Flint Hills Trail State Park Honored by Rails to Trails Conservancy

RDG Planning & Design is proud to announce that the Flint Hills Trail State Park has been inducted into the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame, garnering over 80% of the public vote. Developed via a partnership between RDG, CFS Engineers, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) and the Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy, the Flint Hills Trail is the longest trail in Kansas, spanning 93 miles across the rural eastern part of the state. The trail joins an iconic list of Hall of Fame trails recognized for their outstanding scenic value, use, amenities, historical significance and community benefit.

RDG’s design team partnered with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and the Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy to develop a master plan for the Flint Hills Trail. Grounded in months of public engagement and collaborative design sessions, the plan includes comprehensive wayfinding and signage strategies and concepts for four signature bridges envisioned as iconic landmarks to support local economies and inspire full-trail travel. The resulting vision honors the region’s unique cultures and histories while creating an accessible, multimodal corridor that connects communities and landscapes across nine counties. 

The trail was officially designated as a state park by the Kansas legislature in 2018 and recognized as a National Recreation Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2020. It also directly links to the Prairie Spirit Trail State Park, an inductee in RTC’s Hall of Fame that extends another 51 miles. The Flint Hills Trail was among three nominees voted on by the public between July 31 and August 6, 2025. 

In 2007, the Rails to Trails Conservancy began recognizing exemplary rail-trails nationwide through its Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame trails have been selected based on merits such as scenic value, high use, trail and trailside amenities, historical significance, accessibility, excellence in facility management and maintenance, community connections and geographic distribution. In 2023, eligibility for the Hall of Fame expanded to include greenways, towpaths, rails-with-trails and all other types of multiuse trails, with an emphasis on those that deliver the accessibility and trail use experience to be expected by a rail-trail and priority given to trails that contribute to the connectivity of regional trail and active transportation systems.