- Rocky, 2011-12-02 17:06:15
- I have never biked the trail, but I have jog/hiked it (split up in two days). I now live in Iola and have been hiking on the trail,in smaller sections however. A month after I moved here I broke my leg really bad and am just now getting to where I can walk about 6 miles without too much pain. I don’t see many hikers on the trail, which is a shame, but I would like to encourage more to come. Thank you for your page.
PS. I have noticed several wild animals, including a coyote one time,a couple deer, and the usual squirrels and rabbits, etc. Do you know of any dangers in this area?
- Timon of Athens, 2011-12-05 08:59:36
- Welcome to the forums, Rocky.
I see people walking the trail almost every time I am out on it. Mostly it tends to be nearer the larger towns, Garnett and Ottawa. Most hikers I see are between Garnett and the bridge over Pottawatomie Creek.
As for dangerous wildlife, the most danger I have ever been in on the trail was when a stray cow decide to plant herself right in the middle of it. I had to stop and get off my bike and wait for her to get spooked and run down the trail. The opposite way. Took me 1/2 an hour to cover 100 yards.
- JD_Shawnee, 2011-12-07 15:53:21
- No animal dangers exist on this trail as far as I know unless a stray dog or cow comes from out of nowhere, rare if at all. The coyotes, fox, and bobcats do not run in packs neither. So they’re safe.
Any potential dangers might simply be an accident, muscle sprain, foot puncture, dehydration, heat exhaustion, sunburn, lightning, bad storm/wind, falling branch/debris, snake/insect bite, traffic at road crossovers, or wild women, the latter of which I haven’t seen any although some could exist in the Garnett area.
Otherwise, the wildlife, wild-plants, mulberries, and trailheads on the trail are fabulous as you already know by now.
- Rocky, 2011-12-09 00:54:25
- Thanks. I don’t know, coyotes just freak me out. My son and I were camping a couple months ago and decided to sleep outside under the stars. He slept fine, despite the cries of the coyotes all night. I woke at every sound!
I read that they don’t attack…but they sure could scare the pee out of me!
- JD_Shawnee, 2011-12-09 14:20:23
- Ha. You had a good outdoor experience.
In the spring and early summer, the coyotes will run together as a family until the juveniles are mostly grown. If you were to get too close to their juveniles, the parents might growl at you. However, they will always see us long before we see them, after which they are quick to run or hide.
I’ve seen coyotes in trail side-corridors or way out in front of me. They’re usually alone, and are quick to duck into the brush.
They’ve also been hunted a lot. And they seem to know it. So they avoid humans any way they can. Poison ivy is more dangerous to trail-users than the coyotes are.
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Concerned
I was just out on the Humboldt to Iola part of the trail today. I have never had any problems, great trail, and is very well maintained. But today I saw in front of me what I thought was two bobcats. I did not get close enough to get a good look but much taller than a regular cat, same type of walk, and short tail. Is this common for this trail?
Randy Rasa
I’ve never seen a bobcat on any of the trails, but they’re certainly residents of the area.