printer-friendly

Sand Creek Trail

Sand Creek Trail was created starting in 1997, carved out of the overgrown vegetation along the old Kidron Canal and Sand Creek in the northeast corner of Bethel’s campus. It was built and is maintained by a group of campus and community volunteers. The trail goes for about two miles through mostly woodland (creekside and hedgerows) alongside wheat fields or the athletic practice fields. The main trailhead is at Memorial Grove, a picnic and campfire area across the vehicle bridge and just north of the maintenance buildings (a bit east of the tennis courts). One feature of the trailhead is the 11-foot tall sculpture “The Plainsman,” carved out of the stump of a Siberian elm by North Newton sculptor John Gaeddert. The trail has several other access points, including at Kauffman Museum. In addition, the bike and walking trail that runs along Sand Creek in Newton between First Street and Centennial Park connects with a new trail between Centennial Park and Sand Creek Trail at the Memorial Grove trailhead.