A unique city park is out there waiting for zoologically-minded visitors.
Welcome to Garden City, Kansas and Finnup Park, home of the Lee Richardson Zoo. Owned and operated by the city's zoo department, this menagerie of several hundred species from around the world is a welcome destination for visitors of all ages throughout the entire year. Lee Richardson Zoo is unique in that it offers a choice of experiences, whether it be a traditional walk through the property at no cost to the visitor, or a safari-style drive for a small fee to help maintain the grounds.
Heading to this property was slightly unique in that, because it was done during the travel portion of this trip, we had the trailer in tow. After calling ahead, the staff was quite helpful in how we would be able to park to enjoy the zoo, although parking the "heart" elsewhere is recommended during peak times, as it is a small parking lot. Naturally the walking tour was experienced, and although we recommend taking a picture of the map as you walk in, all of the different sections of the zoo are well labeled, and both drivers and walkers are able to co-exist through the property quite harmoniously. To further help fund the zoo, various animal feeding opportunities are offered throughout the day while clearly publicly announced by loudspeaker and schedule.
At the end of the day, the experience at Lee Richardson Zoo is one that you would come to expect from an organization, whether private or public, that participates in this sort of activity. It may not necessarily be the sort of place that one would want to go out of their way to visit, especially when compared to some of the other major menageries across North America, but if you're crossing the country on either US routes 83, 50, or 400, it's not a bad spot to make a pit stop and enjoy the city, especially when the price cannot be beat for a large family.
So as you Follow Your Internal Compass to a particular destination, do take some time to see what's on the way. You may just find a hidden gem such as this.
Trip thirteen found us at Arkalon Park in southwestern Kansas. Although owned by the city of Liberal, this park is situated on what was once the now-ghost town of Arkalon. Although there are still some dirt roads around to show what once was, the building material has since been recycled. While in transit to the next location, a two-night stay was had.
Grounds: The park is a few miles east of Liberal on US Highway 54. It's clearly marked from the highway, but will take a little bit of dirt road driving along with paved roads while crossing railroad tracks and a couple cattle guards. Freight trains do run nearby along a rail bridge. The city of Liberal is a good re-supply point. Be aware the park is seasonal, and only open from April to mid-October. In addition, the gates are locked between 10PM and 7AM.
Sites: Arkalon is a small city park with about 15 RV and 30 tent sites, along with day use. These may be reserved online, or paid with the camp host upon entering. The RV sites are electric and water only, with a single dump station available at the campground entrance. Tent sites are dry. RV sites are level concrete pads and a mix of pull-thru and back-in. There is a 14-day limit to stay, and the check-out time is a fairly late 4PM. Both 30 and 50 amp electric is offered, but there is an extra charge to use 50 amp.
Staff: There is a single camp host on site that has morning and evening hours, along with on-call. They are very friendly and accommodating for extenuating circumstances.
Amenities: Arkalon's amenities are minimal but available. There is a fishing pond for catch-and-release only, along with a sizable playground for the children. A couple of walking trails adorn the grounds. There is a bathhouse with metal toilets and push-button cold showers. Several pavilions, both near the playground and campsites, have picnic tables, fire pits, and grills. There are also several dumpsters around the grounds and, should the need arise, tornado shelters.
Atmosphere: Our visit to the park was around the beginning of the season, so it was fairly quiet with only a couple of campers, both tent and RV, around us. There are no quiet hours so a few events around the fire happened after the gates were closed, but otherwise uneventful. There was a children's event happening during the daytime and evening; they were quite respectful of the other campers.
Overall, Arkalon Park receives a 9 out a possible 10 rating. The price is one of the best for what is offered, and the city noticeably takes great pride in maintaining not only this park, but the entire city itself. This may not exactly be the best longer-term "destination", but if your Internal Compass takes you towards southwestern Kansas, make a few day stop in Liberal and Arkalon Park.
It started as a free water stop during a long road trip. Here's the beef. A brain, a heart, a home, and courage meet here.
