Kansas Cyclist - Kansas Bicycle Guide and Reference

Independence Creek Trail is a 10-mile hiking and biking trail that connects Riverfront Park in downtown Atchison, Kansas with the historic Independence Creek area where the Lewis and Clark expedition camped on July 4, 1804.

Riverfront Park is located next to the Missouri River and includes an overlook for sightseeing, as well as the Lewis & Clark Pavilion, which was constructed in preparation for the Lewis and Clark bicentennial commemoration in 2004. The pavilion contains an interactive touchscreen monitor and interpretive panels with information on the Lewis & Clark expedition, the Missouri River and the Kanza Nation.

The trail surface is a mixture of concrete, asphalt and fine aggregate, and takes you north past the historic Benedictine College to the Independence Creek Lewis & Clark Historic Site which contains numerous interpretive elements that help relate the site's significance. Other features include an interpretive sign, geodetic marker and a replica of a Kanza earth lodge dwelling. The trail also passes along the western edge of the 2,112-acre Benedictine Bottoms Wildlife Area located in the flood plain of the Missouri River.