Best of KC 2026: Go west, young man (and hikers of all gender expressions)

Photo by Kylie Volavongsa

Earlier this month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can take a peek at the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some local people, places, and things that we think make 2026 KC life feel like a winner. We’ll be publishing these online throughout June and July.

It’s a two-hour drive from Kansas City proper, but if you’re looking for a quiet hike that takes you through the quintessential Kansas prairie, you will journey to the outskirts of Manhattan, Kansas. 

Konza Prairie Nature Trail is one of our go-tos, with three trails ranging from 2.6 to 6.4 miles. You can sigh lovingly at cows and bison herds, take in a hilltop view of the river valley, or run into the stone ruins of a former Swedish homestead. And when you start to crave civilization, there’s a college town for dilly-dallying in the backyard. As long as you’re not a KU fan, that is.