THE GREAT SANTA FE TRAIL HORSE RACE. The Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race, scheduled for Sept. 1 through Sept. 15, will be an 800-mile endurance ride from Santa Fe, NM to Independence, MO. One of the main objectives of the race is to educate the public on the significance of the great Santa Fe National Historic Trail. One hundred teams will participate in this race. It should be noted that a section of the Flint Hills Nature Trail from Herington to Pomona Lake follows the general route of the Santa Fe Trail. For more information, consult their web site.
KANSAS! MAGAZINE FEATURES PRAIRIE SPIRIT TRAIL. The Prairie Spirit Express published by the Friends of the Prairie Spirit Trail reports that the summer issue of Kansas! Magazine has an article on biking in Kansas and the Prairie Spirit Trail. This long-distance rail-trail stretches 52 miles from Ottawa to Iola. By the end of the summer, the final leg of the trail, from Welda to Iola, will be completed with an official opening in September. Pick up a copy of Kansas! Magazine and check out the articles on biking in Kansas and the Prairie Spirit Trail.
TAXATION OF RAIL-TRAILS IN KANSAS. Under the Kansas Constitution easements and rights-of-way are not subject to real estate taxes. Since railbanked rail corridors are composed of rights-of-way and easements, railbanked rail-trails are exempt from real estate taxes. In fact the Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA) has already ruled that three rail-trails are exempt. However, the Property Valuation Division has yet to make a blanket ruling for all railbanked rail-trails. So, a blanket ruling may take an appellate court decision.
CHASE COUNTY COMMUNITY CONNECTION TRAIL. Members of Sunflower Recreational Trails recently checked out the new Chase County Community Connection Trail which stretches about one mile between Cottonwood Falls and Strong City. The ten-foot-wide concrete path mostly traverses the Cottonwood River flood plain. Eventually the path will be extended to the eastern section of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve just north of Strong City.