Making the Walking Trail: A Story in Pictures

Black Jack Ruts Walking Trial Project: written story Click HERE

Drone Video of Ruts and Walking Trail in Progress: Click HERE (Drone Video used with permission from Dave Kendall of Prairie Hollow Productions.)

A
B
C

Old walkway to Santa Fe Trail ruts pictured above: A – Bridge over stream from parking lot; then B – take the stone steps up the hill from the bridge to the the C – footpath further up the hill to the ruts.

New ADA accessible walkway to Trail ruts – Then begins a 1,250 ft. long walking trail that loops around and through ruts.

New entrance

The first portion of trail is compacted fine gravel ending at the first major rut.  Two stone benches (actually old window lintels) are on this site with informational signs. 

Stone benches.

Below is a pictorial description of the building of this walking trail. It was started in April 2020, and completed in May 2021 by a team of volunteers. You can read the whole story HERE.

Plowing the 3 foot trail.
Removing plant roots…
And pulling more roots!
Cleared of roots!!
Tilling the trail.
Filling buckets
Dumping dirt.
Trail sloping for drainage.
Dumping GRAVEL now.

Raking gravel.
Rolling gravel.
Walkway with stone – almost done!
Stone path through ruts.
Some of the crew at entrance to stone path through ruts.
Completed walking trail surrounding Trail ruts.
  • How did we do it?
  • First, the prairie was burned (annual practice) in Spring.
  • Path (3 ft. wide, 1,250 ft. long) plowed around 5 most prominent ruts.
  • Path weeded, re-weeded, and tilled.
  • Dirt brought it (sifted to remove any foreign objects), then applied to path/walkway and compacted. This involved shoveling (by hand) the dirt into buckets, transporting the buckets to the path, dumping the buckets, and raking the dirt. Packed down by tractor.
  • Trail sloping was completed in multiple areas along the path so water would drain off of the trail without eroding it. Another “by hand” activity.
  • Gravel was then shoveled (again by hand) into buckets, dumped onto the trail, raked smooth, rolled out and packed down.
  • Large and small rocks were brought in and assembled (by hand) through the ruts, allowing for drainage, preventing erosion, and allowing visitors to walk through/in the actual wagon ruts.
  • Many Baldwin High football players and wrestlers assisted the Santa Fe Trail volunteers in this effort. We are EXTREMELY grateful!!