Looking for the best options for tent camping near Clay Center? The Dyrt helps you find campsites with tent camping near Clay Center. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your Kansas tent camping excursion.
Primitive camping is allowed in the designated areas.
The 179 acres surrounding the lake is a wildlife refuge, predominately riparian timber with some native grass on the upland area. Primitive camping is allowed on the west side of the lake. Boating is restricted to fishing only. The lake population includes Channel Catfish (which are stocked during the summer months thanks to funding from the Urban Fishing Program), Black bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Flat-head catfish, and Walleye.
North Overlook Park is a one of the many day use parks at Milford Lake with two shelters available for reservations, great fishing access, and a playground. Also within walking distance of the shelters is a baseball field, horseshoe pits and a volleyball court. With these features offered, North Overlook Park is sure to have something for the whole family. Click here for the Milford Lake Virtual Tour.
Activities at Milford Lake include boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking, wildlife viewing and biking. Milford Lake is known to have great sail boating opportunities as well.
Each shelter has picnic tables and grill available for use. Shelter 2 also has a sand volleyball court and horseshoe pits available. And there is a playground, vault toilet and baseball field located between the two shelters.
NATURAL FEATURES: Milford Lake is nestled on the edge of the Kansas Flint Hills and is fed by the Republican River. Milford Lake stands as the largest man-made lake in Kansas, with a surface area of 15,700 acres and 163 miles of shoreline. Milford Lake is also the home of the states third largest wetland and is known to a variety of wildlife.
The Milford Nature Center and Fish Hatchery is nearby just below the dam. There you can find live animal exhibits as well as learn about the ecosystems of Kansas. A golf course is adjacent to the nature center on the north end of the Dam and the town of Junction City is approximately five miles from North Overlook Shelter.
$25 / night
Outlet Park is a day use park at Milford Lake located just below the Milford Dam. With one shelter available for reservation, those visitors interested in angling and wildlife observation will enjoy its location near the Outlet Pond, a popular fishing pond and wildlife attractor. Inside the park is also a great fishing areas and access to the Riverwalk Trail. Click here for the Milford Lake Virtual Tour.
Activities at Milford Lake include boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking, wildlife viewing and biking. Milford Lake is known to have great sail boating opportunities as well.
The shelter has a vault toilet and grill available for use and also has a playground, horseshoe pit and sand volleyball court nearby. The shelter is located by a fishing pier which offers great fishing access.
Milford Lake is nestled on the edge of the Kansas Flint Hills and is fed by the Republican River. Milford Lake stands as the largest man-made lake in Kansas, with a surface area of 15,700 acres and 163 miles of shoreline. Milford Lake is also the home of the states third largest wetland and is known to a variety of wildlife.
The Milford Nature Center and Fish Hatchery is nearby just below the dam. There you can find live animal exhibits as well as learn about the ecosystems of Kansas. A golf course is adjacent to the nature center on the north end of the Dam and the town of Junction City is approximately five miles from North Overlook Shelter.
$25 / night
This recreation area is part of Milford Lake
This recreation area is part of Milford Lake
Of the 5,124 acres of public hunting now available on the area, over 1,900 acres are wetlands. The marshes are very shallow and have accumulated silt from the Marsh Creek watershed. As a result, the Department is embarking on a multiple year renovation for the areas wetlands beginning with Gun Club. Plans include new wetlands, new water control structures and renovation of existing wetlands by subdividing into units so water and vegetation can be managed more effectively. During renovation construction activities will impact and change uses of the area in the process of reaching the renovation goals. The goal of the renovation is to provide optimum wildlife habitat, improved user opportunities and play an important role in the overall Lower Republican River watershed management and life span of the marshes.
This area is located along a major migration route for the Central Flyway. The first waterfowl and shorebirds migrate through the area in late August. An 800-acre refuge is located at the north end of Gamekeeper Marsh. The refuge is closed to all activity from Oct. 1 through Mar. 1 except for the SPECIAL HUNTS conducted during hunting seasons. The refuge gives migratory birds a resting place and increases hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities on the area.
There are varieties of other wildlife habitats on the area. Upland birds and small game species use weeds, crop fields, grasses and shrubs, while big game prefers the timbered areas. The area offers excellent opportunities to view and photograph wildlife. Marsh Creek, Gamekeeper Dam, and Muskrat Landing are shallow boat landings for hunter access to waterfowl areas.
The limited public lands in Kansas require intensive wildlife management and some special restrictions. This area receives heavy hunting pressure. Wildlife population and hunter use surveys are conducted to evaluate management and the effects of heavy pressure on the area.
