TOPEKA, KAN. – The May 6 Tour of Topeka ride/run will celebrate the connection of Shawnee County Parks + Recreation’s trails across the community. The completion of the Deer Creek Trail extension from SE 10th Street to SE 29th Street enables bicyclists to ride from SW 29th and McClure all the way to and around Lake Shawnee using the Shunga, Deer Creek and Lake Shawnee Trails.
The Tour of Topeka begins at 9 a.m. in Dornwood Park and features a 32.2-mile route covering the complete trail loop, a 10-mile route to and around Lake Shawnee and a 5K ride/run/walk along the Deer Creek Trail from Dornwood Park up the Deer Creek Trail to a turnaround point just south of I-70.
The event is non-competitive and is not timed as everyone in the community is invited.
The event is free to the public but participants are asked to register at https://touroftopeka.eventbrite.com. Participants may order a $15 Tour of Topeka t-shirt.
“Connecting our trail system across the community is a major milestone in quality of life for Shawnee Countians,” said Tim Laurent, director, SCP+R. “Connecting our trails builds community by introducing residents to trails through parts of the community through which they may not normally travel.”
Laurent adds that he has heard positive comments already from residents who use the trails for fitness and are extending their rides farther now that the trails are connected.
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Shawnee County Parks + Recreation includes nearly 60 miles of trails, 2,696 acres of parks and 320 annual days of sporting activities. In addition, the department offers recreation programs, educational programs and golf. A combination of tax dollars, user fees and private donations enables Shawnee County Parks and Recreation to offer parks, sporting and aquatic facilities with state-of-the art features, and beautiful, nationally recognized gardens.