This lake has crystal clear blue water and miles of trails — and it could be Kansas' next state park
Rural southeast Kansas could soon be home to a new state park if lawmakers approve a gift of former industrial land that has been redeveloped into a lake and trail hub.
The proposed Lehigh Portland State Park would be on the site of a former cement plant and quarry near Iola, known locally as Elks Lake. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks currently maintains 28 state parks, and the agency supports Lehigh Portland becoming the 29th.
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The property's nearly 360 acres contain a 138-acre lake, 300-foot-long cave, woodlands, native prairie and more than 2.5 miles of wide gravel trails and 12 miles of natural surface trails for mountain biking, trail running and nature hikes trails. Thrive Allen County, a rural health advocacy organization, has been constructing the trails, which connect to the Southwind Rail Trail and Prairie Spirit State Park.
House Bill 2331 passed the Kansas House 101-21 earlier this month and has had a Senate committee hearing, but has not advanced to the full chamber.
"This particular bill makes your heart sing," said Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, D-Topeka. "It really does, to hear what the community has done and to see what Kansas can do with this particular gem, to see the benefits for rural Kansas to take a piece of natural land and turn it into an economic benefit, not only for the state, but for the community.
"That's a win-win for everybody in this state," he continued. "Bicyclists and hikers like myself, we love Kansas trail systems, and we spend a lot of money along those trail systems. For a lot of small towns, this is a big deal. It will bring tourism to our state."
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks estimates that it would need $50,000 for surveying and title work, plus $200,000 to develop a master plan and $5 million to $7 million for building design and construction.
Two full-time positions would be needed, which would be 80% funded by federal money and 20% funded by park fees. The entire cost could potentially be covered through a SPARK economic development grant.
"I was raised near there and I used to spend a lot of time with my aunt and uncle at the Elks Lake, we called it, and fishing and picnics, and it brought back a lot of memories," said Rep. Sydney Carlin, D-Manhattan. "... I think it's one of those parks that's pretty much ready for the state to take ownership and make some improvements on and go forward."
Lehigh Portland State Park could benefit southeast Kansas economy
Lisse Regehr, president and CEO of Thrive Allen County, said the organization has been working with KDWP on the state park proposal for more than a year.
Iola Industries intends to give the Lehigh Portland Trails and lake property to KDWP, a gift valued at $2 million. Regehr said a state park would have an estimated regional economic impact of $7.5 million a year while providing recreational opportunities for locals and visitors.
"More than anything, this gift given by Iola Industries to the state is about preserving our rural way of life," Regehr said. "Rural communities in Kansas are struggling. On average, we're losing population and businesses, and Allen County is no exception. But we are actively working to change this."
Regehr said the trail system has been instrumental in attracting professionals to the area.
Mary Kay Heard, chair of Iola Industries, said she expects turning the land into a state park will boost existing businesses and attract new ones. John McRae, president of Iola Industries, said the land should belong to the public.
"We are fully aware of the positive impact this amenity has already had on our community," said John Leahy, director of trails at Thrive. "To be able to open it up fully to the public for swimming, fishing, biking, hiking and camping will provide accessible outdoor opportunities for generations to come. This is a cornerstone project for the holistic vision of health that we hope to promote in Allen County."
KDWP parks director says Lehigh Portland has clearer water than state parks
Linda Lanterman, the KDWP parks division director, said Lehigh Portland has a history worth preserving, a diverse landscape and ecosystem and is a popular spot for bird watching and fishing.
Lanterman said the lake near Iola is roughly the same size as that of Historic Lake Scott State Park in western Kansas, and the trails are similar to those at Cross Timbers State Park near Yates Center and Tuttle Creek State Park near Manhattan.
She said top Wildlife and Parks officials toured the property and hiked the trails.
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"The secretary, myself and my team went out there and took a look at the property and we hiked the trails," Lanterman said. "When you come off the trail and you get on one of the cliffs and you come and see the beautiful crystal clear blue water, which I've not seen in any of our state parks before, it's just a gorgeous piece of property."
Regehr said the water is clear because the quarry hit the water table, with the lake water filtering up through limestone.
"I have spent hundreds of hours managing invasive species, collecting seeds from wildflowers and working on habitat improvement," Leahy said, "but it pales in comparison to the thousands of hours that our volunteers have put into the sustainability of Lehigh."
Opposition in the House was led by Rep. Ken Corbet, R-Topeka, who proposed an amendment in an attempt to address fears of hazardous waste.
"Why wouldn't they just sell it and make a couple million (dollars)?" he said. "If everything's as clean as they say it is, it would make more money for Iola than a state park."
Rep. Doug Blex, R-Independence, said the community supports the trail system they developed. Several supporters made the nearly 2-hour drive on a snowy day to testify before the House committee, and dozens more from Iola and surrounding towns submitted written testimony. More than 100 sent testimony to the Senate committee.
"All the tests indicate the water is clean," Blex said, "and ironically, some of that stuff, and we've heard maybe complaints about rock piles and maybe an old piece of machinery, that's actually pretty good fish habitat."
Jason Tidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jtidd@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason_Tidd.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Iola's Elk Lake, Lehigh Portland trails could be next Kansas state park
