In my research for interesting things in Kansas, I identified Little Jerusalem State Park as a place we should stop and visit. It’s the top rated Kansas State Park and the guides also recommend visiting Monument Rocks which is a hop and a jump from there.
The pin in the map took us to Oakley in the northwestern corner of Kansas. Of the two RV parks close by one had pretty awful reviews for their washrooms and showers….so we went to the other one. High Plains RV campground…..
I actually had to check to see how much elevation we had gained as I had not really considered that we would actually be in the High Plains….3050 ft above sea level…..so we had begun the climb towards Colorado.
High Plains RV was an old and somewhat run down campground…but had new owners and is slowly being rejuvenated…..the showers were dated but immaculately clean……and that’s important…!!!
It was pretty warm as the summer was advancing…so the hiking strategy was to start early on the trail….and be home by lunch….
Little Jerusalem State Park……it’s a drive across an increasingly remote landscape…up some dirt roads…and then voila…this lovely little park appears.
When we arrived the sky was cloudless, the photo of the truck above is when we arrived. The photo of the sign is when we were leaving with clouds beginning to appear giving the sky more depth and interest……a lovely day for a short hike…
It turned out to be two short hikes…but a quite spectacular landscape….
There is something quite mesmerising about badlands landscapes……even tho we have seen many examples now…they never fail to impress…...from Badlands National Park, to our own little version just along the road at Writing on Stone...and a few others along the way. (New Mexico, Dinosaur Park, Horsethief Canyon, Arizona, Theodore Roosevelt NP)
The second trail…..
It was early enough that there were still blooming wildflowers…
…..and some funny looking waspy things……
This park was donated by the family who ranch the greater area all around…..it’s a relatively small park but preserved now for everyone to enjoy.
….and, as with most badlands……you have to walk right up to it to really see the formation of the land…..
…and then those thousands of years of deposits, followed by thousands of years of erosion demonstrate one of mother natures great art projects…..
I disturbed this little bunny who had been sheltering in a shady spot….
The park has strategically placed benches….and information boards as you mosey along the trail
It was very quiet that day….probably because it was pretty warm out……but it’s also quite a remote spot………..very peaceful….
From Little Jerusalem…we headed down a few more dirt roads towards an even more remote area to find monument rocks…….
These rocks, still on private land but with full public access, are just out in the middle of nowhere……..incredible structures gradually wearing away….
You might notice …as the day progressed…the sky increasingly formed these fluffy cartoon like clouds….quite beautiful on that blue blue sky…..
Incredibly….as far inland as Kansas is….this is another area that is part of an ancient sea bed……there were large areas of these fossilized seashells…..
We spent quite a bit of time watching these swallows (swifts..?) as they feasted on the local bug population……when you looked up into the rocks….there were lines and lines of their mud nests……
Fascinating……
The journey home took us past Oakley…and the Buffalo Bill Centre…..great little visitor centre (with very clean flush washrooms…!!!) and a twice life size bronze sculpture of the man himself….
Here is me in the frame for scale……
Extra Pix
OsteoPraxis on the road 