Organized in 1928, Arkalalah is an annual autumn festival held the last full week of October. It draws crowds as large as 30,000, and is highlighted by the crowning of Queen Alalah and the ‘Big Parade.’ Downtown food vendors, parades, a crafts fair and street games make this week-long festival a tradition for many school alumni and families. It’s also a perfect time for class reunions.

Eagle Watch

When: Last Saturday in January and the first Saturday in February
Where: Chaplin Nature Center
What: View bald eagles; hike
Contact: (620) 442-4133

The Bald eagles have migrated back into Kansas for the winter. With their population on the rise it is even easier to find them in Cowley County. The program will start with a 15 minute indoor introduction to the history and adaptations of the Bald eagle. Participants will then take a 1.5-mile hike down to the Arkansas River to search for over-wintering eagles.

Arkansas City Farm & Art Market

When: Every Tuesday 4:00 – 7:00 pm, Memorial Saturday through September
Where: Under the Rotunda, Wilson Park, Arkansas City
What: Fresh produce, locally made art, crafts, jellies, plants and more
Contact: (316) 992-5763

Butterfly Count

When: July
Where: Chaplin Nature Center
What: North American Butterfly Association official count
Contact: (620) 442-4133

Last Run Care Show

When: Last Saturday in September
Where: Paris Park and Summit Street, Arkansas City
What: Custom car show, contests and cruise

Christmas in the City

When: November-December
Where: Downtown Arkansas City
What: Santa, shopping crawl, music performances, carriage rides, Santa Fun Run, scavenger hunt, food vendors, business window decorating contest
Contact: (620) 442-0230 – Arkansas City Chamber

Fishing, Boating, Camping, Birding

Whether a neighbor’s pond or an expansive lake, fishing opportunities are plentiful in Cowley County. Anglers commonly pull out large-mouth bass, perch, crappie, catfish and other species from the ponds, lakes and rivers that abound here. Some spots, such as Cowley State Fishing Lake also offer boating and camping in beautiful, tree-lined settings. Hiking trails exist in rural and semi-urban settings. Cowley is also a top place in Kansas for birding — bald eagles are commonly found near ponds and rivers in Arkansas City.

Cowley State Fishing Lake
(620) 672-5911
Activities: boating, fishing, camping, birding

We have taken our kids hiking on about every trail we could find in Cowley County. All have been family friendly and offer a chance for kids to see and experience some of the wildlife they read and learn about in their classrooms. We’ve encountered deer, turkey, armadillos, snakes, rabbits…you name it! I have run on trails throughout the region and Cowley County has some of the most beautiful family friendly trails to hike, bike and run that I’ve seen.

— Ben Schears

Veteran’s Lake
Activities: boating, fishing, birding, hiking

Walnut Park
Activities: boating, fishing, camping

Knebbler Ponds
Activities: fishing, hiking, birding

Camp Horizon
30811 Horizon Dr, Arkansas City, KS 67005
(620) 442-5533

Horizon has one of the best mountain-biking and hiking trails in the Midwest. In fact, you probably won’t even believe you are in Kansas! The course loop is 9 miles long with over 1,000 feet of climbing and 90 percent single track. The nine-mile trail is broken up into smaller sections, so that hikers can select the distance and terrain they are best suited for.

Chaplain Nature Center
27814 27th Dr, Arkansas City, KS 67005
(620) 442-4133

Along the sandy beaches of the Arkansas River, the Chaplin Nature Center combines 230 acres of magnificent woodlands, prairies and streams. The center consists of hiking trails and a visitor center, and offers environmental education programs such as star-gazing, butterfly counts, and eagle watches, for all ages.

A community room is available for receptions and birthdays. Trails through the woods and prairies lead to the sandbars of the Arkansas River, and are open from sunrise to sunset year-round. The visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Weekdays have seasonal hours.

Fishing and Hunting Outfitters

Double Eagle Firearms
(620) 442-4868

Golf Courses

I have been lucky enough to lose golf balls at all four different courses in Cowley County. All of them offer their own unique challenges, from the fast greens at Winfield C.C. to the Perry Maxwell design of the front nine at Great Life in Ark City. Whether it is the uphill #18 finishing hole at Quail Ridge or the scenic view from #5 tee box at Spring Hill, you will find what you are looking for in Cowley County.

— Mike Morgan

Spring Hill Golf Course
Think Kansas is flat? The rolling hills of Spring Hill Golf Course in Arkansas City includes the signature fifth hole, featuring a 70-foot drop in elevation from tee to green.
620-441-4330

Great Life Golf & Fitness
One of the more challenging 18-hole courses in the region. It is characterized by its length, narrow fairways and small greens.
620-442-5560

Parks & Visitors Centers

Arkansas City Recreation Center
225 E. 5th St.
620-441-4300
This shared complex offers multiple baseball and softball fields that are home to recreation and school teams, as well as hosting regional tournaments.

Wilson Park
701 S. Summit St.
Wilson Park features a 1920s-era steam train engine that children can climb and explore. The park’s covered stage and picnic area makes it a go-to spot for concerts, reunions and public events.

Paris Park
500 Block on W. 5th St.
This large park near Cowley College offers two playgrounds and a popular picnic pavilion, adjacent to the Paris Park Pool and the Agri-business Building.

For other parks in Arkansas City, please see this link.

Visit Ark City
(620) 442-0230

Recreation Programs/Fitness Centers

Both Winfield and Arkansas City recreation centers house fitness centers and offer a wide-range of youth and adult programs. Here are some of them:

Basketball (including MAYB tournaments)
Football
Wrestling
Swimming
Golf
Soccer
Gymnastics
Fishing Derby
Summer camps
Volleyball
Cheer-leading
Horseshoes
Martial arts
Exercise classes
Fitness center
Bingo

My family enjoys participating in many programs sponsored by the Rec Center, from the summer camps to youth sports. The kids enjoy the programs, and as parents we feel great seeing our kids have fun and develop friendships with others in the community.

— Brad Beeson

Arkansas City Recreation Center
620-441-4300

Ben Cleveland Wellness Center
620-441-5222

Anytime Fitness
620-307-6566

Yoga Synergy
620-441-8448

Cowley County, KS

Contact Us

Cowley County Courthouse
311 E. 9th Avenue
Winfield, KS 67156-2843
Phone: 620-221-5400
Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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