Map: https://ksoutdoors.com/content/download/26953/183708/version/1/file/Jamestown+Map.pdf
Legend
After having camped every night for the past several nights in cold weather, we decided to stay in a KOA Kamping Kabin this time. While we were in Colorado, it had gotten below freezing and it had snowed. It was time for a break. This campground should be rated on a scale of 1-10. I would give it a 9, but I gave it 4 stars because of two things. The road noise was constant since we were next to an Interstate highway. Also, if we had been tent camping, there would have been too much gravel. The playground was mostly dirt. For some people that would be a bad thing--for others, not so much. I only state readers would get as many details as possible. The tent sites are a little close together, as well as the RV sites, but that is to be expected. Other than the things I previously stated, this campground is large and has lots of activities. There are several things for children and young adults to do—gem mining, basketball, table tennis, fishing, volleyball, a jump pad, horseshoes, etc. The cabin we stayed in had plenty of space for outdoor relaxing. Although our cabin had a bath room, I was able to check out the bath house. It was modern, up to date, and well decorated(as you can see in the photos). This campground probably gets more visitors passing through than people looking to come here as a destination, but Salina does have its share of things to do. By the way, if you’re looking for good Chinese food, you need to check out Great Wall in Salina. It is takeout only, but it is well worth taking it back to the campground. If you don’t like Chinese, there are plenty of other options. Overall, I think this is a great campground and I do recommend it(except for the road noise).
Scout
While our family loved the scenery this is not a lake for tent camping. Unless you like sleeping at an angle. Very limited tent camping as well. This lake is made for those with RVS
Guide
Kansas has over 40 state fishing lakes with free camping. Lots of fishermen. I’d say over a dozen camping sites. We had a shelter, picnic table, toilet building, view of the lake. We rode our motorcycles here to tent camp. Raccoon couldn’t wait for me to zip my tent to come out and see what we left out.
GuideVery nice laundry room and bathroom facilities! Standard tent camping site. Nice staff - check out the postcards in the office!
Traveler
Tent camping. RV camping. Great pull through spots and lots of full grown trees for big shade. Great grounds and many many lakes side spots.
Guide
Had a great time. The tent camping area has been closed since 2019 which is disappointing since we were there with a tent in the middle of a bunch of RV’s. Still a beautiful spot. The check in process was severely frustrating. They only do online. So when we got there with little sun left it took 30 minutes to actually reserve the spot.
Traveler
We tent camped here and enjoyed our stay. The food, pizza, was excellent. The staff brought our order to our site. We enjoyed a swim in the pool to cool off due to the temperature being in mid 90's. The bathrooms were air conditioned and clean. Overall, this campground is a good one and we recommend it!
GuideWent with a buddy for tent camping 1 night this August. Clean area with plenty of firewood and a picnic table. Paid 14$ for a campsite, grass definitely could of been trimmed at our designated campsite. card only at the entrance because of COVID-19 at the moment. We camped right across from the boat ramp but was still a beautiful view
Scout
Last 4th of July my family and friends went tent camping here. There is a nice beach area to swim, we rented kayaks and canoes for a leisurely paddle around the lake. Our camp site had plenty of over head cover from the sun.
Overall a very pleasant experience, especially for those looking to get away, but not too far away.
GuideKOA campgrounds are a quick stopover for us, never a destination. This location has it all. Cabins, tent sites. Great RV sites, even a yurt! Some highway noise. Clean, great kid play area (with ping pong) and a nice playground. New furniture provided and built in fire pits.
ScoutKOA campgrounds are a quick stopover for us, never a destination. This location has it all. Cabins, tent sites. Great RV http://essaypapers.reviews/ sites, even a yurt! Some highway noise. Clean, great kid play area(with ping pong) and a nice playground. New furniture provided and built in fire pits.
Scout
I stayed here as i was driving through Kansas, so it was just a quick overnight, but it was very beautiful and peaceful.
I arrived pretty late, about 8:15pm, and there was no one at the gate when I arrived so I was a little worried, but I pulled up their email that had all of the information and between that and the park signs I was able to easily make my way to my campsite--which was BEAUTIFUL! I stayed in spot A18, and if you are tent camping I would choose that one if you can. It is the last spot in the row of sites and is bordered on two other sides by the lake so you can have an uninterrupted view
GuideWe loved this place. Pool, playground, jumping pad, horse shoes, roomy tent sites, gem mining, friendly staff, great price. My sister did hurt herself on the slide... but we are adults so maybe it’s our fault. YOLO. She’ll be fine. We had a ton of fun. This was a nice stop on our way. They also had bikes and a train for the kids.
Traveler
Ottawa SFL, located in the rolling plains of Kansas, offers a serene outdoor experience for campers and nature enthusiasts. With tent sites available, it provides an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the surrounding landscape. The area experiences a wide range of temperatures, from cold winters with lows in the 20s(°F) to hot summers reaching the 90s(°F), making seasonal planning essential for visitors. Nearby attractions include the Milford Nature Center and Milford State Park, both offering excellent opportunities for wildlife observation, hiking, and other outdoor activities. While information on connectivity and amenities such as WiFi and cellular service remains unclear, Ottawa SFL is an ideal destination for those seeking a peaceful retreat in nature.
