourdayhere.com/files/assets/parksrec/trails/documents/ri-trail-map-1-and-2.pdf