National, State and Local Parks

Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park

When mentioning beautiful places in the state of Colorado, Estes Park should be on that list. If you are visiting the Rocky Mountains, it is almost necessary to see Rocky Mountain National Park located in northern Colorado. Estes Park is the place most people stay when visiting this national park. It is a fun curvy drive through these mountains for sure. There are three direct routes to get here which I will explain now.

US-34, US-36, and Colorado Highway 7 meet in this city. The more common routes are the nation’s highways, US-34 & US-36. Colorado Highway 7 is an alternate route from Lyons, Colorado to Estes Park and is a nice shortcut to the city when heading directly north from a city such as Nederland, Black Hawk, or even Idaho Springs. If you are traveling to Estes Park via I-25, you can take one of two US highways. If you are coming from the north end heading south, it would make much more sense to travel to Loveland and take the decent drive on US-34 to Estes Park. However, if you are coming from the south end heading north, travelling on US-36 going through Boulder, CO from Denver, CO is the more direct route.

Coming into town from the east side, you will notice nice scenery located around Lake Estes. Big Thompson River is the primary river that runs through this lake as well as a smaller Fish Creek. There are a couple of places to sit and relax by the lake if you wish. Fall River and Black Canyon Creek are other rivers that run through this area.

There are plenty of places to eat, shop, tour, and lodge before or after visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park. US-34 is the road that really goes through these named mountains with plenty of places to stop and take pictures. There are picnic sites, trails, and lodges located every few miles from each other. For example, Alpine Visitor Center is a place to stop and rest that contains a cafe and a gift shop to collect souvenirs. Further west down the road, you eventually find the city of Grand Lake as well as the actual Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Lake, and Lake Granby. Following the Colorado River, you will finally end up in the city of Granby where the US-34 ends at US-40. From there, you could continue travelling west into northwest Colorado or head east to I-70.

Rocky Mountain National Park Alpine View

In summary, if you take anything away from this, know that if you are ever visiting the state of Colorado, this is a must. I have visited the state several times and Estes Park a couple times when I was younger and it was overall a great experience! Consider this being one of your next travel destinations when the weather is slightly warmer! It is one of the most scenic places in America still to this day. Go to www.rockymountainnationalpark.com for more information.

December 23, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Melvern Lake Kansas USA

Location and Directions
Melvern Lake is located in eastern Kansas north of I-35 and west of US-75 which are two major highways. You can find it between Emporia and Ottawa. Near the lake are the towns Olivet via K-276 and the town Melvern via K-31. To visit the town of Melvern and then the lake from I-35, take Exit 160. If you take Exit 148, you can visit the town of Lebo heading south or take the road north to drive through the west side of Melvern Lake. However, the most direct route will most likely be taking US-75 north at Exit 155.

Directions to Eisenhower State Park
There are many state highways nearby the lake, but the one to really remember is K-278 which will take you to Eisenhower State Park. It will end at the road you take to turn left and you will be able to easily spot it from there. Taking US-75 to K-278 west to South Fairlawn Road south to Eisenhower State Park is probably one of the more direct routes. If you want to, you could take South Hoch road through the west part of the lake to get to K-170 from the interstate, and then take a series of roads and eventually find South Fairlawn Road which will again take you to Eisenhower State Park. It is most likely the destination you want to travel to.

Click for Virtual Tour

The first thing you will notice is the Eisenhower State Park Office of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism (the way to get into the park). Once allowed to enter, there are two directions to take which will eventually connect back to each other closer to the actual lake. It won’t be hard to find restrooms and showers as you drive along. There are a few campgrounds adjacent to the lake such as the Doud and Churchill campgrounds. There is even a decent playground located pretty close to the water.

There are other places nearby such as the Outlet Park east of the lake close by US-75. It includes a dam you can ride on that gives you a good view of the lake looking west. There are places you can maybe access all around the lake including the Turkey Point Area southwest of Eisenhower State Park.

In conclusion, Melvern Lake is one of many lakes you can find in eastern Kansas. You can access it pretty easily from three major cities in the state of Kansas: Topeka, Emporia, and Ottawa. Melvern Lake is a good place to enjoy life and go fishing.

