It's almost fall, bringing cooler temperatures, falling leaves and crisp autumn nights in Kansas. Fall is a great time to check out Azura Trails, located at Skyline Park, 3511 SW Skyline Parkway, Topeka, KS 66614.
Skyline Park has four trails consisting of 4.7 miles for hiking and biking. These trails take you through one of the highest areas of Topeka commonly known as Burnett's Mound.
The four trails include:
- North Summit: 1.5 miles
- Sunrise Loop: 1.3 miles
- South Summit .6 mile
- Sunset Loop: .9 mile
A map of the trails can be found here.
Azura Trails will take you past some beautiful views of Topeka throughout your hike. If you are unable to walk/bike the trails, Shawnee County Parks + Rec occasionally has days where you can drive up to the top. These are typically announced on their social media platforms.
Azura Trails has bike ramps for bike enthusiasts.
Azura has been helping fund projects since 2016 at Skyline Park. Below are just a few things Azura has done at Skyline Park over the last five years:
-Burnett's Mound and Skyline Park have become a place of restoration. Azura has helped restore the natural prairie of the area.
-A sizeable independent project was funded by Azura with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. This project was created to share their historical and cultural stories with the community, including stories about the land and Chief Burnett.
-Assisted with hosting and partnering with the tribe (CPN) to host educational events and speaking engagements on the mound.
-Built a covered meeting area located at the base. Perfect for meeting friends or escaping the elements if the weather changes suddenly.
-Added a small parking lot for accessibility.
-Funded lighting in the parking lot to enhance safety.
-Developed educational signs for floral and fauna with the help of Shawnee County Parks + Rec to be displayed throughout the trails.
-Provided open gate days for cars to have access, so all of the public could drive to the top and enjoy the view.
-Trail markers and maps.
-Added a new trail loop.
-Cleaning of trails and clearing off trails on a monthly basis by Azura staff.
-Funded and assisted with an engineering review that helped minimize the erosion occurring in order to protect the land.
-Water access was added at the base for walkers/bikers.
-Assisted Shawnee County with events free to the public for kids and families.
-Removal of decaying stairway and replacement/repair of land to minimize erosion and improve the safety and walkability of the land.
-Clean up and removal of graffiti over the years.
For more details about Azura Trails at Skyline Park, please visit Shawnee County Parks + Recreation's webpage.
Park Hours: 6 AM-11 PM
