North Newton · US

Sand Creek Trail

Sand Creek Trail is a 2.3-mile wooded loop on the eastern edge of Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, where riparian forest, old windbreaks, and open field edges create a surprisingly rich pocket of nature in the Great Plains. Designated a National Recreation Trail in 2011, the woodchip path is beloved by walkers, runners, and birders for its ease of access, year-round usability, and remarkable biodiversity. Starting at Memorial Grove—an established gathering place with an 11-foot elm-stump sculpture called The Plainsman—the trail threads past sand-colored creek banks, through groves of cottonwood, hackberry, and Kentucky coffee tree, and alongside interpretive signs that unpack both deep natural history and the human stories of the Chisholm Trail and Native American campgrounds.