The City of Iola has been working on resurfacing streets, including the paved parking lot at Cofachique Park, which is the official Prairie Spirit Trail Trailhead in Iola.
As part of the resurfacing process, the city sprays fresh oil, then covers it with small pea-sized gravel, which automobile traffic then mashes into the gooey oil. The city comes along at a later point to sweep up the remaining rock.
The result is a nice surface, but in the meantime, the loose rock can be a hazard for bicycle traffic.
Please take care when riding on this surface, as your tires can get hung up in the deep rock, wash out in turns, or make stopping difficult.