Discover Southeast Kansas: 16 Beautiful And Surprising Counties!

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Welcome to Southeast Kansas!

Many people are familiar with areas such as Wichita and Kansas City, but fewer people take the time to discover southeast Kansas! If you are picturing Kansas as flat and full of cowboys, you’re thinking of a different part of the state. Southeast Kansas is worth the trip to see a different side of the state!

When we first moved to southeast Kansas many years ago, I used to tell people that I lived in the pretty part of Kansas because I live in the southeast. While I now know that all the sections of Kansas are beautiful, I am still partial to our landscape down here in the southeast corner. You will probably find outdoor opportunities and attractions you are never expecting here.

Southeast Kansas is rolling hills, creeks, meadows, plenty of fishing lakes, historical sites, and forests. There are abundant state and county parks. The area also has two state universities, Emporia State in Emporia and Pittsburg State in Pittsburg. These provide the type of cultural opportunities that you would expect in a university town.

Crawford County is known for it’s rich mining history. Labette County is known for its history with the M-K-T or “Katy” railroad.The counties that border Missouri are known for their Civil War history. You’ll find museums and attractions relating to the heritage of the area in almost every town in the region!

There are 16 counties that I consider southeast Kansas for travel purposes. These are Allen, Anderson, Chautauqua, Montgomery, Labette (my home county), Cherokee, Elk, Wilson, Neosho, Crawford, Greenwood, Woodson, Allen, Bourbon, Lynn, Coffey, and Linn.
We’ll take a look at some the outdoors opportunities, interesting things to do, and attractions to visit. We’ll also discuss a couple of local festivals well worth attending. You’ll find other fun travel adventures on your own as you visit these counties. There is so much to explore here and plenty to do no matter what your interests are!

Outdoor Opportunities

State Parks in SEK

Anderson County-Prairie Spirit Trail State Park, stretching from Iola to Ottawa, has it’s midway point in Garnett

Crawford County-Crawford State Park This state park has it all! The park has boat ramps, bathhouses, courtesy docks, and a dump station as well as hiking and biking trails, and a swimming beach. It also has camping, fishing and boating as well as a convenience store and a marina restaurant.. In the summer months, campers can enjoy campground programming. You can fish for channel catfish, crappie, and striped bass. A great state park, full of amenities.
Greenwood County-Fall River State Park-hiking trails, canoeing, bird watching, fishing, cabins, photography, another state park that has everything you’re looking for.
Montgomery County-Elk City State Park-Five miles out of Independence, this state park is perfect for families to visit, with camping, playgrounds, and a beach. It’s known for it’s hiking trails and wildlife viewing. Sounds perfect for a relaxing family trip!
Woodson County- Cross Timbers State Park-Hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, modern and backwoods camping, fishing, wildlife watching, and beautiful photo ops are all available at Cross Timbers State Park. A bit of everything you might want in a natural getaway!

State Fishing Lakes

Bourbon County-Bourbon State Fishing Lake-a small area but with a wide variety of fish and wildlife. Campsites are available with drinking water and restrooms.
Lyon County-Lyon State Fishing Lake-Fishings lake don’t allow any swimming or recreational boating, but there is primitive camping and great wildlife viewing. On the eastern edge of the Flint HIlls, there’s plenty of peaceful scenary to enjoy.
Montgomery County-Montgomery State Fishing Lake-This lake is definitely managed for fishing, with only primitive camping sites. If you like fishing as a get-away from hustle and bustle, this is the lake for you.
Neosho County-Neosho State Fishing Lake-This smaller fishing lake, with some beautiful scenary around it, is one of the busier fishing lakes in the area. It’s a popular place for weekend fishing getaways if you are ok with primitive camping and also a great place for picnicking. We enjoy taking the grandkids out here for some fresh air and sunshine whether we are fishing or not.

