Elk City State Park: Table Mound Trail (Blog Hike #941)

Trails: Table Mound and Post Oak Nature Trails
Hike Location: Elk City State Park
Geographic Location: west of Independence, KS (37.25813, -95.77923)
Length: 5.6 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: April 2023
Overview: An out-and-back with short loop offering views of Elk City Reservoir.
Park Information: https://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Elk-City
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=934872
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: Just east of the US 75 and US 160 intersection on the west side of Independence, take CR 3325 north 1 mile to CR 4600 and turn left on CR 4600.  Drive CR 4600 west 0.2 miles, crossing the levee in the process, to CR 3300 and turn right on CR 3300.  The state park entrance is 1.4 miles ahead on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the park entrance fee, then turn right twice to reach the Timber Road Campground and the Table Mound Trailhead, which is also sometimes called the Squaw Creek Trailhead.  A small parking lot and vault toilets are available at the trailhead, and more parking is available in the campground if the trailhead parking lot is full.

The hike: Ranked by AllTrails.com as the best state park in Kansas, Elk City State Park protects 857 acres on the bank of its namesake reservoir.  The reservoir was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in 1967 for purposes of flood control, and the land comprising the park is on lease to the State of Kansas from the COE.  The park features 3 developed campgrounds with 96 sites total, a primitive campground, 1 cabin, and swimming, boating, and fishing on the reservoir.

            Unlike many other parks, hiking actually takes center stage here: the park features 3 dayhiking trails and a backpacking trail totaling more than 20 miles.  Each of the trails has a unique and interesting experience to offer, but by most accounts the park's best trail for dayhiking is the Table Mound Trail described here.  The Table Mound Trail is an out-and-back that connects the park's main area with the dam overlook area, and it stays within view of the reservoir for most of its distance.

Table Mound Trailhead

            A fancy wooden sign marks the trailhead for the Table Mound Trail, which is marked with blue rectangular paint blazes.  Walk around the metal vehicle gate and head north on a wide, somewhat rocky dirt trail that looks like an old road.  The lake is visible through the trees downhill to the left.  The forest on this hike is a nice mixture of oak, hickory, red cedar, and black walnut trees.

Hiking through red cedar forest

            Near 0.5 miles, the old road seems to end, and the trail takes on more of a rolling single-track character.  Soon you reach the first steep area, where you will need to climb down a few tree roots to continue.  The trail passes somewhat close to a steep cliff here, and this area presents the best view across Elk City Reservoir.

View across Elk City Reservoir

            After passing a metal survey marker, you pass several large slump blocks that have tumbled down from the cliff on the right.  Next the trail dips through three ravines.  Each of these ravines is fairly steep, but they are only about 50 feet deep.  When I hiked here during a drought, all 3 of these ravines were dry.

Peering into a ravine

            At 2.2 miles, you cross paved CR 3300.  Next comes the hardest climb of the hike: you quickly gain about 150 feet of elevation on steep rocky trail.  Take your time and watch where you step.  You may notice a trail going left below the final cliff line, but I recommend climbing all the way to the top and intersecting the Post Oak Nature Trail, which is marked with orange rectangular paint blazes.  Turn left to head north on the Post Oak Nature Trail.

Climbing through the cliff line

            The trail stays close to the cliff on the left and reaches the Overlook Trailhead at 2.6 miles.  The Overlook Trailhead features a parking lot and a partially obstructed view of Elk City Reservoir's dam area.  Honestly, better reservoir views were had on the hike up here.  On the bright side, restrooms and benches are provided, and they make nice places to sit, rest, and have a trail snack near the midpoint of this hike.

Dam overlook

            A couple of options present themselves from here.  The blue-blazed Table Mound Trail exits the parking lot to the north, passes a wastewater area, and drops through a narrow crack in the cliff line before curving left and retracing your previous route but below the cliffs.  If the crack in the cliffs looks too hard for you (as it did for me), then you can use the other arm of the orange-blazed Post Oak Nature Trail, which leaves the south side of the parking area.  Either choice gets you back on the Table Mound Trail below the cliff line, from whence you need to retrace your steps to the Squaw Creek Trailhead to complete the hike.  If you are up for a little more hiking, the Green Thumb Trail also departs from the Squaw Creek Trailhead, and it takes you on a 1 mile loop higher up the ridge with more good views of the reservoir.