Two of the Kansas towns on the recently formed Kansas Gunsmoke Trail were named a Top 10 True Western Town for 2025 by True West magazine. Abilene placed seventh and Dodge City ninth in the national ranking chosen by editors. 

While both offer year-round attractions, special events are an excellent time to visit. Dodge City Days features a Western parade, BBQ contest, concerts, PRCA rodeo, longhorn cattle drive and dozens of other activities from July 25 to Aug. 3. This year’s Kansas Pro Rodeo Association Finals are set for Sept 20-22. For more info, go to visitdodgecity.org. 

In Abilene, the Wild Bill Hickock PRCA Rodeo is July 29-Aug. 1. Cowboy Christmas at Old Abilene Town and Old-Fashioned Christmas at the Dickinson County Historical Society will be celebrated Dec. 6-7. In addition, the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad has regular excursions, dinner trains and special trains for Halloween and Christmas. For details, visit abilenekansas.org.

Launched last year, the Kansas Gunsmoke Trail – named for the long-running television show — connects visitors to the Wild West through experiences in the iconic Western towns of Abilene, Dodge City, Hays and Wichita. A digital passport program provides information on dozens of attractions and allows smart-phone users to check in at different stops to earn discounts and points for prizes. For more info, visit KansasGunsmokeTrail.com.  

A Big Kansas Road Trip Pop-Up event May 3 in Elkhart invites visitors to explore far southwest Kansas, home of the Cimarron National Grasslands and 23 miles of the Santa Fe Trail. 

Exploration options include taking in the expansive views at Point of Rocks in Morton County, a landmark along the Santa Fe Trail, and visiting the Tri-State marker where Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado come together. The event is organized by the Kansas Sampler Foundation. For lodging and more opportunities to explore, visit bigkansasroadtrip.com. 

The Little House on the Prairie Museum is open March 14-21 for spring break and then starts regular hours for the season on April 5. A celebration of Carrie Ingalls’ birthday is planned for Aug. 2. The site southwest of Independence is on ground where the Ingalls family lived from 1869-1871 and where daughter Carrie was born. The site includes a replica of their cabin as well as a one-room school and post office from the era. Check their Facebook page for updates.