Big Bluestem — Wilson State Park, near Wilson Lake, Kansas, is a fantastic spot for campers looking to unwind by the water. With spacious sites that come equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, it’s perfect for roasting marshmallows and sharing stories under the stars.

This campground offers water and electric hookups, making it a comfortable choice for both tents and RVs. Visitors have raved about the beautiful lakeside views, with one camper noting, “Our site was right on the water and it was so beautiful and peaceful.” The area is surrounded by rolling hills and striking rock formations, giving you a taste of Kansas's hidden beauty.

If you’re up for some exploration, Wilson State Park has multiple campgrounds to check out, each with its own unique charm. Just keep an eye out for the signs; they can be a bit tricky to follow. Whether you’re here for a quick overnight stay or planning to kick back for a few days, Big Bluestem is a solid choice for a relaxing getaway.

Welcome to Wilson State Park, one of Kansas' premier recreation hot spots to fish, hike, water-ski, or just enjoy the outdoors. Wilson State Park is located on the south side of Wilson Reservoir and is divided into two areas: Hell Creek and Otoe. For licenses, permits, and other information, visit the park office(located at the Hell Creek area entrance) or the self-pay stations at the entrance to each area. Vehicle, camping, and utility permits are required year-round. Brochures on regulations and area attractions are also available at the park entrances.

Big Bluestem Hell Creek Area Campground — Wilson State Park

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Wilson, KS has a lot to offer. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Wilson and user-submitted reviews.

Wilson

The Best Camping Near Wilson, Kansas

On a trip to Colorado for some hiking and biking, we stopped off here for a night.  Campground had nice camp sites and was well maintained and facilities were very clean. 

What make the space though we're the miles of incredible bike trails around the lake.  Worth going back just for those!  Very challenging if you take the tougher routes or there are others for leisurely rides.

Bike trails are awesome!

It was in the high 90s but the breeze from the lake kept us comfortable. Lots of tent spots, but many RVs as well. There was plenty of room between camping areas for peace and quite, beautiful sunsets! Showers, bathrooms, water, and electricity available.

Great spot

Always good at this park.  The state park staff do an excellent job even with the budget restraints of the state government. 

Wilson Lake "The clearest lake in Kansas"

Great spot. There are many tent and even RV spots that are right near the water. Some parking spots require a Kansas state park passport but we were able to buy one at the park office. The water was calm enough in the morning and evenings to kayak and explore the coves. mid day when the water started getting a bit rougher we swapped the kayaks for bikes and explored the trails. the park offers several dirt trails and a few paved paths perfect for all levels of riders! To top it off the sunsets were amazing every night.  only rated 4/5 because the bathrooms/showers weren’t the best.  


Bring your bicycles and boats! 

Great stay. The lake is very clear and beautiful. We saw a decent amount of fish jumping at night. 
Not a lot of shady spots but there are some.   
Showers and restrooms available but quite a ways away from the sites. We had to take the car to get there from our site or it was a bit of a walk. Otherwise all good. 4/5 for the distance to facilities. 


Nice spot

Perfect for taking your bike and going on a ride in the mornings

Great place to hang out by the fire

The trails at this campground are super fun for mountain biking! Quick and flowy! Not really set campsites, more dispersed camping.

Great trail network!

Lots of campsites for tents and for RVs! We like to fish and kayak - sometimes fishing from the kayaks, and we always have good luck at Wilson. We try to get a campsite with water access so we can easily get the kayaks in and out if the water. There are so many sites near the water at Wilson, so finding such a site is no problem at all! Kayaking over to the rocky cliffs is beautiful! Highly recommended! We tend to camp on the marina side of the lake, but the other side has a playground and swim beach - possibly more family friendly. Facilities are nice, at least the ones we’ve used. No complaints there!!

Beautiful place to camp!

Wonderful spot close to sandy beaches, great for little kids. Good clear water at 3 feet deep. Sparse T-Mobile cell service.

88 great spot 

Bluestem RV

Stunning views in every direction. A true diamond in the rough tucked just 8 miles from I-70 near Sylvan Grove, KS. This is a great place to enjoy the breeze as it blows across the rolling plains of eastern Kansas.

Wilson State Park has multiple camping loops with a variety of hookup options from primitive sites overlooking Wilson reservoir to full hookups with 20/30/50 amp power, water and sewer for RVs. Bring your camera, some comfortable shoes and sunscreen and enjoy plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking and fishing.

A true hidden gem!

This area is the Big Bluestem campground. There is a shower/restroom area at the beginning, hiking trails and primitive sites. Then you enter Big Bluestem campground which has two loops. One has pull through sites and the other has mostly back in sites.  Each site has electric,water,fire ring,and picnic benches. There are some really nice views from the outer sites. 

