about earthriders
trail name: Blue River Parkway Trails (a.k.a. BuRP) view trailhead map
park name: Blue River Parkway
nearest town: Southern Kansas City, MO
directions from nearest town: At the south end of the I-435 loop, take I-435 (east/west) to the Holmes Road exit. Go south on Holmes to 117th Terrace (across from the Red Bridge United Methodist Church; note that 117th Terrace angles to the southeast). Take a left (southeast) onto 117th Terrace and follow it a block until it ends at Troost. Take a right (south) onto Troost then take the first left (east) onto 118th Street. Follow 118th Street across the railroad bridge to the trailhead. Please be considerate of the people's driveway and the Park Entrance when parking (i.e., do not block the driveway or the park gate!).
alternate trailhead: Head south on Holmes to the strip-mall parking lot on the east side of Holmes, just before Blue Ridge Blvd (approx. 130th St.). Park behind the Sandtrap Bar and Grill. This isn’t exactly a trail head, but a good place to park with less worry of your vehicle being tampered with and a post ride spot to grab a beer or a burger. This is also where the infamous Taco Tuesday rides begin.
To get to the trail, exit out of the parking lot on your bike and head south (left) apx 400’ to the stoplight at Blue Ridge Blvd and Holmes. At the stoplight you will turn East (left) onto Blue Ridge Blvd. Head East apx 1800’ at which point you will cross over a bridge and the trails start directly below. At the far East of the bridge on the South side there is a dirt trail that connects from the road to a cement trail that runs under the bridge. YOU HAVE MADE IT!! From here you can head to the Wagon Wheel Trails or over to the majority of the trails more commonly referred to as the East Side. Enjoy!
rating (1-5): 2-5
description: Blue River Parkway has 12+ miles of trails that run along both sides of the Blue River and along the bluffs above Blue River Road. The trails begin near Red Bridge Road on the north and extend south of Martin City to 139th Street (additional trails continue west of Holmes Road all the way to the Polo fields at Kenneth Road, where the Blue River crosses the state line into Kansas--but these are better suited for equestrians).
The old railroad bed that runs along the west side of the river is a very easy trail that is suitable for nearly all riders. For those wanting a bit more challenge, there are several off-shoots from the railroad bed that provide some additional challenge (advanced beginner to intermediate). Advanced riders will enjoy the Wagon Trail that runs from Blue Ridge Blvd south to the Power Substation just off 139th Street. The Wagon Trail is an intermediate to expert trail that contains several stretches of very fun and challenging rock gardens and technical sections.
The best trails in the system are east of Blue River Road. Fast, flowing, narrow single-track trails wind through oak and hickory forests in the bluffs above the road. Sweet bench cut contour trails just beg you to turn the pedals and go. The East Side trails are fast and flowy and are not overly technical, but there are certainly enough rocks and climbs and roots and technical areas that you know you're off road. Check out "The White House" as you ride through the foundation remains of the Emma White boys camp that existed in the area in the early 1900s.
trail map: view trail map
highlights: The railroad bed is great for kicking in the big gear and throwing the dirt out of your treads. Just west of the road bed, a few feet south of the sign board, there is a challenging and fun section of trail that winds through the woods (tight, twisty, with several challenging dips and rocks). Heading north and a bit west from the signboard, you can cross the river on a submerged concrete slab. The trails along the bottoms near the river are fast, smooth, and wide open. On the east bank of the river, just behind the soccer fields, check out "Little Moab", a challenging rock ledge running along a beautiful stretch of the river. At the south end of the trail system, The Wagon Trail has plenty of rocks and roots and is an enjoyable trail. For the best riding at Blue River Parkway, and some of the best riding in the Midwest, head over to the East Side by crossing under Blue River Road using the box culvert at Martha Truman Rd (on the north end) or crossing over Blue River Road just north of Blue Ridge Blvd (at the south end).
navigating: The best way to learn the trails is to hook up with familiar locals for a ride. Come out on a Tuesday evening when the weather's nice. There's no set time - rides depart from the strip mall parking lot at Blue Ridge and Holmes as people begin showing up after work. Check out www.earthriders.com for more info on hooking up with local riders to show you around.
submitted by: Rob Stitt (revised by Nate King 10/22/2004)
email address: robstitt@acm.org
additional thoughts: drying times: The old road bed is mostly gravel and will dry out very quickly after a rain, except for a couple of puddles (watch out for "holes" that occasionally form in the gravel after heavy rains). The East Side trails dry very quickly (usually in a day or two, if the weather isn't too cold or damp). The "low" trails that run near the river take the longest to dry out (3-7 days) and have some low areas that remain wet/boggy for longer than that. Please don't ride the trails if it's muddy. Thank you for helping preserve the amazing single-track h
caution (high water/flooding): The Blue River is a major waterway and carries much of the runoff from Johnson County, Kansas to the Missouri River. As such, it is subject to flash flooding during heavy rains. Additionally, it continues to run rather high for several days after any significant rain. Several trails run close to the river and there are several trails that cross the river, so please be very careful. If the river is high, don't risk getting swept away by riding through the water--take a road to the other side instead.
These trails are multi-use trails, used by pedestrians and equestrians (horses) in addition to cyclists. Please be courteous and remember that cyclist must yield to both pedestrians and horses.
The trails are maintained by volunteers. If you have any comments or questions about the trails or trail conditions--or want to help, please contact Rob Stitt (robstitt@acm.org).
