Top Tent Camping near Clinton Lake
Looking for the best options for tent camping near Clinton Lake? Finding a place to camp in Kansas with your tent has never been easier. Search nearby tent campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Best Tent Sites Near Clinton Lake, KS (10)
1.
Woodridge Park
Clinton Lake, Kansas13 Reviews22 Photos148 SavesThis recreation area is part of Clinton Lake
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Trash
4.
Shawnee State Fishing Lake
Meriden, Kansas2 Reviews2 Photos4 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
- Trash
5.
Scott Creek Campground
Hillsdale, Kansas1 Review1 Photo28 SavesScott Creek Campground features 60 campsites all with water and electricity. Sites 21,33 and 60 are 50 amp sites. Reservations can be made 2 days in advance at reserveamerica.com. There are two shelters available for campers to use on a first come first serve basis. Scott Creek has a vault toilet but no shower house. Camp Hosts and self-pay stations are available at each campground.
- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
$10 - $50 / night
6.
Overlook Park
Be the first to review!Baldwin City, Kansas4 SavesOverview
This day-use picnic area, located just north of Clinton Lake in the hills of Kansas, is the perfect spot for a party or family gathering.
Natural Features:
Congress authorized Clinton Lake in 1962, and the finished reservoir was filled in 1980. While the Dam and Reservoir were originally built for flood control, the area has now become a recreational oasis for millions of visitors to enjoy the beautiful green Kansas backdrop.
Clinton Lakes beautiful setting of steep bluffs, wooded shoreline and clear water is unequaled among Kansas lakes. Shoreline development has been limited in an effort to preserve as much of the natural setting as possible.
Clinton spans 8 miles up the Wakarusa Valley and covers 7,000 surface acres. If the lake ever approaches the top of its flood pool, an additional 5,800 acres will be covered, extending the area to 13 miles along the valley floor.
Recreation:
A horseshoe pit, sand volleyball court, softball field and playground are all provided at Overlook Park.
Clinton Lake offers opportunities for boating, fishing, canoeing, jet skiing, swimming and countless other water sports, making it the main attraction to area.
The lakes fish and wildlife resources provide sightseers, fishermen, and hunters ample opportunities for their sports, and Clinton Lake is well-stocked with crappie, walleye, channel catfish and white bass.
Wildlife viewing is also a popular activity, with bald eagles, white-tailed deer, Canada geese, wild turkey and other wildlife in abundance at Clinton Lake.
Three trail systems are located around Clinton Lake, including the North Shore, South Shore and the George Latham Trails. All offer hiking, biking and equestrian opportunities within a 20 minute drive.
Facilities:
Overlook Park has two picnic shelters available for up to 100 guests. Flush toilets and drinking water are available for visitors convenience.
Nearby Attractions:
The Visitor Center, located on the northwest side of the dam, just down the road from Overlook Park, has several informative displays covering topics such as the history of the area, reasons for the dam and the wildlife in the area.
- Pets
- Electric Hookups
- Reservable
- Tents
- Group
- Toilets
7.
Marysville
Be the first to review!Hillsdale, Kansas3 SavesThis recreation area is part of Hillsdale Lake
- Reservable
- Tents
8.
Atchison State Fishing Lake
Atchison, Kansas1 Review3 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
- Picnic Table
9.
Sun Dance Park
Be the first to review!Lebo, Kansas1 SaveThis recreation area is part of Melvern Lake
- Tents
Recent Tent Reviews In Clinton Lake
355 Reviews of 10 Clinton Lake Campgrounds
Osage State Fishing Lake
pretty lake views
Pretty lake views, easy to drive in and find pretty private sites, and some fire ring
Warnock Lake Park
Quiet with what you need
Stayed for a one nighter on a tent site. Area was clean and maintained. There is no restroom close to tent sites but it is just up the hill at the rv side.. also when I decided to camp here showers were not listed as an amenitie but there are showers in the restroom which was a present surprise. My kid enjoyed the playground near the lake and I enjoyed the disc golf course on site. Bring cash for your fees to put in the drop box.
Outlet(melvern)
Our favorite local hangout
Beautiful well-kept park with gorgeous trails, beach, lots of shade, and quiet camping. We’ve been here three times now and just love it. Outlet park is below the dam. If you’re into fishing/boating the giant lake has a marina with everything you need to get out on the water as well as a kitchen where they serve hamburgers and other food items. The Marina is currently closed as of 8-2-24 due to weather damage but will reopen.
