Junction City Access Ramp – River Mile 173

Junction City Access Ramp in Grant Park

Custer Road

Junction City, KS

Geary County

River Mile: 173

GPS: 39.06029, -96.80341

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Access Ramp: River left

The access ramp is on the Republican River.  The Kansas River is about 1/3 mile downriver.

Directions:   From I-70 take Junction City Exit 296 (Washington Street). Follow Washington Street north 2.2 miles to 18th Street (also called Grant Avenue). Take a right on 18th Street or Grant Avenue and proceed east for about 2 miles. Grant Avenue divides as it crosses the Republican River, and Grant Park is between the two bridges. Grant Avenue enters Fort Riley as it continues east and is closed to traffic, but Grant Park is accessible. Turn into the park before you cross the bridge over the Republican River. The road into the access is gravel and leads approximately 200 yards east to the edge of the Republican River.

Access Information:   Access is a wide concrete ramp on the west bank of the Republican River. Cars can be parked overnight, but there is no lighting. The ramp is in view of the Fort Riley security station. The First Territorial Capitol is on the grounds of Fort Riley, three miles downstream from this ramp.

Amenities:  Trash cans and informational kiosk on site.  No restrooms or lighting.  The walk to the nearest convenience store is about 1.5 miles.  

Paddle Information:   This paddle will take you down the Republican River about 1/3 mile to the point where the Smoky Hill River joins it from the southwest to become the Kansas River. Typically the Republican is running clear from Milford Reservoir outflow and the Smoky Hill has a sediment load from its trip across the state. The confluence is a clear line in the water which is interesting, but watch for unusual currents as you cross that demarcation. This is the wildest section of the river.

The next access is the Ogden Access Ramp, a little over 9 miles downstream at river mile 163.4. 

Game Warden Covering Riley County: 784-256-3614

  • View of the parking area.
  • View from the top of the ramp.
  • The Republican River and the east bound Grant Avenue bridge.

Click here to see a video of where the Republican and Smoky Hill Rivers meet to form the Kansas River.