Once upon a time we lived in a world where we were free and safe to roam. That time was known as B.C. Before Covid. In that era, I used to make annual trips across the state to Colorado with my best half, and I used to travel for my job, all over the great state of Kansas. The world feels very different right now. I’m working from home for the long haul and we aren’t road tripping yet, and that has this travel addict feeling a little forlorn and reminiscing about the backroads of Kansas and the beauty that awaits at the end of a dirt road.
I have this map of Kansas that I keep at my desk. A real map, not a digital one, where I’ve highlighted all sorts of things and jotted down all kinds of notations, so that when I head out on the open highway for one of my travels, I can look and see what might be sort of “on the way”. That’s loosely defined, as my “on the way” isn’t necessarily a direct route, but rather “in the vicinity” of the direction I’m heading. This map has taken me to some fabulous spots that illustrate that Kansas is so much more than a “fly-over state.”
I’ve written about some of my Kansas detours before, but there’s always more waiting to be discovered. So come along with me, while I share some of my backroad treasures.
Monument Rocks in Gove County
This natural national landmark in the middle of nowhere is made of large chalk formations that were formed around 80 million years ago. They are simply spectacular, and rise out of the vast landscape of western Kansas. It’s very much worth the detour time south from the interstate and all the dust your car will accumulate to visit this natural wonder.
Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway between Medicine Lodge and Sun City
This picturesque drive is approximately 42 miles of rolling farm land, prairie grasses, and gypsum-colored mesas and buttes. It challenges the reality of still being in Kansas with every curve, deep dip, and crested hill, full of red-dirt beauty. This wasn’t exactly on my direct route, not even close, but it was worth every extra mile that added to an already long day. This was also a trip that sent a text to my husband saying “I’m headed down a sketchy side dirt road. If you don’t hear from me in an hour, this was my last known location.” I’m certain he loves getting those from me.
Ghost Town of Diamond Springs
Diamond Springs was a popular stop for the Santa Fe Trail travelers in the mid 1800s, and once upon a time this town boasted a mail station, hotel, restaurant, store, and more, nestled alongside an abundant spring. Despite being a popular place with an alluring name, it earned a second nickname of “Journey of the Dead,” as native attacks and lack of water were common. The town ebbed and flowed with businesses and population, but in 1930 the post office closed, and the town dwindled to the few remaining structures that whisper of a time from long ago. Much of Kansas is in square miles, but not the Flint Hills, where this jewel is located. Be prepared for zero cell service, some winding, deep, hilly roads, and what feels like a journey to nowhere. This was another trip that sent my husband a message that probably read something like “entering the vast land of the flint hills, on a dirt road. You should hear from me in about an hour.”
Emmeram Stone Church and Nearby Cemeteries
Way off the beaten path and down some gravelly dirt roads lies the ghosted remains of the 1899 Sacred Heart Church. This small community of Norddorf was eventually renamed Emmeram, after the first priest to serve there. If you wish to venture out here, the exact location is six miles north of Victoria and the interstate at Emmeram Road and 250th Avenue.
In the same vicinity, heading south of the interstate from Victoria, a fascinating little detour will take you to the little spot of Pfeifer, where you can explore the Volga German crosses in the Holy Cross Cemetery. You might have to venture down a dirt road and hop a fence but that’s all part of the adventure.
Old Church in Lost Springs
The abandoned Evangelical United Brethren (later the United Methodist Church) of Lost Springs was once along the Santa Fe Trail. Today it stands as an abandoned relic, in a town that appears be on the verge of extinction.
Rock City near Minneapolis
Definitely a unique stop on an otherwise unremarkable road trip, Rock City has the largest grouped “concretions” – globe shaped boulders – than anywhere else on earth. So the story goes. They were formed around 100 million years ago when the sea waters receded, and the 200 standstone formations that were left behind provide a nice stopping point to stretch your legs, wander around, climb upon, and marvel at.
Whether you’re reminiscing or planning something new, don’t forget to explore the beauty that’s near you.
Travel on, Friends…
Sunflowers and Fog 