Wilson County-Wilson State Fishing Lake-Along with the fish, there is abundant wildlife to be seen around Wilson State Fishing Lake. Deer, quail, and rabbit are common. You’ll find primitive camping only with no potable water.
Woodson County-Woodson State Fishing Lake-A clear lake with the possibility of catching large fish! There is also an area managed for upland birds and dove hunting. The area is known for great wildlife photography. There is camping with potable water, but no electrical hookups.

Other lakes, parks, and fun outdoor opportunities

Allen County cycling trails- If cycling is your thing, then Allen County, “King of Trails” is for you! Iola, Humboldt, Moran, and Savonburg offer courtesy bikes to visitors.
Allen County-Southwind Rail Trail (one of many trails in this county)
Anderson County-Cedar Valley Reservoir-a beautiful Kansas lake for jet skiing and water skiing, boating, fishing, and camping. This is the perfect summer get-away for a hot Kansas summer!
Cherokee County-Schermerhorn Park
Cherokee County-Mined Land Wildlife Area-The region, with locations in Labette, Cherokee and Crawford counties, was formerly striped mined and has now been restored to a wildlife and recreation area. There are several hundred lakes and ponds that were former mines. More than 200 of those are now fishing lakes and one is stocked with trout. We haven’t visited every one of these, but the ones we have visited are beauiful and peaceful places, hiding the damage that mining once did to this area. Camping, fishing, and hunting are all done in this area.
Coffey County-Coffey County Lake-nationally known and recognized fishing lake. This lake has been featured on Jimmy Houston’s Outdoors and Bill Saiff’s Rod and Reel. It is also on the Catfish Chasers Tournament circuit. The fishing in this Kansas lake won’t disappoint!
Coffey County-John Redmond Reservoir-On the eastern edge of the Flint Hills, John Redmond Reservoir is a known for large flocks of migratory ducks, geese and other birds. It’s another great fishing lake and has 240 acres of all-terrain area for ATVs and dirt bikes. Excellent camping is available here.
Greenwood County-Bachelor Creek Waterfall at Eureka City Lake is a great place to walk to and wade in when the weather gets warm
Labette County-Big Hill Lake-We’ve spent plenty of time at the beach at Big Hill Lake, a popular place for cooling off in the summer. Camping, fishing, boating, picnicing, and relaxing are all popular here.
Labette County-Tolen Creek Trail and Frisco Walking Trail-Two easy and pleasant walking trails within the limits of Parsons. Paved and suitable for hiking, running, cycling, even pulling a wagon with grandkids in it as we have several times!
Labette County-Disc golf-Big Hill, Tolen Creek, Forest Park If you are good with a Frisbee, try these courses.
Labette County-Lake Parsons-a swimming beach, several group shelters and good fishing. I will say from personal experience that taking mosquito spray is a good choice if you are going to be somewhere other than the beach. Some beautiful areas for picnicing at this lake.
Labette County-Altamont Lake-A small, but attractive lake. Disc golf, fishing, cycling, hiking, all available here. The camp sites have electricity and Wi-Fi.
Linn County-Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge-A 7500-acre refuge where you can boat, hike, or drive through. It is home to a huge variety of birds and the bottomland hardwood forest is being restored to its natural state.
Linn County-La Cygne Reservoir-This lake is part of an electrical plant, so there is a part of it that stays warm all year round, producing good fishing. Be sure to observe all signs and warnings. Bassmasters lists this lake as one of the top 10 bass lakes in the Midwest!

Interesting Things to Do

Allen County-H umboldt Civil War Monuments Markers have been left all over town recounting the history of the Civil War raid of 1861.
Anderson County- Valley View Elk Ranch-Take a tour of the ranch on an open-air tram and try some elk meat products in their store. Call ahead for reservations. 785-448-3085
Bourbon County-Museum of Creativity-Bring your kids and have a great time in this “Family Fun and Craft Center!”
Bourbon County- Be sure to visit Fort Scott the first weekend of the December when the fort is doing the Candlelight Tours and the skating rink is open. It’s a great Christmas event to attend!

