A winding trail on Nov. 29, 2024, at the Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.

The Lawrence Nature Park is home to one of Lawrence’s pristine green spaces and is also one of the closest systems of immersive trails located within the city limits.

Don’t let the name fool you, the “park” has no playground equipment and has only a couple of benches to rest your legs but for a hiking experience that is closer than the Wal-Mart, these trails do not disappoint.

What You Will See

The park has four trails making up about 3.4 miles. The White Trail leads hikers on a 1.1 mile trek that crosses Baldwin Creek. The trail is relatively easy but has some rocky slopes through the creek. The Red Trail is a half mile spur off of the White trail. With a wide variety of trees including oak, hickory, red bud, and more, the area is a filled with the songs of different birds and the barks of squirrels.

Hikers with a keen eye can find a few “fairy homes” throughout the trails that have been placed by other hikers. The tiny houses are intended to spark the imaginations of young hikers while on the trail.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

A “fairy house” is pictured on Nov. 29, 2024, at the Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.

The trails increase in intensity the deeper into the woods hikers travel. The Yellow Trail has a steep incline on the west end that may prove difficult when the trail is wet. But the views from the Yellow trail overlooking the center of the park are not to be missed, especially in a misty fog.

The Purple Trail, the most recently opened section, spurs off of the Yellow Trail. The inclines are even more extreme on the Purple Trail and can be hard to climb even when it is dry. The Purple Trail’s ridge line is not only an example of the areas natural limestone outcroppings but also a “must-see” for scenic views in Lawrence.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Roots stick out of the ground making this steep incline easier to traverse on Nov. 29, 2024, at the Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.

Just off the trail where the Yellow meets the Purple trail, hikers can see the foundation of an old building and evidence of an old well. The site is not listed on the Kansas Historical Society’s resource inventory, which lists over 5,000 historical landmarks in Lawrence, but the Journal-World has reached out to the KHS to learn more about the site.

How to Get There

The Lawrence Nature Park is one mile north of Sixth Street at 201 N. Folks Road. The gravel parking lot has space for about 15 cars. The area is not handicap accessible and does not have bathrooms or other facilities. Dogs are welcome on the trails but they must be kept on a leash.

Important History

The park started as a 40 acre land donation from Robert and Elizabeth Lichtwardt in 2001. They agreed to give the land to the city so long as it was preserved as a natural space and its land use and facility permits would be overseen by the Kansas Land Trust (KLT).

The KLT is a non-profit organization that works with landowners to protect prairies, preserving biodiversity, scenic landscapes, and wildlife habitat, according to its website.

The city purchased additional land around the Lichtwardt property to make it accessible to the public increasing the parks total acreage to 96 acres.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Kansas Land Trust maintains the 3.4 miles of trails seen here on Nov. 29, 2024, at the Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.

Robert Lichtwardt was born in 1924 and became a professor at the University of Kansas in 1957 and was twice the head of the Botany Department. Robert died in 2018. His wife, Elizabeth, born in 1927, died in March of 2024. She was an expert on urban planning and land use and an integral part of the League of Women Voters’. Her personal records of the city and county’s land planning committees were donated to KU’s Spencer Research Library.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Lily the dog finishes a long walk on Nov. 29, 2024, at the Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

A makeshift hideaway just off trail on Nov. 29, 2024, at the Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Trail maps can be found throughout the trail system on Nov. 29, 2024, at the Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Stones from an old building stick out of the ground on Nov. 29, 2024, at the Lawrence Nature Park at 201 N. Folks Road.