Nestled in the middle of nowhere Western Kansas is Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park. There are some great hiking trails with tons of lookouts over the canyons and prairie lands below. Full of unique plant and wildlife that you wouldn’t normally think of when you think of Kansas, this is a park that should definitely be on your bucket list is you are ever driving through Kansas.

Little Jerusalem got its name from the giant chalk rock formations that make up this area. From a distance, they look like the ancient walls from their namesake and now it is known as “Little Jerusalem.”

The park is open sunup to sundown year round and features two trails. The shorter Overlook Trail is about 1/4” mile long and great if you want a short hike to see the grand views of these formations.

The longer Life on the Rocks trail is around 1 1/2 miles long and the further out into the trail you go, the more spectacular the views! This trail features two main lookouts but has plenty of spots to view the landscape throughout the trail.

It is $5 a carload for a day permit and you will need cash or check to pay, so be prepared! There is an information sign at the entrance with a box to put your permit and payment and then you will stick the second half of the slip in the window of your car. This is a pet friendly park, just make sure that you pick up after your pet!

The roads leading up to the park are dirt and pretty bumpy. Make sure you have a vehicle that can handle the bumpy terrain!

Check out our video where we visited this awesome state park:

Here are a few tips to get the most out of your visit:

It can get REALLY REALLY HOT, so make sure you bring sun protection and plenty of water.

We learned this the hard way and visited the park right around noon and the sun was brutal. We didn’t think to wear a hat or sunscreen and we definitely got ROASTED. It was in the mid 90’s that day and when you don’t have a breeze or shade, it can get very dangerous.

Learn from our mistakes and make sure you visit early in the morning, later in the evening, or on a cooler day. Also, wear a hat and sunscreen, your body will thank you!

Wear good walking shoes

The trail is very well kept and pretty easy to walk, but like I said earlier, it can get very hot and if you are sweating in not great shoes, that’s a recipe for some serious blisters.

We wish that we could have seen the whole trail but we didn’t know how long it was and the blisters that started to form made us give up and turn around.

Go to the restroom BEFORE you hit the trail!

There is a public restroom at the beginning of the trail near the parking lot, but nothing once you hit the trail, so be sure to go before you start exploring. Nothing is worse than having to go to the bathroom a mile away and you have no choice but to hold it until you can walk back to it! The restrooms do close during the freezing months, so this is something to keep in mind if you are visiting during the winter.

Take it slow

There is tons to look at and take in in this beautiful park, so take it slow and enjoy it! We were only able to spend an hour or so here before we had to hit the road, but we easily could have spent hours taking in the scenery and searching out the local wildlife!

The landscape is so different from the rest of the state that you will almost forget that you are even in Kansas! Don’t forget to add this to your itinerary if you are ever driving through the area!

Wondering Where to stay and what else to do?

There are several lodging options in the surrounding communities of Logan, Scott, and Wallace counties. We personally stayed in a little hotel in Colby Kansas for super cheap! It wasn’t the best hotel, but it was pretty close to the interstate and about a 45 minute drive to the park.

If you are visiting this park, don’t forget to check out the absolutely stunning and FREE Monument Rocks Chalk Pyramids. These rock formations are similar to Little Jerusalem, but you can get right up close to the base of the rocks and they are seriously gorgeous around sunset Check out our video HERE.

If you’re up for a little extra adventure, be sure to check out the nearby Smoky Valley Ranch where you can go horseback riding year round!

For more information and updates on the park, visit their website HERE.

Tips for Visiting Little Jerusalem State Park