Lone Elm Park
Park
150 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Franklin R. Lanter House · Photo: Rmprit · CC BY-SA 3.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Olathe
Olathe has 27 miles of mapped trails, 0.4 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Lone Elm Park (2.7 mi), Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center (2.4 mi), Cedar Niles Park (1.7 mi). 89% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 5% of Olathe’s land is conserved, about 1,920 acres.
Ahead of 69% of U.S. towns · #35 of 151 in Kansas. What drives it
Conserved land
5%
1,920 acres · of 64.7 sq mi of land
Trails
27 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,193 ac
15 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
89%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
113 mi
34 mi lanes · 79 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
8
1 beach · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Olathe?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Olathe have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Olathe is ahead of 69% of U.S. towns, #35 of 151 in Kansas. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Olathe’s overall grade.
Conserved land5% of the land · typical KS town 2% · U.S. 4%BTrails0.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (27 mi) · KS 0.2 · U.S. 0.4BPark land15 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,193 acres) · KS 13 · U.S. 13BParks close to home89% of residents within a half mile of a park · KS 76% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 69%
LessMore
Kansas towns of 2,500+ (151)Ahead of 77%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Olathe ranks #276 on Outdoors.
Few Kansas towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Olathe’s 5% is ahead of 83% of Kansas towns, while its trails per square mile lead 63% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B to B+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Lone Elm Park, with 2.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center
Managed by Johnson County Park and Recreation District
123 acres2.4 mi of trail
Upper Ridge TrailSouthwest TrailFire Road TrailSouth Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cedar Niles Park
Managed by Johnson County Park and Recreation District
78 acres1.7 mi of trail
Columbine TrailColumbine ConnectorColumbine Bypass
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 55 parks & preserves
Lone Elm Park150 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center123 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · Johnson County Park and Recreation District
DirectionsCedar Niles Park78 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Johnson County Park and Recreation District
Water Works Park39 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsPrairie Center Park87 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsMill Creek Park74 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsOregon Trail Park21 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsCedar Lake Park146 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCalamity Line Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRaven Ridge Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsNorthwood Trails Access Park67 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsHaven Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Olathe Veterans Memorial5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCivic Center Park2 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsBlack Bob Park79 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFrontier Park20 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNorth Walnut Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Woodbrook Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Indian Creek Greenway107 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodland Hills Park17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Olathe
Rolling Ridge Trail Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHeatherstone Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCedar Creek Prairie8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Cedar Creek HOA
DirectionsSouthglen Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEastbrooke Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Forest view park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Persimmon Hill Greenway HOA Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Fairview Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsScarborough Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Lake Olathe380 acres · Olathe Parks & Recreation
DirectionsMill Creek Streamway Park91 acres
DirectionsStagecoach Park42 acres
DirectionsFrisco Lake Park25 acres
DirectionsTwo Trails Park20 acres
DirectionsEastbrooke Greenway17 acres
Olathe Girls Softball Complex14 acres
DirectionsBrougham Park12 acres
DirectionsArrowhead Park11 acres
Parkhill Manor Park11 acres
Mahaffie Creek Trail8 acres
Southdowns Park8 acres
Hampton Park7 acres
Arapaho Park6 acres
DirectionsRolling Ridge School Park6 acres
DirectionsArbor Landing Park4 acres
Stonebridge Trails HOA Park4 acres · Stonebridge Community Association, Inc.
Blackbob School Park4 acres
DirectionsHeritage Trail Greenway4 acres
Santa Marta Park4 acres · City of Olathe
Northview School Park4 acres
Stonebridge Village Park2 acres · Stonebridge Community Association, Inc.
DirectionsMeadowridge Tree Preservation2 acres
Stonebridge Meadows Park1 acres · Stonebridge Community Association, Inc.
