Within Council Grove Lake, Kit Carson Cove provides an Army Corps of Engineers campground with both electric and water hookups for RVs. The established facility accommodates big rigs and allows campfires and pets, with nightly rates ranging from $15 to $24. Campers can make reservations for sites that blend forested and open terrain near the lake's shoreline.
Access roads can be rough, so visitors should prepare accordingly. The campground sits close to other Corps facilities including Richey Cove just 0.4 miles north. Kit Carson Cove serves as a practical base for lake activities with standard hookups and Corps management reliability.
Description
Overview
Kit Carson Campground is located on the 3,310-acre Council Grove Lake in the green expanses of eastern Kansas.
Recreation
Boating is a popular pastime at the lake, and a boat ramp is located in the campground for visitors' convenience. The lake is known for its fishing opportunities, with crappie and catfish being the most abundant. Council Grove was also the first lake in Kansas to receive stocking of Saugeye. Hunters will find populations of quail, prairie chicken, wild turkey and deer on the nearly 2,700 acres of public hunting lands surrounding the lake. Hiking trails wind along the lake shore and into the forest. Pioneer Nature Trail is known as the most scenic trail, with plenty of wildlife, greenery and wildflowers creating a beautiful background. Council Grove is also a starting point for the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway. This byway travels through the best of the remaining remnants of the Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem in North America. __Along the byway and 25 miles south is the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, where visitors can spot colorful wildflowers in the spring and array of autumn colors in the fall.
Facilities
Kit Carson Campground offers 11 reservable campsites. Electric hookups, flush toilets and other modern amenities are provided. The campground has plenty of shade, along with open grassy areas for games and recreation.
Natural Features
Council Grove Lake sits in the rolling, grassy Flint Hills. The lake is created by a dam built in 1964, and now offers recreational opportunities to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Historically this area is where the Osage Indians signed a treaty to establish the Old Santa Fe Trail. A marker in the town of Council Grove indicates the place where the treaty was signed.
Nearby Attractions
The town of Council Grove, located about 2 miles southeast of the lake, is a National Historic District, with seven Santa Fe National Historic Trail sites in the community.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsKit Carson Cove is located in Kansas near Council Grove
Directions
From I-70, take Highway 177 south for 30 miles. Kit Carson entrance is located on the west side of the highway at the dam road.
Coordinates
38.695266 N
96.496172 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
T-Mobile5GGood Coverage
Verizon5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 4 usersLast on 5/8/26
AT&TLTESome Coverage
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors- T-Mobile5GGood Coverage
- Verizon5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 4 usersLast on 5/8/26
- AT&TLTESome Coverage
Access
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
Features
For Campers
- Reservable
- Electric Hookups
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Water Hookups
- 50 Amp Hookups
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 36 min from Manhattan, KS
- 54 min from Topeka, KS
- 1 hr 11 min from Lawrence, KS
- 1 hr 38 min from Wichita, KS
