Lehigh Portland State Park

The Lehigh Portland State Park (formerly Lehigh Portland Trails) is built on the site of a former cement plant and quarry, along the banks of Elm Creek in Iola. The trails feature both rail-trail-style gravel-surfaced trails and natural-surface singletrack trails for mountain biking, trail running, and nature hikes. This new trail system includes walking and biking trails similar to the Prairie Spirit Trail and the Southwind Rail Trail, but also includes mountain bike trails and related amenities that are rare in this part of Kansas. John Brown’s Cave: (Source) John Brown’s Cave is located on the Lehigh Portland property. Click here to learn more and for a map of the cave. It is a type of natural cave known as a “Solutional Cave”, which is formed in rock that is soluble, such as limestone. The cave was formed as groundwater dissolved quantities of soluble rock by seeping along joints and faults, and over long epochs of geological time, expanding to become a cave. In the case of John Brown’s Cave, a small intermittent stream enters the mouth of the cave, flows through, and exits below the bluffs along the US-169 highway. The length of the cave is nearly 300 feet. It has a large entrance you can walk into, and it’s possible to traverse the entire length of the 300-foot cave, albeit not without getting wet. Additional Information: Visit the Lehigh Trails website for the most up-to-date information! Lehigh Portland State Park is the product of a years-long project led by Thrive Allen County.