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Unique Hidden Gems in Kansas

March 18, 2021

Kansas tends to get overlooked as the next great travel destination. Known as the breadbasket of America, Kansas is often referred to as a “fly-over” state. It has a reputation for being a place you pass through, not a place you see. But as locals know, Kansas is full of cool and unique places to explore.

Home to curious roadside attractions like the World’s Largest Ball of Twine, if you’re willing to venture off the beaten path (maybe even get a little lost), you’ll discover a whole host of unusual sites that make the trip here worth it. You’ll find weird museums, strange art displays and secret caves. You’ll lay eyes on unique geology and rock formations not found elsewhere, and you can even climb on some of them. And you can hike in some of the most beautiful state parks in America that are both serene and uncrowded. So many hidden gems make a trip to Kansas more than worth it!

Mushroom Rock State Park

To see one of the most unique hidden gems in Kansas, head to Mushroom Rock State Park in Ellsworth. Home to a collection of shroom-shaped rocks, these curious formations are made up of leftover beach sands and sediments from 144 to 66 million years ago. The smallest state park in Kansas, the site contains seven formations set apart within a short walking distance from the parking lot. The rough dirt road to get here isn’t the quietest, but the journey is 100% worth it.

Admission: $5.00 | Daily State Park Vehicle Pass

Mushroom Rock State Park Location

Camping near Mushroom Rock State Park: Kanopolis Lake State Park

Cowley county Waterfall

Located adjacent to the Cowley State Fishing Lake, this unique Kansas waterfall was included in a list of the “Top 12 Most Beautiful Waterfalls in America” by Yahoo Travel. The water plunges 25-feet into a pool of rapids and can be accessed by a designated parking lot near the lake. Fellow travelers have reported that this waterfall can indeed run dry, especially if the water level in the Cowley State Fishing Lake is low. Know before you go and consult the website or call to check current conditions.

Admission: Free

Cowley County State Lake Waterfall Location

Camping near Cowley Waterfall: Free Campsites on a gravel road above Cowley State Fishing Lake.

S.P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden

If you’re up for some seriously unique art, visit Lucas, Kansas, also known as the “Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas” and home to S.P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden.

Born in Ohio, Civil War Veteran and member of the Masonic Lodge, S.P. Dinsmoor moved to Lucas, Kansas in 1888 where he farmed nearby until retiring. It wasn’t until the age of 64 that Dinsmoor began building the Cabin Home and Garden of Eden in 1904, an attraction that has since drawn visitors from around the world. The Cabin Home is built with postrock limestone, harvested from local quarries into unique lengths that were long and narrow. Dinsmoor used the abnormally long pieces of stone to create the log cabin effect seen on the exterior.

Apart from touring the outdoor sculpture garden and the home, which also features no two doors and windows of the same size, visitors can actually see Dinsmoor himself if they wish. His mummified remains are on view within a towering mausoleum, secured behind a plate glass window. We loved this creepy-cool surprise to the tour, one that Dinsmoor planned years in advance.

There are several unique art destinations within Lucas, all within walking distance of one another.

Admission: $7 per adult, $2 per child under 12, Free for children under age 5

S.P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden Location

More Things to Do in Lucas: Grassroots Art Center

Camping near Garden of Eden: Lucas Park Campground at Wilson Lake State Park

Clements Stone Arch Bridge

Hidden in a field just south of Clements, Kansas is a double arch limestone bridge spanning the Cottonwood River that has a fascinating architectural history and is equally curious to explore. Built from 1886-1888, Clements Stone Arch Bridge was constructed entirely by hand without the use of modern machinery. The limestone was excavated locally, and it remains the largest and among the oldest stone bridges in Kansas.

Today it’s a bridge to nowhere and has been closed to vehicle traffic for many years. The surface over its twin arch span is overgrown with grass, but pedestrians can still visit and cross the bridge and explore underneath.

Admission: Free

Clements Stone Arch Bridge Location

Camping near Clements Stone Arch Bridge: Cottonwood Point Campground

Coronado Heights Park Castle

North of Lindsborg, Kansas is a castle building constructed out of Dakota limestone that is primarily used as a scenic overlook at Coronado Heights Park. Perched above rolling hills, the stone castle was named after Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, a Spanish explorer who visited the area during the 1540s in search of gold. Constructed in the 1930s, the castle is rumored to be the location where Coronado once stood in search of the fabled “Seven Cities of Gold.”

Admission: Free

Coronado Heights Park Location

Camping near Coronado Castle: Kanopolis Lake State Park

Wakeeney north pole + Christmas City of the High Plains

In 1950, two WaKeeney locals, Art Keraus and Jake Heckman, created a Christmas display combining thousands of lights, a 35-foot tree and a literal ton of fresh greenery that transformed their town center into a festive wonderland. WaKeeney has since been known as “Christmas City of the High Plains.”