Welcome to Liberal, Kansas, where despite the political premonitions of many travelers out there, this destination has no relation whatsoever. Liberal is tucked in the southwestern part of the Sunflower State at the junction of US routes 54, 83, and 270, just on the border with Oklahoma. A small city of approximately 20,000, Liberal has historically been, and still is today, an oasis among the vast surrounding prairies. First founded by a generous settler who "liberally" offered water at no cost to travelers, the city became a center for farmers and ranchers. Although many ghosted towns surround the area, meat packing remains one of the top industries in Liberal, as evidenced by the large National Beef Packing plant on the way out of town.
One of the top attraction points to draw people to Liberal, Kansas, is the replica of Dorothy's House, as made famous by the L. Frank Baum book series, and later feature film, "The Wizard of Oz". Visitors are able to tour inside Dorothy's house to catch a glimpse of life in Kansas around the turn of the 20th century. A young lady, costumed to represent Dorothy Gale from the feature film, explains the house and all the general tasks of "her family" to the visitors before taking them through a short skit portraying the famous story and showing a collection of book and film-related memorabilia. The museum at Dorothy's House also houses the free Coronado museum, which takes visitors through the history of the Liberal area around the time of both its discovery and founding, including Native settlements, city planning, and the surrounding ghost towns.
Dorothy's House isn't the only thing to experience while in Liberal. The local Chamber of Commerce takes great pride in helping people experience the entirety of the town, going so far as to create a scavanger hunt by strategically placing "Dorothy" statues all about the city. One of these locations is the Mid-America Air Museum, a collection of various military aircraft throughout history. Other points highlighted include Light Park, which includes a small water amusement center, the Pancake House after which one of the major route's street names is given, and the old Train Station. Although passengers are no longer served in Liberal, the railroad remains in integral part of the city, especially freight servicing the area.
Next time your Internal Compass takes you toward Western Kansas, make a stop in Liberal, and you may just realize: "There's no place like home."
When you're finishing a long day of travel, chances are that you want to park for a bit, but don't necessarily want to shell out for a campground. There's one particular option that seems quite tempting.
Situated all across the roads of this country, both two-lane and four, rest areas give the driver a chance to take a break. However, most states have been cracking down on their rest area usage. Whether it's lobbying from hotel owners, governments believing the homeless population will increase, or evidence of crime, rest areas have been severely limiting stays, banning overnight parking altogether, or completely closing down these roadside stops. Leniency is shown to truckers because of electronic logs shutting off the engines, but even then it's not always welcome. Thankfully, the state of Kansas still allows overnight stays, although only one night, and as it should be since progress should be made to the next destination.
Many think of interstate highways when it comes to rest stops, and they aren't always in the best of shape with thousands of motorists using the facilities, coupled with limited maintenance, to where they take a beating. When you look at the roads less traveled, you may see somewhere much nicer. Enter the Cherryvale rest area, situated at the US 169 exit off the US 400 super-two highway in Eastern Kansas. Not only is it a fairly quiet place to stop for the night, but if you have a pup with you, there are a few walking trails in between the pollination areas to help bees continue to thrive. It is a bit off the beaten track being nowhere near an interstate highway, but when RVing, these aren't such bad roads to take.
One added benefit to the rest stops in this state, as well as several other midwestern and southern states seen during the escapades of Freedom Rolling, is the addition of dump stations. These are beneficial not only for those with RVs, but also some truckers. Dump stations are offered as part of the cost to maintain the rest area, and typically include a simple sewer manhole with a water outlet. It's not recommended that the potable water be filled with this, since the piping is designed for flushing purposes only, as opposed to drinking. However, if you've just left a campground without a sewer hookup, it's not a bad choice for lightening your load.
So the next time you Follow your Internal Compass, whether on the highways or byways, don't forget to take a break every once in a while, and maybe you'll find a good way to not only completely recharge, but take care of your added carrying.
Miles, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore....
Any road trip enthusiast who travels this country is drawn to a historic route. They want a route winding from Chicago to Santa Monica, even if only for a few of the 2000 miles.