September 26, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Lake Scott State Park Kansas

Lake Scott State Park is located in Scott County ten miles north of the town of Scott City, Kansas. It is hard to find a lake this nice this far west in Kansas. Taking via US-83, you can take K-95 at the first available moment. The speed limits are no joke. There are plenty of curves on not the widest road.

From a distance, it looks like the prairie continues forever and ever, but in this big gap in the land, you will find a lake located in Lake Scott State Park. I have always enjoyed stopping by a time or two here. It is a nice detour along your travels on US-83.

You can find canyons, springs, ponds, small rivers, and several campgrounds. All campgrounds I found on the map will be listed below:

Elm Grove
Apache
Lakeside
Flatland
Circle Derive
Boat Ramp
Bull Canyon South
Lake View

Whenever I used to visit with my family, we would almost always stop at the Circle Drive Campground to view the lake and enjoy life. There is a west and east Scott Lake Drive that together surround the lake. We always like to take the west drive, but the east drive is very good also. There are restrooms and showers available for those wanting to know.

Overall, this is a decent state park. If there is one thing in western Kansas I enjoyed visiting, this will be put on the list for sure. The lake’s size is good considering where it is located. Consider stopping by here along your travels on all of the two-laned highways out there in western Kansas!

September 14, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Clinton Lake Kansas USA

Directions to Clinton Lake and Clinton State Park
Located west of Lawrence and Douglas County, you will find Clinton Lake. You can find signs along US-40, K-10, and US-59 that will help navigate you to this destination. If you take K-10, you can find it much easier. Off of that exit, you can either visit Clinton State Park or ride the east dam. You can also find this route from a turnoff on US-59 as well. From that turnoff, you can visit the Rockhaven, Bloomington, and Woodridge Public Use Areas and the town of Clinton. The turnoff from US-40 takes you straight down to the Clinton State Park or the Wildlife Area.

Things to do at Clinton Lake
At the north part of the lake, this tends to be the main spot. Locations include campgrounds with restrooms and showers, trails, a disc golf course, and an archery range. East of the lake, locations include a waterfall, spillway, and outlet park near Wakarusa River, and a golf course.

View from Kansas Highway K-10
If you are driving along K-10, there are sports complexes to the east of the lake and a nice overlook park at the northeast corner of the lake for a quick but good look at this huge lake. You should check out this lake if you have the time to tour something special along your travels in a very scenic eastern Kansas.

August 13, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Colorful Colorado USA

Welcome to Colorful Colorado! If you prefer central America but don’t like the flat lands, this is a state to check out. Home to the Rocky Mountain National Park and the rest of the mountains, this state is decent in size, has very scenic areas, and a great vacation spot. People can come to ski, snowboard, ride a mountain bike, dwell in a lodge with a hot tub, or even just drive around the mountains.

Denver, Colorado
The main interstates that travel through the entire state are I-25 & I-70 that form a plus shape. They meet in the capital city, Denver. I-76 travels from I-80 in Nebraska to this city. I-270 & I-225 are inside the city with Colorado Highway 470 circling the city. The east half is toll road while the west half is non-toll road.

Denver, Colorado has both an NBA and NFL team to root for pretty much all year-round aka the Denver Nuggets, and the Denver Broncos. Boulder, CO northwest of Denver is home of Colorado University.

From Denver, you could travel north through multiple cities like Loveland and Fort Collins to the state of Wyoming and its capital city Cheyenne. Or you could travel south through Colorado Springs and Pueblo to the state of New Mexico. Or you could even continue west through the Rocky Mountains where you meet the city of Grand Junction just miles before the state of Utah. Traveling east takes you to the state of Kansas.

Colorado Springs, Colorado
Whenever my family and I travel from the east side of the state to the mountains, we like to stop in Limon, Colorado for a break and to get souvenirs from Colorado Gifts located right off the interstate at Exit 361. From there we go northwest to Denver or southwest to Colorado Springs, another great city next to Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods located to the west.

Eastern Colorado
Some people claim that eastern Colorado is just a flat, dry land with not too many things interesting. There is US-50 however is a better route through this part of the state if you aren’t taking I-70. The northeast isn’t as bad since there is another interstate you can take. In fact, western Kansas and eastern Colorado have the same feel to them. It is true that they both have flat areas and nothing that exciting for people that live in the big cities, but it is a nice place to live for people that don’t like populated areas so much.