Legend
Cedar point has some very spacious primitive and tent sites. There are also some with electric and water. Some of the sites in this campground have nice water views. Most have fire rings and tables. There are restrooms, bath house, trash receptacles and a dump. There is also a swim beach and a hiking trail. It’s a very pretty area and this park has wildlife to view like the large flock of turkey vultures who live in the dead trees of cedar point.
Traveler
Driving across Kansas can be long and tedious and I'm often looking for a place to primitive-car-camp on the cheap to get some sleep while crossing the country. This little lake worked perfectly for me. Not a huge detour from I-70 (maybe 20-30 minutes total) - I found the campground completely empty on a Monday night in early September and woke up with a picnic table and a fire pit next to a calm lake with jumping fish and just a few local fisherman visible in various spots. There were no annoying gates or camp managers or $ charges, and that's perfect for my purposes.. Made a cup of coffee by the lake and got back on the road. I didn't see bathroom/shower/electrical or any other "advanced" services so this is more for those of us who just need a peaceful place to tent camp.
Legend
So I was excited after seeing so many great reviews for this campground. Even more so when I arrived and saw how beautiful green and lush the area was. I did however discover the campground was locked and a sign had been placed at the entrance of the camp that it would not be opening again until April 2020.
A little confused because there were RV campers inside I explored inside and around and discovered this is partially due to recent rains flooding a portion of the campground. I completely understood that however the elevated RV spaces were still functional and not at risk.
The location itself is beautiful with lake views on 2 sides of the camp. You are only a short distance from the boat launch and day use area which have many more signs of recent rain with trees nearly completely underwater in this area.
The roads are paved, wide and well maintained. The bathrooms available on site are mainly vault toilets however in the camp there are some improvements.
Tent camping is only $14 well worth it if the campground were open in my opinion!! I will for sure be coming back!
Legend
Sunset Ridge is a small tenting campground along side sunset cabins. Sunset ridge is nicely shaded. Each site has a covered picnic shelter and grill. The sites are nice and spacious. The cabins to have large shelters with tables and grill. There are 5 cabins all with horse breed names and there is one that is ADA.
LegendThis might be the metropolis of this area but when the Walmart in town closes at midnight you know it is a sleepy little town. With that said it was nice to find this site to lay my head in the sleepy town.
The sites were level and pretty typical of a KOA. The staff was very nice and accommodating and walked me over to my tent site when I arrived. Very nice touch!
The bathrooms here were warm on a cold night and very clean. You could tell they take care of this facility very well. I had missed the pool season but with the cool air I didn't mind missing the cold water I was just wanting to stay warm.
For a basic site which included a fire ring and picnic table it was $24 that included access to wifi.
The only negative to getting a primitive site was that it was pretty windy and there wasn't really any wind block, I could have sprung for an upgraded site had I have realized there was going to be so much wind but that is my fault not theirs.
TravelerWhen camping in Kansas you must try the Rocky Ford Campground in Tuttle State Park River Pond Area. This is a great shaded area with water views and full hookups. There are great secluded sites or sites you can camp next to friends or family. There are huge cottonwood trees that are wrapped with green vines during the summer months that guide you through the park. Make sure and put your food away at night or the raccoons will be dining at your table during the night. Site #44 is our favorite spot to hang the hammock and relax after biking or hiking the trails.
Guide
Great spot to fish swim or boat. Set up tent in the dark and woke up to an amazing view.
Traveler
Traveled in 38’ Class A Motorhome
Totally awesome resort - everything you need... from cabin, rv, tent or yurks! Nestled on a beautiful lake. Definitely will stay again!
Traveler
Sties are scattered around a circular drive through this small city park. There is an area for tents in the center, RVs around the perimeter. There are electric connections in some of the spots. Not very well defined…you drive up over the curb to park for some spots.
Tenting is free. I'm in a van and did not need electric so I assume it's also free to stay. I saw no place to pay anyway.
busy little place in the evening. Very quite at night. Clean. Safe. Restrooms no showers.
Traveler
We need a quick spot to stay overnight and Walt’s did not disappoint. $20 / per night for a tent spot. Looks like they have a ton of fun things to do!
Legend
Milford lake is a large beautiful lake near Junction City Kansas. There are 8 different campgrounds around the lake,3 cabin areas, multiple marinas and day use areas and swim beaches. There is an equestrian campground with stalls and trails. We really like Prairie View with our camper door facing the lake. Loved the wild life too
GuideFound this spot and had to share! Plenty of tent spots and places to park an RV. Vault toilets available. Boat ramps available. Best part is its FREE!
TravelerClean facility. Spaces for all types from tents to motor homes. Level shaded spaces. All pull through. Food available on site or stores within minutes. Swimming pool in season.
Tent camping near Clay Center, Kansas offers a variety of scenic spots and amenities for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several campgrounds that cater to tent campers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Clay Center, KS?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Clay Center, KS is Pottawatomie County State Lake #2 with a 4.2-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Clay Center, KS?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Clay Center, KS, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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