Blue River Rail Trail

Specific Need

In the last year we have completed our improvements at the Hull Trailhead.  We have built a picnic shelter at the site of the new restroom installed last year.  We also installed a new water bottle filler.  This was a significant investment in that it required not only the purchase of the water meter, but approximately 2000 feet of trenching and pipe.

We had another washout at a bridge over a small creek north of Oketo which required a major repair and rebuild.

Encroachment of brush on the trail, especially plum thickets, has become an issue and we addressed this with the purchase and utilization of a 72 inch brush cutter.  This has been working great to widen the trail and facilitate mowing and maintenance.

We have hosted multiple events on the trail.  At the Pony Express Gravel Dash, Half Marathon, and 5K in September, over 400 bicycle riders and runners utilized portions of the trail.  We also hosted a Fun Run/Walk/Ride on Labor Day and a Fall Motorized Trail Tour in October to allow senior citizens, and others unable to enjoy the trail on foot or bicycle, to see it.  On this day, ATV’s were allowed and hay racks provided.

Our big project for 2024 is the construction of a children’s bicycle playground.  This is to be built near the Jayhawk Trailhead shelter.  It will include a series of rollers and berms as well as several pieces of high quality equipment to be installed on a circular course.  These will include a series of 5 large rings, an elevated tunnel, an elevated wooden “ladder”, and three large concrete cones to weave in and out of!  This equipment has been ordered and is scheduled to be delivered in June!  We have begun some of the initial dirt work.

Erosion control needs continue with another near washout north of Oketo that will need to be addressed this year as well as our routine costs for surface material replacement, mowing, and spraying.

We continue to advocate for completion of the trail into downtown Marysville with the development of the 7th StreetCorridor from Highway 36 to Calhoun Street.  

The Board of Directors welcomes Stephanie Coble as a new member and extends its thanks to Dustin Zutterman for his service on the board.

Although our trail counter is currently under repair, as of late last summer the daily count was averaging 59 per day.  That is 21,535 over the previous 12 months and reflected a 24% increase over the last year.  Trail usage continues to grow both locally and with regional and national visitors!  

Please consider supporting this tremendous community asset at the Marysville Community Foundation Pony Up Marysville Match Day on May 3.  

Profile

Come and enjoy a quiet run, a leisurely walk with a friend or family time as you ride down the trail on your bikes and search for wildlife in this natural playground. The crushed limestone on the trail provides a smooth surface for walking, jogging, biking and cross-country skiing. An abundance of wildlife, plant life, and bird species live along the trail promise to make your visit a truly memorable experience.

 The Blue River Rail Trail stretches 13.5 miles from downtown Marysville, Kansas to the Nebraska border. At the state line it connects to the Chief Standing Bear Trail and the extensive Great Plains Trails Network.