Itinerary
Your Adventure Awaits
Howdy, folks! Gear up for an unforgettable journey beckoning us with the frontier allure of Kansas’s Gunsmoke Trail! Gather your fellow adventurers and hop on the bus as we set off on a road trip where the essence of the Old West still resonates across the vast plains.
Our journey will take you to the heart of Kansas, Wichita. Immerse yourself in the rich history of the Wild West and discover its charm.
We mosey on to Abilene, one of the “Best Small Towns to Visit” by the Smithsonian Magazine. Stroll through the streets of a town with its own unique Wild West flavor.
In Hays City, now simply known as Hays, you can uncover the tales of the old west with original brick streets that could tell a story themselves.
Last but certainly not least, our trail will lead you to the legendary Dodge City, where the tales of Gunsmoke come to life. Step into the footsteps of the Marshal and Miss Kitty as you explore the historic streets and relive the adventures that made Gunsmoke a timeless classic. Explore the streets resonating with history, where the tales of iconic Gunsmoke characters were born, inspiring audiences for two decades.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking for a taste of the Old West, the Gunsmoke Trail promises history, thrills, and fun for all ages. So, grab your cowboy hat, dust off your boots, and join us on a journey through the Kansas prairie, where legends were born or made. Yee-haw!
Wichita
Chisholm Trail Exhibit Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum
Jesse Chisholm was the very embodiment of the collision of two great societies. Born in 1805 to a Scottish father and a Cherokee Indian mother, Jesse was an in-law to Sam Houston and the ancestor of Will Rogers. He established a trading post near present-day downtown Wichita. His ancestry enabled him to blaze a trail south to Mexico through the desert. 2 hours recommended.
Mid-America All-Indian Museum
Distant drums still call Native Americans to this special meeting place. The museum here preserves and showcases the heritage of many native tribes of North America. Adjacent Native American Indian Village features an authentic lodge pole structure and teepees. The 44-foot tall, 50-ton metal Keeper of the Plains sculpture created by Wichita artist Blackbear Bosin rises 30 feet above the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers in silent tribute to the Native Americans who lived and hunted here. “The Keeper” stands as the symbol of Wichita. It is stunning at night when five fire pots are lit at specific times seasonally; subject to weather and river conditions 1 hour recommended.
Old Cowtown Museum
This outdoor living history museum features more than 50 historic buildings from the late 1800s including; a saloon, blacksmith shop, and sheriff’s office. 2 hours recommended.
North American Prairie Exhibit at Wichita Sedgwick County Zoo
Wild animals were among the many dangers faced on the frontier. They were also an essential source of food and clothing. This exhibit features several species of animals that roamed the prairies years ago including; bison, grizzly bear, black bear, elk, pronghorn, cougar, river otter, bald eagle, and more. A boardwalk through a streamside woodland adds a unique charm to this exhibit. 1.5 hours recommended.
Charles M. Russell Gallery
“Heritage of the West” - Located within the Wichita Art Museum, the collection comprises twenty-six original paintings, watercolors, drawings, and bronzes by the frontier’s most famous artist. In an era before photography was common, this “old master of the old west” captured both the romance and the detail of his time. 1.5 hours recommended.
A Prairie Garden
Located within Botanica, The Wichita Gardens features native plants and grasses. Seasonal displays include buffalo grass and big and little bluestem, the grasses that nourished the great herds of bison. 1 hour recommended.
Great Plains Nature Center
The Nature Center offers visitors the opportunity to experience the beauty and uniqueness of the wildlife and habitats of the Great Plains. Interactive displays, a wetland observatory, dioramas featuring full-bodied bison and pronghorn sheep, and a 2,200-gallon aquarium are highlights of the Center. 1 hour recommended.
Abilene
Old Abilene Town
See the Chisholm Trail Museum and Interpretive Trail Center in the Way Station at Old Abilene Town. Visitors can stroll the boardwalk as Wild Bill Hickok did during Abilene’s wild and woolly days. Get a taste of the Old West by drinking an ice-cold sarsaparilla and watch can-can dancers as they perform on stage and the bar in the Alamo Saloon—Gunfighters stage mock shoot-outs during the summer travel season. Old Abilene Town also hosts Chisholm Trail Days during Labor Day weekend. Enjoy live cattle drives through Old Abilene Town, reenactors, country music performances, and more! Check out the Great Western Cattle Co. building for a complete re-creation of Abilene’s original Texas Street. 1 hour recommended.