Historic Stanley Hotel Estes Park Colorado USA

Estes Park
There are more places worth checking out that I haven’t really mentioned yet. I have been to Estes Park more than once, it is a good area to stay at if you are visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park.

South West Colorado
If you happen to travel in southwest Colorado, it is also very scenic and there is a lot to tour there. If you can take via US-160 to the very southwest part of the state where you can find Mesa Verde and Four Corners, you can see a nice looking desert. A cool thing I saw was the San Juan River right before the border to New Mexico and the four corners monument. I love how the river was big and it was the only obvious green area in the entire reservation. A bonus is being able to add a few more states to your list of states visited.

Colorful Colorado, in conclusion, is one of coolest mountain states I have ever seen in my opinion, and I have been to 20+ states so far. I think you will enjoy your time there if you choose this place as your next summer vacation destination. I will try to include more information about this state in the near future on this website, so stay tuned!

August 13, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Historic Fort Hays Kansas USA

How to get to Hays, Kansas, USA
Via I-70, US-40, and US-183 lies the town of Hays, Kansas, one of the more popular places in the area. Hays and Salina were a big deal when the interstate was first built. If you have noticed when you first approach an interstate, it will have north and south or west and east directions depending on the interstate. With that they will have an important town name in addition to the sign so people know where things are. West of Hays, you will get names of towns on the signs that aren’t even in Kansas such as Limon or Denver in Colorado. East of Hays you will get signs for Salina, Topeka, Kansas City, St. Louis, etc. Based on that information, we can figure that Hays is recognized more than some cities in the state.

In addition to the interstate and US-183, there is Bypass US-183 that travels around the southwest parts of town, including Fort Hays State University. If you are traveling from East I-70 to South US-183 or from North US-183 to West I-70, this is an excellent way to skip town traffic along Vine Street or US-183. Vine Street is one of the main roads in town with many places to eat. The road actually named “Main Street” takes you through downtown, the library, pool, park, etc. There are also enough businesses north of the interstate to choose from.

Besides Fort Hays State University, you can visit the Sternberg Museum, Old Fort Hays, a golf course, country club, and more parks. My family likes to visit a park east of Main Street and just north of Bypass US-183. There is a playground, picnic areas, and a great view of Big Creek from the bridge going over it. We like the location of Hays mostly because it is a nice halfway point to meet up with family out west. We have many places to stop for food right off the interstate along US-183 north or south. Occasionally, even though it is slightly off track for us, we like taking the bypass so we can check out more of the town and Fort Hays.

Jellison Covered Bridge - Fort Hays University Kansas — Jellison Covered Bridge – Fort Hays University Kansas

July 4, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Fort Hays State University Kansas

In the southwest part of Hays, there is the university of Fort Hays State. Along Bypass US-183, you can view some of its sports complexes such as the tennis and baseball fields and their basketball stadium. Slightly east, you can find its campus and educational buildings.

There is a nice bridge otherwise known as the Jellison Bridge. If I had to pick a cool place at the university, this would be a top pick. Looking south from South Campus Road, it is cool to see the length of the bridge over the water and through the trees. This is a route for students to get to and from the Custer, McMindes, and Agnew Halls or the Performing Arts Center and Nursing Departments.

The main campus extends as far north as North Campus Drive, as far east as Elm Street and Lewis Drive, and as far west and south as the Big Creek Trail. Again, all sports complexes however are near Bypass US-183 west of the trail. There are signs that will help guide you to the fields and stadiums. For people living out west, they consider this to be a decent sized and popular college. K-State and Kansas Universities are all located in the east of the state and Wichita State being centrally located south. This is most likely the next best choice after these three public colleges. There are many community colleges you can find in western Kansas towns such as Garden City, Liberal, Dodge City, Colby, Goodland, etc.

After everything mentioned, for any future college students, the choice is yours. Visitors can tour at times and see its beauty with all of the buildings, trees, and water such as Big Creek in the background of the college. It looks satisfying enough to be a decent university that deserves to be seen by more people. Feel free to stop by and check out the university! It might be the one for you!

July 4, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Waconda Lake Kansas

How to get to Waconda Lake, Kansas, USA
Waconda Lake out in north central Kansas is located west of Beloit and east of Downs. There isn’t much at all in the south part of the lake. All of the activities and important parts are up north. The lake extends as far west as Cawker City and as far east as Glen Elder.

