Best Campgrounds In Kansas

Visit some of the best campgrounds in Kansas and put your camping skills to the test while enjoying the magnificent landscape!

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Best Campgrounds in Kansas You Should Visit Today

Where to Camp in the Sunflower State

Kansas is truly the heart of America. Its central location along with its Great Plains topography, and the friendly, down-to-earth people embody middle America.

But don't let that fool you–Kansas isn't a dull place! There's plenty to do and see in this state, and it's perfect for a quick camping getaway.

Here are our picks for the best campgrounds in Kansas.

1. Pomona State Park – Topeka, Kansas

We are featuring the beautiful Pomona State Park this week. There is a full-service marina and you can enjoy swimming, hiking, camping, and picnicking. Stop by this or one of the other parks in our wonderful home state of Kansas, they won't disappoint! #stateparksaturday pic.twitter.com/arHPIEh6sW

— Route 66 RV Network (@Route66RVTweets) May 4, 2019

This 490-acre park on the shore of 4,000-acre Pomona Reservoir features scenic beauty as well as an abundance of wildlife.

Well-known by northeast Kansas residents for shady campsites and a great family atmosphere, Pomona State Park is in a transition zone from prairie to eastern woodlands. It also offers great wildlife viewing.

The park is nestled in an area with historical connections to the Santa Fe Trail, as well as easy access to several metropolitan areas.

2. Cimarron National Grassland – Cheney, Kansas

Welcome to the Cimarron National Grassland, one of twenty National Grasslands administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

Located within Morton and Stevens Counties in southwestern Kansas, the Cimarron National Grassland contains 108,175 acres.

3. Wilson State Park, Kansas

Located in the heart of the Smoky Hills, Wilson State Park is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the state. Wilson Lake, Kansas features a rugged shoreline punctuated by scenic cliffs and rocky outcrops.

The park and surrounding wildlife area offer the opportunity to view and photograph deer, pheasant, waterfowl, songbirds, and furbearers.

4. El Dorado State Park – El Dorado

One of the top state parks in America based on fishing, boating, and family fun, is the El Dorado State Park. It is conveniently located at the edge of the Flint Hills near three state highways and an interstate (the Kansas Turnpike).

It has about 2,000 acres of park and 4,000 acres of wildlife area surrounding 8,000 acres of water with 98 miles of shoreline. Thus, plenty of opportunities to explore this premier lake destination.

5. Tuttle Creek – Manhattan

Located near Manhattan in the Flint Hills of Northeast Kansas, Tuttle Creek State Park offers a broad variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Tuttle Creek Reservoir is the state's second largest impoundment, offering 12,500 acres of water and 100 miles of rugged, wooded shoreline.

The park consists of 1,250 acres and is made up of five individual areas including River Pond, Rocky Ford, Cedar Ridge, Fancy Creek, and Randolph.

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6. Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Ozark National Scenic Riverways is the first national park area to protect a river system. The Current and Jacks Fork Rivers are two of the finest floating rivers you'll find anywhere.

Spring-fed, cold, and clear they are a delight to canoe, swim, boat, or fish. Besides these two famous rivers, the park is home to hundreds of freshwater springs, caves, trails and historic sites such as Alley Mill.

7. Hillsdale Lake – Paola

Conveniently located south of the Kansas City Metro Area, one of Kansas’ newest reservoirs awaits visitors to its more than 12,000 acres of park and wildlife area.

Completed in 1982, more than 70 percent of the standing timber was left in the Hillsdale Lake reservoir basin to provide fish habitat.

Walleye, catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill are abundant. Approximately 4,500 acres of water and 51 miles of shoreline are open to fishing.

8. Clinton Lake – Lawrence

Located only four miles west of Lawrence, and the University of Kansas, Clinton State Park meets the needs of traditional recreationists while also providing a venue for a variety of non-traditional uses.

Some special events draw visitors from across the country. One of the largest marinas in the state, and abundant scenic beauty offer satisfaction on the lake.

9. Cedar Bluffs Reservoir – WaKeeney

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Cedar Bluff State Park is divided into two, unique areas along the shorelines of Cedar Bluff Reservoir. The Bluffton Area, on the north shore, provides nearly 350 acres for visitors.

It is the most developed area and provides a variety of facilities to meet outdoor enthusiasts needs. They include two boat ramp facilities, 96 utility campsites, two community shelters, a reservable group utility campground.

There are also two large shower houses, and dump stations; five modern rental cabins and numerous undesignated primitive campsites and picnic areas.

10. Lake Scott State Park – Scott County

Hidden within the western Kansas prairie, Lake Scott State Park is a startling oasis of natural springs, deeply wooded canyons, and craggy bluffs. A 100-acre spring fed lake created by a dam constructed in 1930 is nestled among the picturesque hills.

Groves of hackberry, ash, elm, willow, walnut, and cedar trees compliment the bank and several majestic cottonwoods as old as the lake also accent the area.

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Kansas State Parks boast some of the most ideal camping grounds in the country.

You can either go the different lakes and reservoirs to practice and enjoy fishing. Or, you can go to their wide-expanse of grassland to experience a nomadic lifestyle.

Whichever of these best campgrounds in Kansas you go is a chance to take your camping and survival skills up a notch!

Which ones on this list of the best campgrounds in Kansas would you go on camping? Let us know which and why in your comments section below!

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And be sure to check out the rest of our Best Campgrounds in the US series.

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***Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.***

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on June 9, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.