West Full Day Jeep Route

If you’re wanting to watch a sunset, most locals agree this is a prime viewing point. Marking the spot is a 393-foot tall communications tower built in 1952.

This is a low-water crossing over a shallow section of Camp Creek. Camp Creek merges into the Verdigris River about 200 feet south of the crossing. The Verdigris is visible as you come around the bend heading south. If it’s rained heavily recently, be careful here and do not drive into high or rapidly moving water. The creek crosses a public road, but the land and waterway on either side of the road are privately owned – remember to stay on the roadway.

This is a potential low-water crossing over Coyne Creek. If it’s rained heavily recently, be careful and do not drive into high or rapidly moving water. The creek crosses a public road, but the land and waterway on either side of the road are privately owned. 

This double arch bridge built in 1886 is one of the only remnants of the tiny ghost town of Clements, KS. The massive 175-foot bridge is composed of two stone arches rising 40 feet above the Cottonwood river. The sheer size of the bridge is very uncommon for the area. All the stones were quarried locally in and around Clements, with a total cost of $12,000 to build the bridge. The bridge is closed to vehicular traffic, but is a great place to stop for a few photos.

Elmdale, Kansas (population 40) was established in 1859. It was once a hub for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. However, the town was affected by numerous floods over the years and is now considered a semi-ghost town. As you pass through on Elmdale’s Main Street, on the the north side of the road, you’ll see a few buildings from the town’s past. Look for the old city hall building, built in 1936 as a WPA project, and the old People’s Exchange bank built built in 1898.

At the south end of downtown Cottonwood Falls (population 854), you’ll see the stunning Chase County Courthouse, which is still in operation. Built in 1873, the building is the oldest operating courthouse in Kansas. Native limestone from the area, used in the building, has also been shipped to every state in the country where it may be found in scores of famous public structures, including the Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Diamond Springs is a ghost town, of which very little is left. From the 1820s, Diamond Springs was a popular campsite along the Santa Fe Trail. A natural spring in the area provided a valuable water source for travelers. About a 1/4 mile south of the cemetery, you can see a couple piles of limestone rubble, near the bend in the road where it turns north. These are a few remains of structures in Diamond Springs. In the cemetery, there are headstones for the area’s early immigrants dating back to the 1870s. There is a beautiful view of the Flint Hills in the background looking west from the cemetery.

Please note that this lake is privately owned by the Kahola Lake Community so there is no public fishing or boating allowed. However, you’ll be able to view the lake as you travel along the north side and as you cross the dam on the east end.