This trail is paved with a hard-packed limestone screening outside of the city limits of Ottawa, Garnett, and Iola.
During flooding in June 2007, a section of the bridge carrying the trail over Pottawatomie Creek north of Garnett washed out.
The Museum and terminus of the trail is located just north of the Marais Des Cygnes River in downtown Ottawa.
Continuing to the south from Ottawa, the trail hits two small railroad towns, Princeton and Richmond.
Garnett, located about midway on the 50-mile (80 km) right of way between Ottawa and Iola features a restored Santa Fe depot which is used as the city's trailhead.
A daily-use per-person permit is $3.50, and may be purchased at self-pay stations located at the Ottawa, Princeton, Richmond, Garnett, Welda, Carlyle, and Iola trail heads.