AKA Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem is a popular campground at Wilson Lake. The outer loop is facing the water with pull thru sites. Best site is 77 right at the tip. The inner loop is mostly back in. The sites are water and electric and have a fire ring and table. They are roomy and have pretty views. The area has rolling hills and beautiful rock formations. You would never believe you are in the middle of Kansas. I was surprised to not find much algae in the lake. Bonus 😊

Popular campground

Ranger Review: Camp Zero 10 liter cooler at Wilson Lake in Kansas
Campground review-driving up to Wilson Lake  you would never know you were in the middle of Kansas. There are rolling hills surrounding the lake. There is not clearly marked signs which made the area kind of confusing for us. There are so many loops with camping and 2 other parks in this same area. The lake itself is very large and lengthy. It’s beautiful-perfect for boating, fishing, or kayaking. There are not a lot of trees so the area can get pretty windy. Lots of sites face the water. Prices vary from 10-24 per night. There are also park permits and service fee you must pay. Sites range from primitive to full hook ups. Most have fire rings and picnic tables. There are plenty of trails for hiking and biking and swim beaches. The bathrooms are clean and there are showers,marinas,dump stations. Check in and out is at 2 pm. Make sure to check out the town of Lucas for all the fun art. 
Product Review: As a Ranger for the DRYT, I get products to test from time to time and I tested the 10 liter Camp Zero at Wilson Lake. What I love about the Camp Zero cooler is:
1:  The light aluminum handle with gripping pad. Makes it easier to carry without losing grip
2:  The rubber feet on the bottom makes it so it doesn’t slide around in the car or boat and get scratched or scratch up the car. 
3:  the molded cup holders on the top of the cooler that turns it into a much need table on the beach
4:  The heavy duty rubber latches to keep the cooler latched. They are bear resistant
5:  The awesome colors you can get them in
I chose the bright green 10 liter cooler.  The green is so fun and cheery and I know that I’ll be able to spot it where ever it is.   This cooler really keeps the drinks cooler for extended periods of time. It is so heavy duty, and sturdy. The cooler is a little heavy once you put ice and drinks in it so I’ll just make my husband carry it. I’m excited to take this Camp Zero 10 liter cooler with me on all our adventures

Ranger Review: Camp Zero cooler at Wilson Lake in Kansas

Amazing people and clean sites

stayed here for 2 nights . I have to say the views and campsites were excellent.

who knew that in the middle of Kansas there is a 9000 acre lake that is just breathtaking 

I will be going back next time I go thru Kansas. 

not anyone around as far as staff but well maintained .

7 miles from the Intestate so its easy to get to.

try and get the waterfront sites they are large with great views

amazing views in Kansas

We just randomly chose this campground since it was not a big detour off the highway during our road trip across the country. We arrived at night so did not fully understand how beautiful of a spot we were in until the next morning. Our site was right on the water and it was so beautiful and peaceful. It was a quick overnight stay so can't say much more about it than that...

  

Wilson State Park has a bunch of campgrounds. I feel like they would normally be considered loops of one campground but here, each loop is it's own campground.

Great sites right on the water

Who knew Kansas was so beautiful?! We sure didn’t. Loving out lake side campsite on Wilson Lake. 
There are multiple different campgrounds within the park. We chose Big Bluestem bc it has water and electric (not all do) and was right on the water. Be warned that signs directing you around are not all that easy to see or follow. I used the map on my phone mainly to direct us. 
We originally chose site 78 but upon arrival realized it would be too difficult to get our 40ft MH into. Ended up staying in site 80. 

Hidden gem

Big Bluestem Campground Site 78! Prime spot with large shade tree to block western sun. 20’ from water’s edge with path to drop kayaks in, swim or even sit lawn chairs into the water to cool off. Noted as largest saltwater and clearest lake in Kansas. 30/50A/120V and water hookups. Concrete pad. Clean showers a few hundred yards away. Trash bin in middle of loop. Marina two loops away; about 4 minute drive. Outstanding rock formations, reminds me of Utah. Water levels effect access to some formations. Great time, great weather, we’ll be back soon!
T-Mobile service 1-4 bars.
Streamed HotSpot for ROKU without issues.

Perfect spot for camping, Kayaking, swimming, fishing, hiking, biking… or chillaxing! 

Nice clean camp site! Excellent view of the water!

Nice views!

Great stop for a night or more!  Nice campsite on lake’s edge, level, concrete pad and spacious, staggered sites. Would give it a 5 with full hook-up (elec. &amp; water here).



Oasis in the middle of KS

Native Kansan who is a first timer here!  Beautiful views of the lake with nice concrete pads and nice bathrooms!  Want to return soon!

BEAUTIFUL views!!! Very windy but worth it for water front. We stayed in a loop alone that could have had 3 other sites, next to beach access. Bathrooms were a bit of a walk but again, worth it!! 

Thought I had seen a mirage once we pulled into the park after miles of Kansas greens and browns. 

Self reg station (electronic) at the park as well as reserve early online. 

Like an Oasis 

Stayed overnight while traveling, but it is one of 12 places on our trip I would like to have stayed another day. Did some hiking before we left.  Beautiful sunsets. Only problem was the terrible insects at dusk. Day time was great.

Photos of Big Bluestem Hell Creek Area Campground — Wilson State Park

Real photos from real campers