Fall Hiking about Weston Bend

Warmer than usual weather this early March, coupled with a long period without precipitation, offered up a nearly perfect Sunday afternoon. Temperatures hovered in the low 20s C, with random patches of sunlight peeking through the clouds here and there. Generally, the overcast sky gave the appearance of impending rain, though none was expected. It simply kept temperatures reasonable.

A good friend called up to gauge interest in a hike, and we were soon on our way to the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River at Weston Bend State Park. The trails at this park are not particularly rugged or challenging, but do offer some of the best views of the Big Muddy anywhere in the state. The longest of the trails is paved, providing access for those not interested in getting too involved in creeping around the woods, or for cycling enthusiasts, and those disabled. We were not much interested in that path.

We started down the Harpst Trail first, knowing it connected with all of the others. The shortest and likely least challenging of the unpaved trails, it meanders easterly, gently sloping down into the Pensineau Creek valley where it meets with the paved trail, then turns westerly back up to the top of the bluff; 15 minutes and done. It is a great trail for a running hike. Indeed, the trail system at this park seems built for that sort of workout. All of the trails are well worn and the most extreme climb is 60 m across one kilometer.

Arriving back on top of the bluff, where the Harpst Trail meets with the West Ridge Trail, gale force winds met us head on. That wind continued to hound us as we continued along the West Ridge Trail, a stark contrast to the calm experienced down the valley. Our ball caps were in reverse for this leg of the journey, to avoid losing them.

That portion of the trail continues along the bluff line for about 1.25 km, punctuated with little perches on the edge of the bluff where breaks in the tree line provide some good views of the Missouri River valley. The last of these stops, near the end of the bluffs, offers the best view of all, as most of the Weston Bend portion of the river sprawling before the wild bottomland forests surrounding Fort Leavenworth.

From Weston Bend State Park Bluffs looking West

The trail only meanders gently easterly back down into the Pensineau Creek valley from there, where it meets up with the paved trail. At this point, the only choices are to return along the same path or follow the paved trail. We were not particularly interested in hiking a paved trail, but it did offer a change of scenery. Following alongside Pensineau Creek for about a km or so, it gently slopes back up towards the bluff, meeting with the Harpst Trail. As the most interesting feature along the way, the creek bed offers some interesting future exploration opportunities under the healthy and thriving canopy of cottonwood, sycamore and maple.

Pensineau Creek

The brief and uneventful journey ended back on top of the bluff at the scenic overlook, which provides yet another of the most expansive views of the Missouri River. Easily accessible to persons with disabilities, it is just a short walk along a paved path from the parking area, to a wood-deck platform set into the bluff.

View from the Weston Bend Scenic Overlook in Summer

It was a pleasant surprise to find the area very much cleaned up since the last visit a year ago. A view choked with old growth then, you could only catch glimpses of the river below through the tangled mass of trees. One can now take in the full view, similar to that found on the West Ridge Trail, nearly 15 km across the state of Kansas.

We did not linger much beyond that, though the park does offer various other points of interest, equally accessible to those that want to get out in nature without picking things off later, or suffering the rashes of some unknown toxicity.

Secluded picnic areas accommodate impromptu picnics, or large open shelters are available to host larger planned gatherings. A playground enables children to burn off supplemental energy, and a well-maintained campground offers basic and electric sites, including modern restrooms, hot showers, and laundry facilities. Shopping and restaurants are only a short 10-minute drive away in the town of Weston; for the more adventurous, only a 4 km hike.

As one of only a couple of State Parks within 30 minutes of Kansas City, Weston Bend State Park offers a place to get away from it all, without getting too far away. The area also holds a rich history stretching back to a time before the land became a part of the United States. Native American tribes of Kansa, Iowa, Sac and Fox called it home. French traders established an outpost nearby, and the Lewis & Clark Expedition paused here for a few days. This geological landmark shaped both land and culture, setting the stage to ensure its position as a historical landmark as well.

Missouri State Parks Weston Bend State Park Map - 2016

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Further Reading

Weston Bend State Park

Missouri State Parks