Flint Hills Military Road

This forgotten military road once connected Fort Riley to Camp Funston during WWI, cutting straight through the heart of the Flint Hills. The two-track follows original survey lines across native tallgrass prairie broken by limestone ledges and seasonal creek crossings. Turkey Creek Ford remains the route’s most challenging feature—a rocky bottom crossing that can run knee-deep after spring rains or turn into a muddy bog during dry spells.

Moderate difficulty requires high-clearance 4WD for creek crossings and rocky sections, though stock vehicles can handle most of the route in dry conditions. Avoid during wet weather when the clay-based soils turn to axle-deep gumbo. Spring wildflowers and fall colors make this route spectacular, but summer heat can be brutal with no shade. Private land borders much of the route, so stick to established tracks. This is pure Kansas—endless prairie horizons interrupted by limestone bluffs and the ghosts of military history.