Clinton State Park Campground
Close to town but far enough to enjoy the wilderness
Overall it was a good experience. We came on a weekend with good weather and were able to reserve easily a couple days in advance. There were a few campers near to us that we could see but no one that was right next to us and we couldn't hear them at all.
Pros:
Access to "modern" toilets that flushed. While the one closest to us was closed (see cons) there was one a bit further, maybe another 4 minutes walk away that was open. It had a few stalls and were in decent enough condition.
PLENTY of wildlife. Bunnies, Racoons (and babies), PLENTY of deer, a possum.
Bugs - While I've been here in early July and the bugs made me want to scream, in late July it seems they are better or at least being more in the open helped. A few flies and mosquitos. Nothing too bad.
Cons:
- It didn't seem like the host was there. There was a car driving around that asked us where a campsite was but it was in a weird format and they said the host wasn't around.
- The bathrooms nearest to us were a modern toilet and they were closed, but it didn't really say they were closed so the only indication was no lights and more spiders than I care to admit.
- Many of the camping areas (a vast majority) are surrounded by woodland and brush that makes it impossible to see, or even smell the lake. Getting down to it is a bit of a chore if you choose to do so.
- Though it had rained a few days before our campsite was bone dry, which is fine except that the ground was so hard that 80% of our set up time was trying to stake in. Could have just been our location though
Clinton State Park Campground
Not bad
Nice park in a beautiful setting. Only downside was the bugs were horrible here. Swarms of gnats and mosquitoes. The bathrooms were pretty dated too.
Weston Bend State Park Campground
Short stay
Very nice lots was a Lil disappointed because this camp site was in mid missori and the agent I contacted it from was in meridian ms and had never been there was told it would have water n 30 amp service but all that was there was 30 amp no water but it was really nice I didn't have time to stay long just the night .
Leavenworth Kansas State Fishing Lake
Nice and quiet
Camped here several days in late June. The were very few campers, even on the weekends. Many slept in their cars and left at first light. I assume they went fishing at the lake. Bathroom was a little rough but manageable.
Louisburg Middle Creek State Fishing Lake
Quiet FCFS
Camp spots are lakeside and adjacent to the launch ramp.
Topeka / Capital City KOA
The longer pull thru sites are Buddy site- we didn’t realize this
Our site was $56.78 We were in Site# 59 The check in was at 12pm but the office was closed until 3:30pm so we grabbed our sheet left out front and got ourselves to our site.
We had Full hook- up with a gravel pull-through.
We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site along with my jeep (although the Jeep had to be parked straight across the front of our site to fit in). Also we were right on the highway.The site was easy to level.
Our site was not shaded and without any trees. The most FRUSTRATING part is that this was a buddy site (that is NO WHERE on their website). We have rescue dogs and don’t want to share our space with neighbors we don’t know. Literally no one wants to Kumbaya by the fireside with complete strangers. Therefore our trip went from one week originally to two nights. We would have left the next day but the husband wanted to see the Evel Knievel museum.The lot does not have a concrete patio but has a picnic table and fire grate.
They have a community fire pit with multiple swings around it. They sell wood for $6 a bundle.
They do not provide garbage service at your site so you must walk to garbage dumpster at the entrance.
You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. They do not provide golf cart rentals. There is really not a need to have a Golf cart because it is a smaller campground.
They do have a saltwater Swimming pool. They have a catch and release fishing pond.
There is a Playground. They also offer a weight room and an adorable activities room with air hockey, a library, & a pool table. There is also a scenic walking trail. The trail is almost a mile and they’ve kept it mowed and easy to identify.
They have a basic general store. There is not a snack bar/restaurant on site.
The streets are gravel so not great for riding bikes.
They have cabins for rent and a tent area (electric & primitive options).
They have 2 shower houses. The shower house in the main barn has individual shower/toilet/sink areas. The shower house in the park has the typical stalls. These are kept very clean.
There is a laundry facility in both shower houses. It is a cash only facility.
They have a fenced in dog park which is unfortunately located in the front of the park away from RV sites.
Some fun things to do outside of the campground are the Evel Knievel museum and Brown vs. Board of Education historical park.
