ATV Sand Riding In Kansas

July 21, 2008 by Tom Kaiser

Sand With shapeshifting hills, endless whoops sections and steep bowls to carve, sand dunes are a popular tourism draw wherever motorized access is allowed. As rare as dunes are, geographically speaking, it is especially uncommon for such terrain to become available to recreational riders.

In rural western Kansas, an area known for agriculture and not much else, the town of Syracuse is hoping its new sand dunes park will attract riders and tourism dollars from across the country.

Syracuse Sand
The ancient Syracuse dunes have been underused in the past. They were previously private property that was occasionally, and unlawfully, used by dirt bike riders in the 60s and 70s. The land was brought under the city’s domain in 1995 after the town purchased the land to use for its municipal water works. After lying dormant for a few decades, an ambitious mayor and city council have dusted off the dunes and created a managed riding area aimed at sand enthusiasts far and wide. The town’s goal is a world class riding park that will spur the economy.

Local investment was the first step. While the city owned most of the 1,300-acre dune field, it needed additional land to construct a mile-long entrance road. A $10,000 grant from the Polaris T.R.A.I.L.S. Grant Program went a long way, and allowed the city to hire a park manager and bring in an office building.

Jenny Frey, the new park’s manager, says the terrain has 65-foot-tall hills and a 7.5-mile perimeter that takes approximately 12 minutes to circle. She said the park should appeal to local riders and those from outside of the area, who might already pass through Syracuse to reach the Little Sahara sand dunes in Waynoka, Okla.

“We have [dunes] right here in our own backyard,” she said. “This small town is kind of dying out and we’re trying to keep our own money here in our own town, plus if you can bring in some from outside of town that would be great, too.”

Exceeding Expectations
Since opening in July of 2007, the number of visitors has exceeded expectations, helping the park meet its long-term goals much sooner than expected. Syracuse initially planned for the park to become self sufficient in three years.

“We are actually quite a ways ahead of our expectations this year,” Syracuse City Administrator John Armstrong said. “We opened July 4th, and I think our revenues for the year were somewhere over $13,000.”

While 50 acres of the sand pit area has been set aside for fishing and camping, the remaining land will include beginner, children and family areas, as well as an extreme sporting grounds.

In the near future, the town is planning to add shower and restroom facilities and modern camping, in addition to the primitive campsites already open. Long term, Armstrong said the city hopes to expand the park’s acreage.

According to its grant application, the park hopes to draw from the approximately 7 million residents of Colorado’s front range, including Colorado Springs and Denver. Frey said riders have already rolled in from California, Texas, Minnesota and Florida, some exclusively traveling to ride in the Syracuse sand.