Glacial Hills Scenic Byway overview
The Glacial Hills Scenic Byway begins at the intersection of K-7 and K-92 in Leavenworth, Kansas, and extends 63 miles north through the Glacial Hills of northeast Kansas.
It traverses Atchison, Doniphan and Leavenworth Counties and visits the communities of Atchison, Leavenworth, Troy and White Cloud along the route.
These towns represent the earliest days of pioneer settlement of Kansas along the Missouri River. The Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the vast Louisiana Purchase camped on July 4th along a creek in what is now Atchison.
Architectural heritage abounds along the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway. Driving tours showcasing historic structures are available in Atchison, Leavenworth and Fort Leavenworth.
Atchison also has trolley tours for various events. A self-guided walking tour is available in White Cloud. Historic barn tours are available in Doniphan County.
The Cray Historical Home Museum in Atchison. Photo by Bruce Mathews, used by permission.
Historic sites include:
- Atchison County Historical Society Museum in the Santa Fe Depot
- National Fred Harvey Museum
- Victorian Carroll Mansion and Museum
- Fort Leavenworth
- Native American Heritage Museum
Glaciers once covered the northeast corner of Kansas. When the glaciers receded north, they left behind a unique, scenic landscape of rolling, wooded hills, rock-strewn soil and valleys with clear, running streams.
The Missouri River near White Cloud
Along the Missouri River near White Cloud are unusual towering river bluffs of loess. Loess hills are located in eastern Kansas, western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. The hills are composed of yellow loess soil overlaying older debris left from the last ice age. They are characterized by sharp edged ridge crests, and slopes ranging from gentle to very steep.
An overlook in White Cloud affords views of four states: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa.
Wildlife abounds along the Missouri River and can be viewed at Benedictine Bottoms, a natural wildlife area northeast of Atchison as well as at Warnock Lake in Atchison and the Atchison State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area.
For more information about the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway, contact:
- Gary Satter
Glacial Hills Resource Conservation & Development
Valley Falls, KS
gary.satter@ks.usda.gov
or
Connie Hachenberg
Leavenworth Convention & Visitors Bureau Leavenworth, KS
connie.cvb@sbcglobal.net
or
Sally Webb
Atchison Convention and Visitors Bureau
Atchison, KS
913-367-2427
tours@atchisonkansas.net
- Keyta D. Kelly
Leavenworth County Counselor at Large
300 Walnut, Suite 228
Leavenworth, KS 66048-2725
(913) 684-0441
kkelly@leavenworthcounty.org
