Kessler Park - Mountain Bike Trail

The Kessler Park Trails as a point-to-point trail is one way to experience most of the trails in the Kessler Park network in one go. It combines components like Lozier’s Lane, Cliff Top Trail, Chestnut Bridge, Indian Mound Trail, the Big Green Gooseneck, and The Wilderness. Most of these have unique features, obstacles, and different difficulty levels, making it for intermediate to more advanced mountain bikers overall. Also, at 17.2 Km/ 10.7 miles, give or take, it’s long enough to spend several hours getting through.

Before you go:

Drinking water

Restrooms

Fee required

Lift service

Fat bike grooming

Family Friendly

Night riding

E-bikes allowed

Dogs Allowed

Obstacles

Shuttles

Detailed Trail Description

Most people start riding the trail on Lozier’s Lane, which should be right next to the trail entrance. That said, if you live closer to the other end of the point-to-point trail at the Indian Mound, there’s no reason not to start and end your ride there. That said, Lozier’s Lane starts you off with a bit of excitement, with one of the features here being a wooden drop. There’s also a rocky section.

The next section is Cliff Top Trail, and as implied by the name, you’ll be riding along Cliff Drive, a section of scenic forested bluffs that rise to 250 ft above the Missouri River. There’s an artificial waterfall along Cliff Drive, i.e., the Carl Dicapo Fountain.

The Disc Chucker section is next and should be uneventful for most riders before moving onto the Chestnut Bridge. After that is a continuation of the Kessler Park Trails, and we found this section to be flowy and fun. However, there may be a few jumps you need to watch out for. It also wraps around the green lake.

At some point, your trail will fork, and you’ll have to pick a side. Whichever one you pick, you can use the other one on your way back once you reach the end. By choosing East, you’ll continue heading down the Kessler Park Trails on Wright Way until you connect onto Scarritt Forest.

Those who picked West first Will go through a small intermediate-level trail section named The Wilderness. After that, they’re back to the Kessler Park Trails before they reach another named section called the Big Grin Gooseneck, a highly technical section that also pours into Scarritt Forest.  

After that, it’s just a matter of getting to the end of the Indian Mound Trail near Gladstone Boulevard and turning back.

Additional Trail Features

•       Extra fees; The Kessler Park Trails are entirely free to use.
•       Obstacles; There are plenty of obstacles along the route, with some sections being highly technical.
•       Shuttles; While there are some shuttles in Kansas City, they don’t go through the Kansas Park trails, and as such, you’ll have to make it back to the starting point on your bike.

Sights of Interest, landscapes, views

There are plenty of scenic views to stop for at different sections of the trail.

Recommendations/precautions

•       Carry a repair kit because it’s a long way to hike back if your bike gets damaged.