American Discovery 250 Relay Arrives in Leawood and Kansas City on Thursday

By Kristina Light

The American Discovery 250 Relay will reach the Kansas City area Thursday as part of a coast-to-coast journey carrying a replica of the Declaration of Independence from California to Delaware. The relay marks the nation’s 250th anniversary and is scheduled to conclude on Thanksgiving Day.

The Kansas portion of the journey, called the Sunflower Stretch, covers roughly 575 miles from September 15 to 24. On Thursday, Sept. 24, the relay continues at 8:30 a.m. at the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop in Olathe, the final surviving stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe Trail. Participants travel on foot along the Indian Creek Trail. 

Its final stop in Kansas will be in Leawood at Leawood City Park, 10601 Lee Blvd.,  on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 2 pm, before continuing its journey into Missouri.

They are expected to arrive at the Trailside Center in south Kansas City around 3:30 p.m. The first 100 visitors to the Trailside Center will receive Russell Stover chocolates as a Kansas City tribute. One of the relay batons may be viewed by the public on Friday, Sept. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

On Saturday, Sept. 26, the relay departs at 8:30 a.m. for a 98.5-mile bicycle trek to Sedalia. Riders will follow the Indian Creek Trail through Kansas City, then continue to Windsor, where they join the Katy Trail. Missouri’s 339-mile portion continues from there toward the nation’s capital.

About the Relay

The relay launched by crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on July 4 and covers 6,800 miles over approximately 145 days. The route crosses federal land managed by agencies including the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service. Roughly 25 participants are expected for the Kansas City area stages, with five to 50 carrying the baton on any given day nationwide.

The American Discovery Trail Society, a nonprofit based in Front Royal, Virginia, is providing a single paid staff member to drive the support vehicle accompanying relayers. Society president Eric Seaborg said the group developed the relay idea at its 2025 annual meeting in California. “We wanted a way to celebrate America’s 250th birthday using the connection with people across the country and the historical places the trail visits, as well as nature, the outdoors and healthful recreation,” he said.

The baton carrying the document is a metal cylinder engraved with the phrase “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” drawn from the Declaration. Seaborg said, “We hope people will reflect on what it means to live in America and what it took to reach this point, and to celebrate what the Declaration has meant to the United States.”

Harold Draper, Missouri coordinator for the American Discovery Trail, said Kansas City plans to issue a proclamation recognizing the relay and the city’s historic role along the Santa Fe, Oregon and California trails.

About the Trail and Participation

The 35-year-old American Discovery Trail passes through 15 states and runs near the homes of more than 40 million Americans, fulfilling part of the 1968 National Trails System Act’s vision of a connected web of trails linking urban, suburban and rural communities. Participation is open to individuals and groups; bicycle clubs have joined in several states, and an equestrian group, the Pony Express Association, rode in Nevada.

Organizers describe the relay as an educational commemoration of American history, culture, and the outdoors rather than a sports competition or fundraiser. Many participants complete only a portion of the route, a practice called section hiking.

In one memorable moment, fifth-graders in Littleton, Colorado, greeted the relay by chalking the Declaration of Independence’s words along the trail, a surprising tribute the organizers discovered only as it came into view.

Harold Draper emphasized the relay’s unifying purpose. “As you go across the country, you see sites that are important to the growth of America, all the way through to St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Washington, D.C.,” he said. “I think people can get a sense of how the western expansion of America took place and how similar we are as a people. As they walk across the country, hikers and cyclists have enjoyed goodwill and helpfulness from people in towns all along the trail. Walking or bicycling the trail offers the opportunity to experience natural and historic sites all across the country.”

Peggy Hughes, co-director of the Trailside Center, added: “I love the sheer majesty of America, and the trails are a wonderful way to experience them. It is so fitting that the Declaration travels this route to celebrate the 250th.”

More Information

Visit discoverytrail.org for the most current relay schedule and additional information about the American Discovery Trail.