South of Cawker City, you can take Lake Drive for some scenic views. South of Glen Elder, you can take Glen Elder Dam Road for more scenic viewing. Additionally, even if you are just travelling along US-24 & K-9 north of the lake, it does cut through part of the lake so you can have another decent view looking south.

World's Largest Ball of Twine, Cawker City, Kansas, USA — World’s Largest Ball of Twine, Cawker City, Kansas, USA

Fun Fact: Cawker City, Kansas has the world’s largest ball of twine for any photographers out there!

Glen Elder State Park, Kansas, USA
The town of Glen Elder is a decent town with a view of the lake daily. West of the town is Glen Elder State Park, or the state park used to visit Waconda Lake. Restrooms and showers are nearby the Pawnee, Kanza, Kaw, Arikaree, and Takoda campgrounds and the Glen Elder Marina. US-24 & K-9 is the main route to get to Cawker City and Glen Elder. If you are coming south on K-128, you can just keep on going straight even after its end and it will take you directly to the campgrounds and the state park. Coming west on US-24 & K-9, the turnoff after Glen Elder Dam Road seems to be a more direct way to access the state park. It is an unnamed road south of the highway but north of it, the street is called 190 Road.

Cawker City and Glen Elder are both small towns but are very near Waconda Lake. US-24 & K-9 run through and near these cities which give these towns some more popularity. Since it is closer to Glen Elder, they named the state park after the town and gave its citizens a better view of the town. However, I am a little more familiar with Cawker City since some of my family has lived there before.

July 4, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Cedar Bluff State Park Kansas

Cedar Bluff Reservoir is a lake out west in the state of Kansas. If you were to look at a map of western Kansas, this is most likely the first lake you would notice from its size. The main way to get there is by taking K-147 via I-70 or K-4. There are also ways to get there from US-283. I like taking this route through the Smoky Valley when I am going south or even north coming from family out west.

Going east from US-283 or west from K-147 south of the lake takes you to the Cedar Bluff State Park-Shop. It is just another area to visit at the south end of the lake. Traveling on K-147, you can spot a fish hatchery to the east. There is a nice dam and a 14 foot tall bridge over the Smoky Hill River along the way north to Ogallah and I-70 or south to Brownell and K-4.

However, I recommend going towards the northeast part of the lake where Cedar Bluff State Park is located. This is where my grandparent loved to fish. We go here mainly to remember them and also enjoy the great scenery of the lake. The wood branches coming out of the water really caught my attention for some reason. Maybe I’m not the only one who enjoyed that look so I thought I might mention it. There will be enough restrooms near the campgrounds of the park if you wish to visit.

July 4, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

El Dorado Lake Kansas

How to get to El Dorado Lake
El Dorado Lake is one of two great big lakes closest to Wichita, Kansas. To the west is Cheney Reservoir which you can get there from Wichita by taking via K-251 from US-54 and US-400.

To the east is the El Dorado Lake which you can get to from Wichita by taking via K-254. US-54 and US-77 also meet up in the town of El Dorado.
K-177 runs on the east side of the lake and I-35 runs through the north part of the lake and even cuts through a part of it. If you look on the map, you can tell that the south and the east part of the lake have more activities since it is more accessible to the two-laned highways.

Driving via K-177
Driving via K-177, you can visit the Shady Creek Area or the Bluestem Area.

Shady Creek Area
Towards the south you can find the Shady Creek Area by taking Access Road to NE 6th Street. You can find tons of designated camping areas with a boat ramp to use as well as plenty of restrooms. It will be a right turn after the park station unless you want to go to the Shady Creek Sales & Service building. If you are taking Access Road west from the highway and you don’t want to take NE 6th Street to the campgrounds, just continue west to find more excitement by the Walnut River.

Bluestem Area
To the east north of the Shady Creek Area you can find the Bluestem Area that includes some cabins, more campgrounds, and a swim beach. There are many restrooms and showers you can use to clean up, change clothes, etc. Apart from the highway and anywhere east from it the area is surrounded by the lake on both sides. This is in my opinion probably one of the cooler places to visit for the day.

July 4, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Category Archives: Parks