For 70 years, the tradition continues. Local residents work together each holiday season to recreate the display for the community and visitors to enjoy. If you’re in the mood for some year-round Christmas cheer, visit the WaKeeney North Pole, a permanent installation located right in the downtown WaKeeney business district.

Admission: Free

Display Hours: Every Night from 6:00 pm on the Saturday following Thanksgiving until after New Year’s

WaKeeney North Pole Location

Camping near WaKeeney: Cedar Bluff State Park Campground

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks, also known as the Chalk Pyramids, are unique geological rock formations in Western Kansas that have been recognized as a National Natural Landmark.

The chalk formations rise 70-feet in height and were formed during the Cretaceous Period, an estimated 80 million years ago. Along with the Castle Rock Badlands, this area is famous for its fossils, although digging or fossil hunting is prohibited at the site. Monument Rocks is located on private lands but is open to the public from dawn to dusk. No camping or night visitation of any kind is allowed.

Admission: Free

Monument Rocks Location

Camping near Monument Rocks: Logan Wildlife Area

World’s Largest Easel

Stop in Goodland, Kansas to catch a glimpse of the massive replica of Vincent Van Gogh’s ”3 Sunflowers in a Vase” by Cameron Cross.

One of Kansas’ best roadside attractions, this 34x24-foot painting is also mounted on the World’s Largest Easel. Standing 80 feet tall, the whole attraction can be seen from I-70 while passing through the area, but we highly recommend a detour through Goodland to see it up close. Plus you can visit the Goodland Welcome Center to learn more about the history of the Van Gogh project.

Admission: Free

World’s Largest Easel Location

Camping near Goodland, Kansas: Logan Wildlife Area

Rock City Park

Just a few miles south of Minneapolis, Kansas is a unique collection of over 200 sandstone rock formations that you can climb on, picnic among, and explore known as Rock City Park. These “concretions” are composed of similar geology as the formations within Mushroom Rock State Park, created millions of years ago when Kansas was covered by an inland sea. Some geologists have stated that this is the largest concentration of this type of formation in the world.

Admission: $3

Rock City Park Location

Camping near Rock City Park: Ottawa State Fishing Lake

Faris Caves

The Faris Caves are a series of man-made caverns dug out of Dakota Sandstone by Colorado miner Charles Griffee in the 1880s. Griffee owned land along the Smoky Hill River and excavated the three rooms to use for shelter using a pickaxe. Griffee sold his land to the Faris brothers in 1893, and the caves were said to be used for several purposes including housing, a spring house and a schoolhouse. This area along the Smoky Hill River was once home to Native Americans and is historically referred to as the Smoky Hill Complex.

Admission: Free

Faris Caves Location

Camping near Faris Caves: Kanopolis Lake State Park

Castle Rock Badlands

If you’re traveling through western Kansas, Castle Rock and the Castle Rock Badlands are both amazing and unique destinations not to be missed.

Castle Rock is a towering limestone, chalk and shale rock formation about 15 miles south of I-70 between Quinter and Collyer, Kansas. The nearby Castle Rock Badlands (as pictured in the first image within this article) features clusters of similar formations. Both areas are great for hiking and wildlife viewing. There are no facilities at this location, and camping is prohibited. Important to note, you’ll be traveling on rural, privately-owned land that requires a high-clearance vehicle.

Admission: Free

Castle Rock Badlands Location

Camping Near Castle Rock Badlands: Goodman State Fishing Lake

Wilson Lake Rocktown Trail

The Rocktown Hiking Trail is a 3-mile loop with a low elevation gain that features unique geological rock formations within the Lucas Park Recreation Area and Wilson State Park. Walk among these curious sandstone formations along the sandy shores of Wilson Lake where there are also several opportunities for swimming, boating, fishing, waterskiing, camping and picnicking in season.

Admission: $5 Daily Vehicle Fee

Rocktown Trail Location

Camping within Wilson State Park

Unique Airbnbs in Kansas

Looking for a unique place to stay in Kansas? Check out these cool and unusual vacation rentals for your next trip to the Sunflower State.

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Why is Kansas called The Sunflower State?

Sunflowers are drought-tolerant, and as a result, they grow very well in Kansas. Their prevalence in this high plains state has been documented for at least two centuries, Stephen Long noting them during his expedition along the Santa Fe Trail.

Today Kansas ranks fourth in the nation for sunflower production, according to a growth forecast by The Topeka Capital-Journal. And although they are now a very important crop for the state, they weren’t always regarded with such fondness. The Kansas Historical Society notes that in 1895 some referred to it as a weed that should be destroyed. State Senator George P. Morehouse disagreed and as Kansans wore the flower as a badge, Morehouse drafted a 1903 bill designating the native plant as the state flower, further protecting it as a symbol that has been used prominently ever since.

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