Lake Parsons offers camping from April through November with concrete pads for each site. The area has several campgrounds within 30 miles of Chanute, Kansas, providing options for traditional tent sites, RV hookups, and specialized yurt accommodations. Toronto Point at Cross Timbers State Park remains open year-round while other campgrounds operate seasonally.
What to do
Hiking trails: Cross Timbers State Park features wooded paths through varied terrain. "Some of the trails were a little overgrown at times," notes Jason S., though he enjoyed exploring the forest areas which provided shelter from the persistent Kansas winds.
Fishing opportunities: Gunn Park provides shore fishing without requiring boat access. "Fishing from the shore is great no boats. Adult children (seniors) lol are there every day looking to catch dinner," explains Neil S. about the local fishing scene.
Lake activities: Toronto Lake provides water recreation options beyond swimming. One visitor at Lake Parsons commented about the "Beach, camping, boat ramp, fishing" available, though they noted "industrial fans in view" impacted some of the scenery.
Holiday events: Gunn Park offers seasonal decorations for campers visiting during winter holidays. "They had a super decorated for Christmas," reports Jason T., who found the park provided good value for the $5 tent camping fee.
What campers like
Waterfront views: Sunset watching ranks high among visitor experiences in the region. At Whitehall Bay, Angela D. shared, "Best sunset of our whole trip! The campsites were spacious with trees and the view of the water was incredible, sunset was magnificent."
Family-friendly atmosphere: Lake Parsons attracts regular local visitors. Mark K. reports, "Me and my wife and grand kids love camping here every weekend," highlighting its consistent appeal for family outings.
Full hookup availability: Whitehall Bay provides convenient sewer connections at campsites. Sara H. appreciated an unexpected upgrade: "As we were parking, the gentleman caring for the park greeted us and on finding we had pre-registered, offered us an upgrade to a full hook up site."
Cost value: Several campgrounds offer affordable rates, particularly for seniors. At Whitehall Bay, one visitor noted their site was "only $8.50" with a senior national park pass, representing significant savings over comparable private campgrounds.
What you should know
Road conditions: Access to some campgrounds requires navigating challenging roads. At Whitehall Bay, J M. warns, "The last 4-5 miles are very narrow, with the vegetation growing right up to the pavement... The last 2-3 miles are riddled with potholes. Was gear was scattered inside by the time I got to my site."
Reservation limitations: Not all campgrounds allow advance bookings. Kayla J. notes about Lake Parsons: "You are not able to make reservations BUT we set up a day early and had some great campsites!"
Bathroom facilities: Facility maintenance varies between locations. Meghan B. reported at Gunn Park: "Bathrooms were a bit nasty. There was also a door marked showers, but had a coded lock."
Site spacing: Some campgrounds have tightly clustered sites. Brandon B. shared about their Whitehall Bay experience: "Our site was a group of three that were tightly grouped together in a full hook up area... we felt like we were right on top of our neighbors."
Tips for camping with families
Seasonal activities: Check for special events when planning family visits. At Gunn Park, Jason T. found "for five dollars you can fish and you can have a campfire permit pretty much anything you wanna do you can purchase by the day here for about five dollars each item."
Weather considerations: Wind can impact camping comfort in this region. Jason S. recalled at Cross Timbers: "The wind blew the entire time... kind of annoying, but if we were in the woods it didn't really bother us. Just need to pick a better site next time."
Wildlife viewing: Choose sites with natural surroundings for nature observation. The M. reports about Gunn Park: "We love the park beautiful and peaceful. It usually has few campers but alot of activities and so close to town it feels very safe day or night."
Yurt options: For families seeking yurt camping near Chanute, Kansas, Vinedo del Alamo Winery provides yurt accommodations with electricity and water hookups in a unique vineyard setting.
Tips from RVers
Leveling challenges: Prepare for uneven surfaces at older campgrounds. Neil S. advises about Gunn Park: "Sites are not level and need either more gravel or concrete. Most of the sites are 30 amp and no dump station."
Size restrictions: Large RVs face limitations at some locations. Neil warns, "Big rigs at some of the sites will have a problem. Remember this is an old campground."
Travel stop convenience: For those passing through the region, Chuck Wagon RV Park offers necessary amenities without frills. Dave B. notes it's a "Good travel stop" with "Full hook ups, 50 and 30 amp, pull through and back in. Small campground with no public showers or bathrooms, no WiFi but good ATT cell service."
Site selection strategy: At Lake Parsons, Kayla J. recommends: "We were parked right on the water. They have concrete slabs with a great picnic table for each site. There is no sewer and 50 amp service is only on one side."
