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Moderate Hiking Trails near Kansas City

The directory currently contains 15 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Kansas City. Their average mapped distance is 4.5 km and average recorded ascent is 95 m (312 ft); the longest route in the set is 9.1 km.

This subset represents 34% of the 44 quality-checked routes near Kansas City. Its average distance is 4.5 km, compared with 5.7 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 95 m (312 ft), versus 65 m (213 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is rated moderate by the directory’s distance-and-elevation model. Technical terrain and live conditions are not part of that rating. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 8 (53%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.9 km

Gnomes' Garden

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

35 m

Gnomes' Garden

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

1 recorded loop

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Moderate

Marty's Woods

Kansas · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
48 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Gnomes' Garden

Kansas · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Red Valleys

Kansas · United States

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
169 m
Typical duration
1 hr 49 min
Moderate

Outer Loop

Kansas · United States

Distance
8.1 km
/ 5.0 mi
Elevation gain
137 m
Typical duration
1 hr 54 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Slim Jim

Missouri · United States

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
158 m
Typical duration
1 hr 11 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Moderate

Shoreline Trail Loop

Missouri · United States

Distance
7.0 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
112 m
Typical duration
1 hr 37 min
  • Coastal
Moderate

Columbine Trail

Kansas · United States

Distance
9.1 km
/ 5.6 mi
Elevation gain
110 m
Typical duration
2 hr 3 min
Moderate

Lower Rock Ledges Loop

Missouri · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
116 m
Typical duration
1 hr 15 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Moderate

Rock Ledges

Missouri · United States

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
138 m
Typical duration
1 hr 46 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Moderate

Pa-Huska Nature Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • River
Moderate

River Bluff Nature Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
98 m
Typical duration
1 hr 2 min
  • River
Moderate

B Range Targets

Missouri · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
14 min
Moderate

Butterfly Trail unpaved

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
21 min

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Marty's WoodsKansas2.0 km48 m29 minModerateApril to October
Gnomes' GardenKansas0.9 km35 m15 minModerateApril to October
Red ValleysKansas7.5 km169 m1 hr 49 minModerateApril to October
Outer LoopKansas8.1 km137 m1 hr 54 minModerateApril to October
Monkey Mountain Nature Reserve SouthwestMissouri5.3 km113 m1 hr 17 minModerateApril to October
Slim JimMissouri4.6 km158 m1 hr 11 minModerateApril to October
Shoreline Trail LoopMissouri7.0 km112 m1 hr 37 minModerateApril to October
Columbine TrailKansas9.1 km110 m2 hr 3 minModerateApril to October
Lower Rock Ledges LoopMissouri5.2 km116 m1 hr 15 minModerateApril to October
Rock LedgesMissouri7.5 km138 m1 hr 46 minModerateApril to October

Marty's Woods, Gnomes' Garden, Red Valleys currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

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Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

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Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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