Does Eastern Kansas have a lot of trees? (Kansas City, Topeka: rent, homes)

[WyoNewk]

I was born and raised in NE Kansas, near the Sabetha Lake. We had a nice timber on our farm and more timber near it. Lots of trees near rivers and creeks, as the Deputy states. I liked growing up there.

I did notice the last time I saw our old farm that some of the timber has been removed to increase the farmable area. That's probably typical of most anywhere in the midwest.

[KSinmyrearviewmirror]

Originally Posted by thriftylefty

Somewhere I have old transcripts of letters from a young man crossing Kansas in 1832. He traveled from Alton Illinois to California to teach and he writes that he didn't see a single tree until he got across the Colorado border. This is a little before the California Trail or the Mormon Trail but either way he would have at least crossed through eastern Kansas.

Originally Posted by eddie gein

I got news for that young man............He might not have seen any trees in Kansas but he damn sure didn't see any in eastern Colorado either.

~ 1832, I'm guessing there were trees in "Western KS" & MOUNTAINS & WATER!

No Kansan would need to go to Colorado to see the mountains, for Pike's Peak and a slice of the eastern slope were ours from 1854 -- until Kansas became a state in 1861!
At the establishment of Kansas territory in 1854 the summit of the Rockies was the designated farthermost western boundary. Thus Denver, founded in 1858 and named for Kansas Gov. James W. Denver, was within the boundaries of Kansas.

https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-histor...question/13180

https://history.denverlibrary.org/ne...n-more-divided

[Bluefox]

Of course. Kansas lies within the humid/arid divide, but east of the 100th meridian will have a humid climate which is conducive to deciduous growth. Of course it’s not going to be as lush and dense as points eastward but you do have plenty of forested areas. Mostly oak and hickory forests.

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

The area of the state with the densest tree cover is Leawood to Prairie Village in Johnson County- almost all planted. Missouri River valley has dense tree cover by the Missouri border. VERY LITTLE public land with forests in Kansas, however due to climate.

There are a few areas that come to mind. You have Clinton Lake and Perry Lake, both
reservoirs outside Topeka that have fairly forested surrounding areas.

I have also backpacked the Elk River Trail near Elk City, KS several times. Lots of woods around there and I’ve even found wild forest mushrooms such as morels there.


But overall, not a lot of national or state public parkland. More land managed by the Army Corps of Engineers which is often also public, however.

[cp1969]

Go to Google Maps or Google Earth and you can see the tree coverage.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by cp1969

Go to Google Maps or Google Earth and you can see the tree coverage.

A memorable voice we hadn't heard for more than 8 years! Welcome back.

[cp1969]

Thanks, CrownVic95.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by cp1969

Thanks, CrownVic95.

Since there no longer seems to be anything else going on in this thread, I doubt anyone will mind my asking you....what brought you back here after all this time?

[pinebluestem]

If you are looking for hardwood forest in Kansas go the the southeast corner of the state. It were the Ozark forest starts. We also have the cross timber forest SE but mostly fragments.

Most of the “forest” in Kansas are not true forest like you have in the east.

[pinebluestem]

Originally Posted by Bluefox

I have also backpacked the Elk River Trail near Elk City, KS several times. Lots of woods around there and I’ve even found wild forest mushrooms such as morels there.

You can find morels anywhere in Kansas.