Where to Run in Wichita, KS!

Seems like I am travelling more and more these days, all over the country! As a fitness enthusiast and a runner, sometimes it's very difficult to fit in a run or a workout while travelling, especially to conventions and meetings. Not so at my most recent convention, the National Farmers Union Convention in Wichita, KS. I was in Wichita for four days and sneaked in runs and walks outside every day. When I recently saw that Jessie over on The Right Fits started a series called Where Should I Run? on her blog, I knew I could contribute a post about where to run in Wichita!

River Walk Trail in Wichita, KS! 

The convention I attended was held at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. It was a very, very nice, brand new hotel situated right on the Arkansas River, which bisects the city of Wichita. I know I would not have had the opportunity to get nearly as much outdoor fitness into my trip if it weren't for staying at this hotel. Even before leaving, I had scoped the hotel website for the availability of a fitness center. They had a nice gym on site, but they also advertised right on the website that the Arkansas River has a really nice paved walking and jogging trail along its banks. They even post a map of the pathway system right on their website, and you can view by clicking here.  It's a PDF you can even download onto your phone and take with you on your run. The small portion they show on their map is 7 miles, but I know there are many, many offshoots from what is depicted. (I have an old, not-so-smart phone, so I don't have any fancy apps that map my run, and I can't seem to figure out how to get the PDF to actually copy and paste onto my blog, so you'll have to live with clicking on the link. Sorry... :/)

These steps lead directly to the River Walk from the Hyatt Regency, which was my home for the time I was in Wichita.

I began each of my runs from my hotel, but if you're looking for a place to park, I'd suggest starting off at the science museum along the west bank of the river.  It's called Exploration Place and it looked like a nice science museum and planetarium. It also looked like they had free parking and it puts you right at a bridge and trail access. Easy.

That building with awesome architecture that's sort of centered in this picture, right on the river, is the science museum. There is parking adjacent to the building, with easy access to the path.

Sunday afternoon was the most wide-open my schedule was during the convention so I decided this would be the best day to head out for a run. With the hotel literally steps away from the River Trail, it was so easy to walk right out the door and get started. I did about four miles, running up one side of the river, to the Keeper of the Plains Statue, crossing, then heading farther north a bit. Then I turned around and headed south on the west bank of the river and back to the hotel.

Keeper of the Plains Statue, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon!

This trail is a pretty great place to run! I was very impressed with the excellent signage and maps along both sides. The trail linked several monuments and museums so that a person could walk (or run!) among them and get quite a tour and taste of the area. I passed the Veteran's Memorial, a really neat looking science museum, and of course, the Keeper of the Plains statue. If a person had more time or was staying in Wichita longer, it would be great to explore some of the many offshoots of the river trail system. A quick internet search showed several area running stores, and I'm sure any of them would be able to point people in the right direction. Alas, I did not have time to visit them myself.

Some of the signage along the path.

There was also a great abundance of people using the path on this nice Sunday. From people walking their dogs to riding bikes, enjoying picnics, and checking out the statue, this was the place to be.

One of the many bridges that cross the rivers. I love the bridge design!

The wildlife was definitely NOT afraid of humans!

Speaking of the statue... it was really cool! It is a 44 foot tall metal statue located at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers. It was about a mile from my hotel, and accessed by bridges from either bank of the river. The statue was erected in 1974 to commemorate the nation's bicentennial, and was designed by a Native American artist. There were little paths all around it and information about Native American culture. Definitely worth a minute or two to stop and look around! If nothing else, the statue is very striking! I took several photos.

More views of Keeper of the Plains.

It was so great to get my legs stretched and moving during a long week of convention activities, which is mostly a lot of sitting. Monday afternoon, my friend Joellyn and I went out for another short run again, enjoying the nice weather. We ran a short two-mile loop up to the Keeper of the Plains, across the river, and back. It was definitely windier on Monday, but the sunshine was warm and the passers-by friendly. We had a great time and it was nice to catch up a little bit, while being active! I so rarely get to run with another person that it was great just to have some company!

Me and Joellyn, along the Arkansas River!

So, I know that this isn't the most in-depth post ever for where to run in Wichita, but it definitely gives a starting point for anyone who is looking for a place to begin.  I highly recommend the river trail. It was clean, organized, well-trafficked during the day, and comfortable. Great to be on the river and not to have to worry about cars and traffic, and lovely to enjoy the people watching and animal watching. If you're ever in Wichita, take a jog on this path!