It has a clear lake and trails. Now Kansas’ new state park is getting amenities.

Kansas’ new state park already has “crystal clear blue water” and miles of hiking trails, and now it’s getting closer to getting more amenities.

Kansas lawmakers last year created Lehigh Portland State Park in Iola. Now the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is working on infrastructure improvements around the 138-acre lake on a nearly 360-acre site.

The state is issuing tenders for the construction of a visitors center, a limestone campground, a shale campground and infrastructure such as water, sewerage and roads.

When Governor Laura Kelly ceremonially signed the bill last year, then-KDWP Secretary Brad Loveless indicated more work was needed.

He said, “A beautiful lake and quality trails will add tremendous value to Kansas’ already world-class state park system. While I know this property will be an immediate hit with our park visitors, I also know that our park staff’s development plans will make it even more attractive in the near future.”

What infrastructure work in Lehigh Portland is being contracted by KDWP?

The state government’s contracting portal shows that KDWP has four open requests for proposals. The agency is seeking contractors to build the following:

• A limestone campsite.

• A shale camping site.

• A visitor center.

• Infrastructure, including water, sewerage, a lagoon and roads.

A technical report in the technical specification documents provides further insight into the infrastructure plans.

The report calls for the construction of a park entrance and visitors center on the south side of the lake, an amenities building near the proposed wastewater treatment lagoon on the southeast corner of the project site, a restroom building south of the main parking lots, a shower building near the boat dock, and an amphitheater on the west side of the project site.

The report also states that “a significant amount of rock will be blasted out of the ground on the south side of the lake to remove the existing bluff for a swimming beach.” The plans also call for six cabins on the south side of the lake. Additionally, the plan includes paving for two circular RV parks, as well as paved driveways and side parking. The number of parking spaces is unknown.

The state agency did not respond to a request for comment on the plans for the park.

What makes Lehigh Portland different from 28 other state parks in Kansas?

Lehigh Portland is the 29th state park in Kansas.

Linda Lanterman, the KDWP parks director, spoke to lawmakers last year after top Wildlife and Parks officials visited the site. She said the lake at Iola is about the same size as Historic Lake Scott State Park in western Kansas, and the trails are similar to those at Cross Timbers State Park near Yates Center and Tuttle Creek State Park near Manhattan.

More: This lake has crystal clear blue water and miles of trails — and it could become Kansas’ next state park

“The secretary, myself and my team went out there and we toured the property and we walked the trails,” Lanterman said. “When you get off the trail and you get to one of the cliffs and you see this beautiful crystal clear blue water, which I’ve never seen in any of our state parks before, it’s just a beautiful piece of land.”

The park is the site of a former cement factory, and the lake is the old quarry. The limestone is credited with filtering the water, making the lake clear.

The park also features over 14 miles of hiking trails, which connect to the Southwind Rail Trail and Prairie Spirit State Park.

According to the governor’s office, Lehigh Portland is one of the most visited bird watching spots in southeastern Kansas, with approximately 180 different bird species.

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Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas’ Lehigh Portland State Park in Iola Gets More Infrastructure