Kansas' Charming Ozarks Getaway Has Route 66 Nostalgia, River Trails, And Shops

Thankfully, the actual Ozarks are quite a bit different from that excessively brutal and dark (figuratively and literally) TV show starring Jason Bateman. The actual Ozarks are teeming with one rounded mountainous vista after another, vast stretches of forests largely within Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, national parks like the sprawling Mark Twain National Forest, and tons of quaint towns full of extremely charming downtowns. It's hard for any one town to stand out amidst all this goodness, but Baxter Springs, Kansas, does just that.

Named after gun-loving priest John Baxter, who was killed in a shoot-out in 1859, Baxter Springs was founded in 1849 at the site of Osage-frequented natural springs. A nearby, late 19th-century mining boom helped Baxter Springs grow into a small nucleus of commerce. Come 1926, it became a stop along Route 66. This is the role that carried Baxter Springs past its mining days and into the present. Now, Baxter Springs has a modest population of about 3,800, is filled with nostalgic Route 66 landmarks and retro shops, and affords access to the outdoors via Baxter Springs City Campground by the Spring River, plus the entirety of the Ozarks beyond it.

No matter what you do in Baxter Springs, or how long you stay, visiting will require a road trip that suits its position along Route 66. Baxter Springs is about 85 miles west of Springfield, Missouri, the closest major city, which itself houses a perfect road trip launching point in the form of a Route 66-decorated Cracker Barrel. Baxter Springs is also a mere 10-minute drive from the spot where Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri meet, which adds a whole additional element of interest to the journey.

Navigating Baxter Springs is simple thanks to its right-angled grid and ultra-compact downtown centered on one central north-south and east-west intersection. It only takes about five minutes to drive through Baxter Springs, north to south, along Route 69. But if you want to ease into Baxter Springs' main, red-brick strip via the original Route 66, you still can. From the town of Carthage, Missouri (also a Route 66 town), head west towards Riverton, Kansas. Beyond Riverton, you'll find a major Route 66 marker, the white-painted Historical Rainbow Bridge. That will take you right into Baxter Springs.

The very first stop along Baxter Springs' north-south strip is a cleverly repurposed, old-timey gas station on the National Register of Historical Places that doubles up as the Kansas Route 66 Visitor's Center (pictured above). The Route 66 souvenir shop and antiques store, Sleepygirl's, sits within eyeshot of the visitor's center, which is right near the boutique shop, Super Nova Creations, fronted by a mural featuring cowboys guiding a procession of steers. Down the street from there sits the vintage-soda-shop-meets-actual-pharmacy, of all things, Monarch Pharmacy & Soda Fountain. And yes, this place contains a legit, four-stool fountain soda shop next to a cooler of glass-bottled Coca-Cola.

Those who want to dig into Baxter Spring's history can head to a cluster of historical sites in the village's northeast, off of its shopping strip. There, you can spot the reconstructed, wooden Fort Blair blockhouse at the Fort Blair Historical Site, as well as the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum, which hosts everything from park clean-up volunteer events to historical reenactments.

Those who want to indulge in some outdoor fun when visiting Baxter Springs will find the area more than accommodating. If you've brought your dog with you on your road trip, the fenced-off Ronald Thomas Dog Park awaits. If you've brought your kid(s) with you, Kiwanis Park and its climbable play area await. Right next to Kiwanis Park sits Baxter Springs Campground along the western shore of the Spring River. Directly across from it, on the other side of the river, sits another park, East Riverside Park. Either affords the perfect opportunity for road-trippers to stop and camp for the night, tent-style or in an RV with electric hookups. While you can definitely meander around these parks for a stroll, you'll have to head out of town to hit up some proper trails. Baxter Springs is more of a gateway to trails rather than a hub for trails.

The closest Baxter Springs trails live beyond Riverton and towards Carthage, along the Route 66 passage we mentioned earlier. The Frisco Greenway Trail north of Joplin, Missouri, stands out, a flat 5.6-mile route suitable for walking or biking. The Ruby Jack Trail in Smithfield, Missouri, right over the Kansas border, is a much longer, more remote-feeling, 16-mile trail. Thom Station Trail near Carl Junction, meanwhile, is a small, easy, 1.4-mile paved path. Those who want something a bit more rigorous or vertical will have to go further afield from Baxter into the Ozarks. The Ozark-St. Francis National Forest makes a good choice, where hikers can escape into trails near White Rock Mountain into a true waterwall and woods-filled backcountry.