Original Alamo Saloon Site
The Alamo Saloon (1871) was the grandest drinking and gambling establishment on Texas Street. The Alamo faced west on Cedar Street and became Wild Bill Hickok’s headquarters during his tenure as marshal. At this site, in 1871, Wild Bill Hickok exchanged deadly gunfire with Texas gambler Phil Coe. Unable to see in the darkness, Hickok fired both pistols at another figure, bursting into the light with the gun drawn. Sadly, that figure was his friend and deputy Mike Williams. Always open. Drive by.
Dickinson County Heritage Center
Learn about Dickinson County’s famous former residents from C.L. Brown — whose telephone company eventually became known as Sprint — to Abilene’s former Marshal Wild Bill Hickok to Joseph McCoy, who brought hundreds of thousands of cattle to Abilene in the 1860s, making the community a booming Cowtown at the end of the Chisholm Trail. Tip: Make sure to check out the Wild Bill Hickok bronze statue and a replica of his gun on display. See
DickinsonCountyHistoricalSociety.com for hours. 1.5 hours recommended.
Murals and Fun Around Town
Always open
World’s Largest Belt Buckle At 19 feet 10 1/2 inches wide and 13 feet 11 1/4 inches tall, Abilene is home to the World’s Largest Belt Buckle. Climb the spiral staircase to the top to take your photo “wearing” the buckle!
Big Spur: At 28 feet high, the big spur stands on its ends to form an arch and weighs a ton. It was built by Larry Houston in 2002 and was certified as the World’s Largest Spur by Guinness World Records until 2017.
Cowboy Boots: Celebrating its cowboy roots, the Cowboy Boot project pays homage to T.C. McInerney’s Drovers Boot Store from the 1870s. The Arts Council of Dickinson County, Quality of Life Coalition of Dickinson County, and Community Foundation of Dickinson County joined forces to add cowboy boot art throughout the community. 1 hour recommended.
Abilene & Smokey Valley Railroad
In the 1870s, traveling by train to Abilene, Hays City, Wichita, or Dodge City was commonplace. Today, it’s a tourist experience! Ride the rails with the Abilene & Smoky Valley Museum – the State’s Official Heritage Railroad, and see what it was like to travel by train during Abilene’s wild and wooly Cowtown days. For a complete schedule visit www.asvrr.org. 2 hour roundtrip.
Dining
Stop for a bite to eat at Legacy Kansas – Munson’s Prime & Brookville Hotel, 105 E. Lafayette Ave. Or grab a drink at Abilene’s newest bar, the Dizzy Donkey Saloon. Legacy Kansas is open for dinner Thursday-Sunday, and lunch Friday-Sunday. Group tours welcome!
HAYS
Historic Walking Tour
Discover the history along the streets of old Hays City on the Bricks in Downtown Hays. Bronze plaques mark the route of this self-guided tour and tell the stories behind the sites of former saloons, general stores, and more. Start at 10th and Main Street. 1-1.5 hours recommended.
Historic Fort Hays Site
Take a step back in time at the Historic Fort Hays Site that was home to the 7th U.S. Cavalry commanded by Lt. Colonel George A. Custer. A Visitors’ Center and four of the original structures – the stone blockhouse, guardhouse, and two officers’ quarters – are open for guided tours. Admission is free! 1.5 hours recommended.
Murals
Explore murals featuring historic Old West icons and elements of Hays’ history throughout the Bricks in Downtown Hays. 1 hour (driving) recommended.
Limestone Sculpture Tour
Take a driving or walking tour of local artist Pete Felten’s limestone sculptures that decorate the community. Among these works, you will find the familiar faces of “Buffalo Bill” Cody (Hays Public Library) and “Wild Bill” Hickok (Downtown Pavilion). 1 hour (driving)recommended.
Bus tours combine the mural and limestone sculpture tours for a 1.5-hour tour experience.
Bison Herd
Stroll through Frontier Park and see the gentle giants of the Plains! The Hays bison herd began in 1952 with a bull named Wild Bill and a cow named Calamity Jane. Now, the herd includes a white bison! 30 minutes recommended.
Ellis County Historical Society
Schedule a tour of the Younger Harness Shop, which was relocated from W. 11th Street to the Historical Society property. 1 hour recommended.
