Frontier Military

Historic Byway

Travel through time, visiting multiple forts along the 168-mile-long Frontier Military Historic Byway.  Originally built to move soldiers and supplies, the Military Trail has watched American history unfold. Traveling from North to South, you'll find various landmarks such as Fort Leavenworth and Fort Scott, to other historical gems like the John Brown Museum.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Fort Scott National Historic Site, Fort Leavenworth National CemeteryMarais des Cygnes Massacre Park, and Mine Creek Battlefield hold historical value from the turbulent times of "Bleeding Kansas" and the Civil War. Also, along the route, hear legends and see monuments that memorialize history across the Kansas landscape.

  • Driving Directions

    Distance: 168 Miles

    Traveling south to north: The byway begins at a point on U.S. Highway 69 Alternate at the Kansas/Oklahoma border. Traveling north on US-69 Alternate, then on to U.S. Highway 69 towards Overland Park, the byway eventually merges with Interstate 435. Continuing west, then north on I-435 for about 30 miles, the byway then merges onto Kansas Highway 5 towards Lansing, KS. The byway continues along with K-5 for about 10 more miles and then merges with K-7 in Leavenworth. Continuing north on K-7, the byway eventually concludes near the gates of Fort Leavenworth.

    Traveling north to south: Beginning at the intersection of K-7 and K-92 near the gates of Fort Leavenworth in Leavenworth, KS, head south on K-7 towards K-5. Turn left onto K-5 and continue south on K-5 for roughly 10 miles until you reach the entrance ramp for I-435. Drive south, then east along I-435 for an additional 30 miles and take the exit for US Highway 69. Keep driving south along US-69 to U.S. Highway 69 Alternate, then on to the byway’s end at the Kansas/Oklahoma border.

  • Plan Your Road Trip

    ArtForms Gallery

    An artists' cooperative gallery, ArtForms offers handmade art & fine crafts for sale as well as hands-on workshops led by member artists in…

    Gordon Parks Museum

    The Gordon Parks Museum highlights the life and work of Kansas-born photographer Gordon Parks. Exhibits, personal artifacts, and iconic…

    Louisburg Cider Mill

    Visit our Country Store year-round for apple cider, Lost Trail craft soda, fresh cider donuts, unique gifts, custom gift baskets and more!…

    Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery

    One of the first 14 National Cemeteries established by Abraham Lincoln in 1862. 19,600+ graves. NOTE**: This location is on Fort Leavenworth…

    Slap's BBQ

    Hidden gem tucked away in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood, Slap's BBQ serves up Kansas City's finest award-winning ribs, burnt ends…

    Buffalo Soldier Monument

    The Buffalo Soldier statue/monument is located on Fort Leavenworth and was initiated by General Colin Powell, and was dedicated in 1992 to…

    Kaw Point Park

    The Lewis and Clark Expedition arrived at Kaw Point, the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers, on June 26, 1804. The expedition…

    Miners Hall Museum

    Miners Hall Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing Southeast Kansas coal mining history and its diverse immigrant culture. The museum…

    Cedar Crest Lodge Bed & Breakfast

    Ranked #3 on Tripadvisor's Best Bed and Breakfast in the Nation - Travelers' Choice for Best of the Best! Experience a serene country inn on…

    Big Brutus

    Named to the National Register of Historical Places in January 2018, Big Brutus put the oooohs and aaahs in the backyard of the Heartlands…

  • Things to do along the way

    Photos

    Kansas Byways

    Western Vistas

    Visit a rugged landscape on the culturally and visually fascinating route known as the Western Vistas Historic Byway. 

    Route 66

    Kansas' Historic Route 66 Byway offers opportunities for visitors to enjoy a variety of experiences to "get their own kicks…

    Flint Hills

    The Flint Hills National Scenic Byway offers incredible views of the native grasses and flowers of the tallgrass prairie - one of the last…

    Glacial Hills

    The Glacial Hills Scenic Byway gets its name from the rolling hills and rock-strewn valleys carved by ancient glaciers. 

    Native Stone

    Discover the natural beauty of the panoramic Native Stone Scenic Byway.

    Land & Sky

    Travelers along the Land and Sky Scenic Byway have the opportunity to experience the Wallace Branch of the Great Western Cattle Trail, scale…

    Gypsum Hills

    Ancient floodplains, buttes, canyons, mesas and sinkholes are rare on the Great Plains. Yet, nestled in the Kansas grasslands is the Gypsum…

    Wetlands & Wildlife

    Along the byway, you'll encounter landscapes and communities shaped by the powerful forces of motion and change. You're entering a…

    Prairie Trail

    When you travel the Prairie Trail Scenic Byway, you follow in the steps of Native Americans, explorers and pioneers as they sought food…

    Smoky Valley

    Named for their hazy, blue appearance at sunrise and sunset, the Smoky Hills divide the more easterly mixed-grass prairie from the…

    Post Rock

    Over the Smoky Hills of weathered bedrock, the Post Rock Scenic Byway winds through fields, pastures and prairie.

    For more information about the Frontier Military Historic Byway, contact:

    Julie Steiner
    Lenexa Convention & Visitors Bureau
    913-888-1414
     
    Kristi Lee
    Leavenworth Convention & Visitors Bureau
    913-758-2948

    Sponsored
    Sponsored

    Sponsored
    Sponsored

    Sponsored
    Sponsored

    Sponsored
    Sponsored