This week I visited Shawnee Mission Park. Similarly to Heritage Park from last week I've been to this park before. Shawnee Mission Park is even my favorite spot to kayak; the reason being that it has a fabulous lake. The overall size of the park is quite large, which means plenty of room for a huge lake. The views from the lake while kayaking are very pretty especially in the few coves. From nearly every angle you can see forested areas. Also, from the water you have a clear view of the dog beach. The park includes other dog parks as well. But anytime I find myself at Shawnee Mission Park, the dog beach is well populated. From sunrise to set, dogs play in the water and run across the sand. You can hear them barking if you get close enough but it's never loud enough to disrupt a peaceful day. The lake of course also has a human beach, with a small area to swim, marked out with buoys. And on a sunny day, it provides a nice place to relax.
If you're looking for a place to exercise, more specifically bike, this is a great place to do it. I bike here often, and the rolling hills always give me a fun challenge. This park is even home to the notorious Damn Hill; bikers have not so affectionately nicknamed this specific climb in the park, as it is on the dam crossing part of the lake, and it is extremely steep. Shawnee Mission Park is currently updating their mountain bike paths as well. I'm not much for mountain biking but it looks promising. There are also plenty of walking trails throughout the park. A few of them run alongside flat streets, but most of them go through shaded areas, covered by trees, then move out into fields. These are beautiful places to interact with nature, with hidden creeks and wildlife nearby.
As with most parks there are plenty of shelters scattered around as well, with large shelters found at the water's edge. Also, near the water are platforms without shelters, which allow for fishing. But my favorite place to find shelter at the park is under a tree in a hammock. If you can't find two trees near each other it's no problem as there are many trees large enough to accommodate a hammock solo.
Another beneficial feature of the park is the marina. Here you can find boat rentals, including kayaks, canoes, and pedal boats. Also notable is the lifeguard staff which is often out patrolling the lake and the park police who frequently cruise the street. They make the park feel secure and well maintained.
I think it's safe to say the most attractive feature of the park is the lake, but other aspects are impressive too. Overall, I would rate Shawnee Mission Park a 9. It supports a lot of my judging criteria, however where I will mark it down is in the lack of, in my opinion, an especially unique feature and accessibility as much of the park is quite hilly.
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