Cherokee County-Big Brutus-The biggest electric mining shovel still in existance. The area has become a center of mining history with a museum and other pieces of impressive mining equipment. We hesitated to visit here when we first moved to the area thinking it might but a tourist trap, but it is not! Well worth the time to drive to West Mineral, just a few miles off Highway 400 to see Big Brutus for yourself! Camping is available as well as a picnic shelter.
Route 66 sites featuring Cars-If you are driving Route 66, you’ll only find yourself in Kansas for 13 miles, but they are a fun 13 miles! The route runs through Baxter Springs, Riverton, and Galena. Cars On The Route features the Tow Mater tow truck that was the inspiration for the movie Cars. A prime photo op for anyone traveling Route 66 or just a fan of the movie!
Crawford County- Kansas Crossing Casino-If you enjoy the gaming tables, stop by the newest casino in the area! Kansas Crossing has all the gaming action you want, plus a good restaurant in Two Brothers Mining Company and an attached hotel. Other good restaurants in the Pittsburg area
Elk County- In Moline, you can walk across the oldest swinging bridge in Kansas.

Labette County- If you brought the kids, don’t miss Curious Minds Discovery Zone in Parsons! This children’s museum has been a favorite of my grandkids since it opened in a small location on Main Street. Its current location in the south part of Parsons gives it plenty of space both indoors and outdoors. It has more STEM heavy areas for older kids and lots of fun and educational play for toddlers through 6th grade.
Lyon County-David Traylor Zoo-This is a small, but accredited zoo. The admission is free and the zoo is beautifully maintained. A smart choice for an afternoon with the kids or just for a peaceful walk among some interesting animals.
Montgomery County- Ralph Mitchell Riverside Park-Another family-friendly attraction in SEK. We’ve taken the grandkids here many times and it never disappoints. With a free zoo and an extremely cheap train and carousel to ride (50 cents for the train, 5 cents for the carousel, $2.00 for miniature golf) this is a must-do if you are traveling with children in the Independence area.

Attractions to Visit

Anderson County-Walker Art Gallery-Mostly early 20th century work but regional and European artists are represented as well. An amazing collection for a small-town art gallery!
Bourbon County-Fort Scott National Historic Site-I really love to visit and tour Ft. Scott. History for the early and middle 1800s comes alive for me here! My son was taught how to fire a cannon at Ft. Scott when he was a teenager. We’ve taken the Christmas Candlelight tour and loved it! All in all, just one of my favorite places to visit in southeast Kansas.
Chautauqua County-Emmett Kelly Museum in Sedan

Cherokee County-You can stand on the place where Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri come together right outside Downstream Casino. Always a favorite photo op!
Coffey County- Coffey County Historical Museum—The museum has the largest collection of antique dolls in Kansas as well as restored buildings and a Conestoga wagon. If you are interested in genealogy in this area, this museum is the place for you!
Crawford County-Bicknell Family Center for the Arts-Be sure to check out what might be happening at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts on the campus of Pittsburg State University. Everything from comedians and concerts to Broadway shows!
Crawford County-Miner’s Hall Museum-Covering much of the early history of mining in this area. The march of the miner’s wives who wanted better conditions for their husbands and sons is a fascinating part of the mining history for me. Just outside of Pittsburg in Franklin, this small museum has even hosted a Smithsonian traveling exhibit, so check it out!
Crawford County-The Aquatic Center in Pittsburg has much more than you expect from a standard city pool, even including a lazy river. It’s a great place for a family to beat the heat.
Elk County-Elk Falls bills itself as the World’s Largest Living Ghost Town. It has an unusual bridge in the Pratt Truss Bridge that has been rebuilt as a footbridge. A small community determined not to die! You can get an Outhouse Tour here, so you definitely don’t want to miss that! You can see the beautiful and peaceful Elk Falls and stop for a picnic.
Labette County-The Iron Horse Museum-Full of railroad memorabilia. If railroads are your thing, you’ve come to the right place!

