Cottonwood Park

#84 Cottonwood Park – 1300 S Armour

Background: From the city’s website: This 21-acre tract was donated to the Wichita Park, Recreation and Open Space Foundation by the Wichita Development Company in 1981.

It was also designated a Wichita Wild Habitat area. The main draw of the park is the Gypsum Creek Bicycle Path- This 6.5 mile trail follows the Gypsum Creek from Towne East Square, south along Armour Drive to Turnpike Drive.

What we did: We thought it seemed like a pleasant enough day. Temps in the upper 50’s. Which in Kansas in February, is pretty good. We walked along the path from Lincoln to Harry. The open park allowed for plenty of wind, cold wind. We were freezing.

We were intrigued by the bed of the creek. I first we thought it was full of discarded mattresses but on closer look it was just the design on the cement work. I have said it before, and I’ll mention it here; there is a certain beauty to the winter landscape. The bare trees and brown grass still give a sense of nature. Creating shadows on the sidewalk, offering views through normally dense trees and bushes, the dormant season creates a totally different world.

Although they have nothing to do with each other, the next park shares a name with a sad moment in U.S. history.