Boot Hill Cemetery
Hays’ own Boot Hill Cemetery is located in the heart of town. The cemetery got its name because so many of those buried there “died with their boots on.” It is marked with a limestone sculpture by local artist Pete Felten, and a bronze plaque listing the names of those laid to rest there. 30 minutes recommended.
Hickok’s Steakhouse
If Wild Bill were still roaming the streets of Hays, he would indeed be eating at Hickok’s Steakhouse. Hickok’s serves up hand-cut, Midwestern Angus beef. Sit down for a hearty meal and enjoy the historic Hays décor. 1 hour recommended.
Sunflowers and Silos Hat Bar
Every trail rider needs a hat for their journey! Stop into Sunflowers and Silos, a women’s western/boho boutique with a hat bar where customers can design their own personal hat. Spouses, friends, and family can enjoy the patio or shop the boutique for hip western attire, gifts, and permanent jewelry. 1 hour recommended.
Paisley Pear Whiskey Flight
End your Gunsmoke tour downtown with a whiskey flight at this family-owned wine bar, bistro, and market, Paisley Pear. You will also find delicious local desserts, along with Kansas-made products and gifts. 1 hour recommended.
Dodge City
Historic Trolley Tour Step-on Guide
Embark on an immersive journey through time aboard the Dodge City Trolley or with the assistance of a knowledgeable step-on guide, transporting you back to the 1870s. Explore the authentic sites of the Long Branch Saloon, the infamous “deadline,” Front Street, and more you will visit. Fort Dodge, which was established to protect the Santa Fe Depot and was a crucial defense line for frontier communities like Dodge City. This comprehensive tour provides a captivating overview of Dodge City. 1-2 hours recommended.
Boot Hill Museum
Boot Hill Museum is located on the original site of Boot Hill Cemetery. It highlights the glory days as Queen of the Cowtowns with creative, lively, interactive displays and activities the entire family will enjoy. The collection at Boot Hill Museum includes more than 60,000 objects, photographs, and documents. Most of our collection is from Dodge City’s early days—the 1870s through the 1920s—and belonged to the original residents of Dodge City. 2-3 hours recommended.
Santa Fe Depot
Construction of the Historic Santa Fe Depot was completed in 1898 by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. It is a former Fred Harvey Hotel and Restaurant (El Vaquero) and is Kansas’s largest rail depot building. It has been renovated to appear as it would have in the 1920s. 1 hour recommended.
Mueller-Schmidt House Museum - Home of Stone
In an 1882 bird’s-eye view of Dodge City, the Mueller-Schmidt House is proudly perched atop a hill northeast of town, alone in its new splendor and surrounded by a yard planted with trees. Built to be one of the most splendid homes in Dodge City, Ford County’s “Home of Stone” lives up to this, even today. It remains the lone limestone house in Dodge City, elegant in its simplicity. It can also claim the distinction of being the oldest building in Dodge City still on its original foundation. 1 hour recommended.
Trail of Fame, Historic Walking Tour & Murals
Embark on the self-guided Historic Dodge City Walking Tour, which includes the Dodge City Trail of Fame, Inc. This trail, marked with sidewalk medallions and statuaries pays tribute to the famous and infamous figures of historic Dodge City. As you stroll through the streets of historic downtown Dodge City, witness the locations of historical significance adorned with storyboards, pole art banners, and the Dodge City Trail of Fame medallions. Immerse yourself in Dodge City’s vibrant culture and rich history by discovering stunning murals that artistically preserve the town’s cultural heritage and traditions 1-2 hours recommended.
Gunfighters Wax Museum
Visit the Gunfighters Wax Museum and see the life-size wax figurines of famous Western personalities like Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Doc Holliday, Buffalo Bill, Billy the Kid, Doc, Festus, and many, many more! 1-2 hours recommended.
Boot Hill Distillery
Atop Boot Hill, where outlaws once found their final resting place, spirits flow again. In the spring of 1872, George M. Hoover embarked on a spirited endeavor, loading his wagon with whiskey barrels. Thus, Dodge City, Kansas, was born from a barrel. Boot Hill Distillery now carries on this legendary legacy with an unwavering commitment to handcrafted spirits sourced, milled, distilled, and bottled locally from their farms. 1-2 hours recommended.