Pellett Park1 acres
Cory Circle Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,920 conserved acres
5% of Olathe’s land. Who manages Olathe’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,790 ac
County127 ac
Private owners2 ac
Local Park · 1,206 acLocal Recreation Area · 500 acLocal Other or Unknown · 213 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Olathe Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 377 | Open |
| Old Landfill Area Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 213 | Open |
| Lone Elm Local Park | Town or city | 158 | Open |
| Indian Creek Greenway Local Park | Town or city | 141 | Open |
| Cedar Lake Local Park | Town or city | 130 | Open |
| Ernie Miller Park Local Park | County | 124 | Open |
| Black Bob Local Park | Town or city | 75 | Open |
| Mill Creek Streamway Local Park | Town or city | 69 | Open |
| Prairie Center Local Park | Town or city | 68 | Open |
| Stagecoach Local Park | Town or city | 42 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
172 places to go in Olathe
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Olathe
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Swimming spots in Olathe
Lake Olathe Swim BeachFee · In Lake Olathe
DirectionsPublic pools in Olathe
Oregon Trail Pool
DirectionsStonebridge Meadows HOA PoolIn Stonebridge Meadows Park
DirectionsStonebridge Park HOA Pool
DirectionsStonebridge Trails HOA PoolIn Stonebridge Trails HOA Park
DirectionsStonebridge Village HOA PoolIn Stonebridge Village Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Olathe
Forest View PlaygroundIn Forest view park
DirectionsHomestead Woods Playground
DirectionsNorth Walnut Park PlaygroundIn North Walnut Park
DirectionsStonebridge Meadows HOA PlaygroundIn Stonebridge Meadows Park
DirectionsStonebridge Park HOA Playground
DirectionsStonebridge Trails HOA PlaygroundIn Stonebridge Trails HOA Park
DirectionsStonebridge Village HOA PlaygroundIn Stonebridge Village Park
Directions152 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Olathe
Stonepost at Lakeside Apartment Dog Park
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Olathe
4 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Waterfalls in Olathe
Cedar Lake FallsIn Cedar Lake Park
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Olathe
3 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Olathe
Lakeside Hills Disc Golf CourseIn Lake Olathe · City of Olathe Kansas
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Olathe
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
9 named trails and 8 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 13.7 miUnpaved · 7.7 mi
Columbine Trail1.3 mi
Upper Ridge Trail0.4 mi
Southwest Trail0.3 mi
Fire Road Trail0.2 mi
South Trail0.2 mi
Columbine Connector0.2 mi
North Walnut Park Trail0.2 mi
Columbine Bypass0.1 mi
Lower Ridge Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
113 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
34 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
79 mi
off-road bike paths
143rd StBike route
1.8 miColumbine TrailBike route
1.3 miBlack BobBike route
0.8 mi138th StBike route
0.6 miCourts & fields
95Soccer
72Baseball
62Tennis
29Basketball
27Football
20Multi-sport
12Beach volleyball
10Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →7 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
J. B. Mahaffie HouseBuilding · listed 1977
About itI. O. Pickering HouseBuilding · listed 1980
About itMartin Van Buren Parker HouseBuilding · listed 1988
About itAlbert Ott HouseBuilding · listed 1998
About itFranklin R. Lanter HouseBuilding · listed 2007
About itLone Elm Campground SwaleSite · listed 2014
About itOlathe CemeterySite · listed 2017
About itWhen to get out
April is the best month for walking in Olathe
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 39 | 45 | 56 | 66 | 75 | 84 | 89 | 87 | 79 | 68 | 54 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 4.0 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
January is the driest month (1.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 5.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Olathe →
Next door
Olathe and its neighbors
Olathe has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Overland Park48 miOlathe27 miLexington Township25 miLenexa20 miDe Soto2.7 miOxford Township2.0 miGardner1.9 miGardner Township0.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olathe | 5% | 0.4 | 15 | 89% | B+ |
| Lenexa | 8% | 0.6 | 36 | 90% | A− |
| Lexington Township | 6% | 0.7 | 1,409 | 40% | A− |
| Oxford Township | 25% | 0.7 | 306 | 54% | A |
| Overland Park | 5% | 0.6 | 13 | 93% | B+ |
| Gardner Township | under 1% | under 0.1 | 18 | 36% | C− |
| Gardner | 3% | 0.1 | 10 | 86% | B− |
| De Soto | 2% | 0.1 | 48 | 69% | B− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Olathe
Where can I hike in Olathe?
The longest trail networks: Lone Elm Park, 2.7 miles; Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center, 2.4 miles; Cedar Niles Park, 1.7 miles; Water Works Park, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Olathe is conserved land?
5% of its land, against a typical 2% for a Kansas town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Olathe’s trails?
Lone Elm Park and Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Olathe?
113 miles of bike routes are on the map: 34 of painted or protected lanes and 79 of off-road paths. Named routes: 143rd St, Columbine Trail and Black Bob.
Is there public land near Olathe?
24,088 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Olathe or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,193 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Olathe have?
Ahead of 69% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #35 of 151 in Kansas. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Olathe neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →