
19th Century Kansas Trails. Click to see large map at Kansas Department of Transportation.
Central Overland California and Pike’s Peak Express
Fort Hays-Fort Dodge Military Road
Fort Hays – Fort Larned Military Road
Fort Leavenworth-Fort Gibson Military Road
Fort Leavenworth-Fort Kearny Military Road
Fort Leavenworth-Fort Riley Military Road
Fort Riley-Fort Kearny Military Road
Lane Trail
Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Express
Otoe-Missouria Trail
Parallel Road to the Colorado Goldfields
Pony Express – Fasted Mail Across the West
Hollenberg Pony Express
Pony Express Stations
Riders of the Pony Express
Sac and Fox Trail
Indian Attacks at Pawnee Rock
Nine Mile Ridge Massacre
Tales of the Santa Fe Trail
Smoky Hill Trail – Heading for Gold
St. Joe Road
Kansas probably has more frontier trails than any other state, being the jumping-off point during westward expansion. In addition to the emigrant trails to the west, including the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe Trails, the Sunflower State also provided several military trails that connected the many Old West Forts in the state, as well as cattle trails, such as The Chisholm Trail and the Dodge City and Ellsworth Cattle Trails. Old stage routes include the Smoky Hill Trail and the Cannon Ball Stagecoach Road. Along with these are several old explorer routes, including that of Lewis & Clark, Zebulon Pike, and Nathanial Boone.
Beyond the Old West, a short peek at Route 66 can also be seen in Kansas.
Get off I-70 and enjoy the history of Kansas’ many old trails. Along the way, you can explore historic forts, old stagecoach stations, ghost towns, and more.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated February 2025.
Also See:
Legends of Kansas, where the history of the Sunflower State is explored in-depth.