Shawnee Mission Park Adventure Race

Come take a hike off the beaten path of the most visited park in the state of Kansas at the 2024 Shawnee Mission Park Adventure Race. Racers will enjoy hundreds of acres of nature, hiking, and biking trails, as well as beautifully preserved prairie grasslands. The park sits along the Mill Creek Streamway Park with 17+ miles of paved trails extending from the Kansas River down to Olathe, Kansas, designated as a National Recreation Trail in 2010. The race will happen rain or shine, so ensure you are prepared for any type of weather. Looking for a little adventure? Check out the 2-hour race that is all on foot and open to solos and teams. Have a bike and ready to crush the mountain bike trails? Check out the 6-hour race that will have racers trekking, biking, and paddling their way through the park. The team that completes all the checkpoints (or more than other teams) with the fastest time will win the race. 

2-hour racers will trek to all of their checkpoints and may encounter a few extra challenges along the way. This course is designed for the beginner, but you may encounter a few difficult challenges. Racers will need to be prepared for 6-8 miles of trekking on paved trails as well as through brush, trees, and maybe even water. 

6-hour racers will receive topographic maps with all checkpoints pre-plotted at packet pickup on race morning. The race will include trekking both on and off hiking trails, biking on single track and paved trails, paddling on the lake, all while orienteering through the park. Racers should be prepared for 20+ miles of biking, 10 miles of hiking, and 1-2 miles of paddling. 

There will be several checkpoints that are mandatory (transition areas), but most are not. A team could choose to skip checkpoints and shorten the course and still have an official finish, though probably not place in the top 10. Both courses you will have access ONLY to the gear, food and drink that you have on your bike or in your pack. Checkpoints for the 6-hour Course will be on Topographic maps. The maps are pre-plotted topographic maps from mytopo.com. Your team will need a basic understanding of terrain features and distance measure. There will be very few rules of travel, teams will choose their own route/strategy (with mode of travel specified for checkpoints).

Please note that this event is self-supported meaning you carry with you, all that you need: water, food, first aid, etc. Maps will be distributed on the morning of the event at check in. 

Please direct any questions, comments, or concerns to Race Director, Katy Renner at kathryn.renner@jocogov.org

Boats, paddles, and life jackets for the 6-hour race will be provided.