United States Route 66, the Mother Road, is one of the most famous roadways in pop culture. Navigating through eight midwestern and western states, drivers and riders experience a nostalgic look at Main Street USA, small tourist attractions, and a reminder of a golden age of Americana. Route 66 has long since been decommissioned by the Federal government and replaced by the Interstate Highway system, most notably interstates 55, 44, and 40. However, many states have come to pick up the maintenance of this road, and recent signage allows the driver to know they are along what used to be this well known highway.
When driving between Oklahoma City and the northeastern border of the state, Route 66 remains a great way to avoid the tolls of the Will Rogers Turnpike. Most of the Mother Road in the state has been designated today as State Highway 66. Make a stop at the Blue Whale of Catoosa, situated along the highway just outside of Tulsa. First built by Hugh Davis and completed in 1972, the whale served as a small water park for travelers throughout his life. Although closed in the 90's after the owner died, this attraction has since been re-opened and is now maintained by the city of Catoosa. As you travel further northeast, there are many indications of the "Historic Route 66" breaking from the state highway. Some of these instances are for what is known as "sidewalk highways", barely wide enough for one lane and wouldn't conform to today's US highway standards. However, it may also be to bypass a populated city center, which might not want to be missed. As an example, consider taking the turn in Miami, passing under The Gateway on Main Street through the heart of the city.
Those who know the popular song about Route 66 may wonder why eight states was mentioned here, as opposed to the seven referenced either directly or by city name in the song. Many forget that the Mother Road passes through approximately ten miles in Kansas, especially since today's interstate highway alternative doesn't even touch this state. Today, the majority of this road has been reduced to a byway, but still has its classic route designation on the road itself, along with historic markers to help find the way. Hopping off Alternate US 69 allows the driver and riders to experience the Field of Dreams in Baxter Springs, and if traveling southwest, cross the Rainbow Bridge across the Brush Creek. This bridge has been reduced to one way travel with a two-lane alternative to the side, but remains on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a sight to see. Once back to the main highway, the state has designated highway 66 to take the traveler through Galena before reaching Missouri and the city of Joplin.
The next time your Internal Compass sends you west, get your kicks and follow it along the Mother Road of Route 66.
When many think about the midwest, they'll think of corn and wheat fields. Others will think about barbecue. There are a few, though, that will consider an up-and-coming mountainous area of this country.
Introducing the Ozark National Forest, otherwise known as the Interior Highlands of the United States. The Ozarks are mostly situated in Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri, with a slight extension into Oklahoma and Kansas. Access to the Ozarks is limited in terms of interstate highways, but can be reached from United States routes 65 and 67 to the north and south, as well as through Missouri on U.S. Route 60, and through Arkansas along U.S. Route 62, famous for being the only east-west signed highway to connect, save for a couple blocks, the Mexican and Canadian borders.
If you enjoy the great outdoors, the Ozarks are certainly for you, as there are a vast amount of mountains and lakes to enjoy. Head to Northern Arkansas and visit the Buffalo National River. Designated as the first National River in the 1970s, this area is maintained by the National Park Service. If fishing is your cup of tea, perhaps head to the twin lakes of Norfork and Bull Shoals. Plenty of hunting grounds also exist across the national forest. RVers may also have heard rumors of the famed campgrounds built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, or CoE. This organization set aside dozens of grounds within the Ozarks for visitors to be able to enjoy these vast highlands, both for camping at an economical price, as well as day use.
Perhaps you're more of a city-goer. Never fear, within the Interior Highlands are a few places for you. The Springfield Plateau, one of the regions of the Ozarks, is named after the largest city in this area, Springfield MO. If you enjoy live theatre, you may want to head a little south to Branson MO, sometimes called the Broadway of the west. Head down into Arkansas to the famous city of Bentonville AR. It was here that the Walton family owned and operated a general store that soon expanded to become the internationally renowned retail establishment known as "Wal-Mart".
No matter how your internal compass is wired, the next time you're in the southern central United States, it may just lead you to a wonderful time in the Ozarks.
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