Labette County-Stan Herd Statues-Part of the Tolen Creek Park on the north side of Highway 400.
Linn County- I hate to call something like this an “attraction,” but if you are interested in the Bleeding Kansas Civil War history, the Marais des Cygnes Massacre State Historic Site is something you’ll want to stop by. We were only there a few minutes, but I find it one of the most moving Civil War sites because of the civilians that were murdered here.
Linn County-The Mine Creek Civil War Battlefield State Historic Site is also in Linn County. These sites bring to life how many normal citizens were involved in the border war that raged between Kansas and Missouri,
Lyon County-Teachers Hall of Fame-Located on the campus of Emporia State University, which is known for its teacher’s college, the Teacher’s Hall of Fame inducts recognized teachers each year. It focuses on the history of education and has a display of classroom miniatures throughout history.
Montgomery County- Brown Mansion-Coffeyville A beautiful mansion built by W.P. Brown finished in 1906. The original furnishing and even wall-coverings are still here. It’s just a stunning home to visit and tour. We’ve been through several times and if you enjoy house tours, you’ll love this one. It was built at the same time as my house, so comparing it to our Victorian is always fun. (My house definitely suffers by comparison!)
Montgomery County-Dalton Defenders Museum-Coffeyville On October 5, 1892, the Dalton gang rode into Coffeyville wanting to do what no one else had done, which was to rob two banks at the same time. Within a short amount of time, all the gang except one were dead as were three citizens of Coffeyville. The museum has memerabilia from that event and has expanded into other historical displays of the area.
Montgomery County-Little House on the Prairie Museum-This is the actual location where the Ingalls lived, but the buildings are later or replicas. However, this site is dedicated to preserving the memory and the lifestyle in the books.
Neosho County- Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum-Martin and Osa Johnson have been forgotten by most people today, they were major celebrities. As the website states” Documentary filmmakers, photographers, explorers, naturalists, and authors, the Johnsons traveled the world from 1906-1953 when few Americans ventured beyond our shores.” It sounds odd to have a safari museum in Kansas, but this one will definetely be worth your time!

Festivals

Allen County-Biblesta Parade in Humboldt every October-A truly unique festival. Biblesta is the only biblical parade in America and has been going since 1957 with a gospel sing and a bean feed. (First Saturday in October)

Cherokee County-Columbus Day Festival and Hot Air Balloon Regata If you don’t want to get up early to watch the balloons take off (which is an amazing sight), you can see the Glowup the night before. It’s amazing to see! (Columbus Day Weekend)

Crawford County-Little Balkan Days-The early miners in this area were mostly immigrants from the Balkans. This festival celebrates that history and the culture of those who came here for the mines. (Labor Day Weekend)
Labette County-Parsons holds Katy Days over Memorial Weekend. Held in Forest Park, Katy Days celebrates the railroading history of Parsons. Live music, food booths, stuff for kids and a horseshoe tournament sponsored by the Lions club (Memorial Day Weekend)
Montgomery County-William Inge Theatre Festival This festival, held at Independence Community College, celebrates the best of American Theater. Theater buffs will definitely find it worth their time. This is the premier theater festival in Kansas! (Middle of April)
Neosho County- Old Soldiers and Sailors Reunion Oldest Continuous Military Reunion in the US-features a bean feed (2nd week of July)

Clearly, if you like to fish, hike, or cycle, southeast Kansas is for you. If you like historical sites, southeast Kansas is for you. If you like peaceful outdoor places to chill, southeast Kansas is for you.

If you are the kind of traveler that likes to mark things on a list (I am!), check out the SEK Museum Passport. It’s put together by a group of 49 museums in this area, and they will stamp your passport when you visit.

Don’t miss this beautiful and surprising part of Kansas. It’s the part of Kansas you probably hadn’t imagined!