Staff are very kind. I would definitely stay here in the future but will know to secure a site that isn’t shared with others
Osage State Fishing Lake
Quick, easy, clean
On a road trip off the 70, pulled over to camp for the night! Quiet, only a few other campers around.. lovely nighttime sounds. Firepit. Some trash from other campers.. remember to pack it in and pack it out!
Clinton State Park Campground
Peaceful
Camped out at site 13 for a real peaceful Saturday. Half of our group took the trail and hiked to the campsite, the other half got there by kayak/paddleboard. The site was very secluded and had a very interesting layout. Lots of hammock tree setups too.
Only real issue we had was there wasn’t a lot of flat ground. The tents we pitched were pretty close to the fire, and the biggest patch of flat ground was down wind from the fire.
Weston Bend State Park Campground
Site 26 is Peaceful
This was our 2nd stay at Weston Bend SP. Both times, we had site 26, one of the few basic sites. While some of the other sites were very close to each other, this one is relatively isolated. It's big too. There's a vault toilet close by. It was clean and roomy. We didn't use the water but there are a few spigot throughout the campground. There's also a regular restroom near the campground entrance, but we didn't use it. We will definitely camp here again if we are passing through.
Deer Creek Valley RV Park
Amazing RV Park
This is an amazing park. The spot was 55 with a 5.50 Good Sam discount. It is gated, several spots mostly pull through. The roads and parking spots are all concrete with grass and picnic tables. Laundry, bathrooms, showers. Swimming pool and kids play yard. Large fenced pet area. This is just off interstate 70. The reservation desk was very friendly. Would highly recommend.
Woodridge Park
Nice campground with a group
We recently took our scout troop to Woodridge and had ample space for the group. The 4.5 mile trail was a nice activity for the scouts during the morning. The trail was moderately difficult and could be problematic if raining. The vault toilet was pretty clean and well taken care of. It was fairly busy between the car campers and those who utilized one of the many hike in sites. Several of the hike in sites looked promising and I hope to one day return and use one as well.
Osage State Fishing Lake
Very pretty, mostly peaceful
We found a great spot for our van that was right on the water and mostly secluded. Got pretty busy on the weekend and people had loose dogs that were causing some problems, but otherwise very chill. Lake is beautiful, decent cell service with Verizon. Pit toilets in good shape when we arrived Thursday afternoon but kind of rough by the end of the weekend.
Camp in main area to be near toilets, otherwise there’s lots of loops near the water where you can find sites with more privacy. No trash so pack it out.
Woodridge Park
Fine for a night, not longer
It was pretty crowded and most car camping sites were taken when we got in at 8pm on a Wednesday in may. Some folks appeared to be staying long-term and had left their dogs completely unattended with only one tied up so they were just wandering the campground.
We left after a night because cell service wasn’t very good (1 bar on Verizon/at and t/t mobile) and the loose dog repeatedly wandering into our campsite was upsetting our dog. Sites down the trail for tents seemed okay.
Bloomington East - Clinton Lake
Great spot- Quiet and not busy
Stayed one night in Walnut at site 286. $20 a night. Clean showers and bathrooms. Plenty of hot water. Plenty of spaces in walnut, hickory was busier. Beautiful lake.
Weston Bend State Park Campground
Quiet campground close to many Kansas City attractions
Campground is hilly, sites are level, gravel pads. Lots of space between sites. Electric sites, no water, but water spigots were scattered around the campground. Majority of sites had shade. Most sites are back in, there are 2 pull through sites and 2 family sites. Firewood is available for sale on the honor system near the camp host. Nice shower facilities and laundry available (one washer, one dryer). Regular trash dumpster and also recycling. Pit toilets also available. Dump station across from dumpsters and recycling. Entrance gate closes at 9 pm.
Basswood Country RV Resort
Very mixed bag
We booked a site here on our drive back East in August 2023. I saw “resort” and was like “Sign me up” after some real hot and grimy parks earlier in the trip.
Ultimately, most of the amenities were closed by the time we arrived. The game room, the restaurant, and store were all closing or closed. My kids did get some pool time (it was a nice pool) and loved the blob (whatever you call the bounce pads). There was a nice playground, pavilion and courts.
What is weird is that this is almost two parks - the front is the “resort” or old-fashioned campground, but where we were placed was in the back with what looked like a lot of long-term, single male residents. It was a longish-walk to front where the pool and store was and it definitely didn’t feel like a resort.
There were spots open in the front closer to the pool and lake - if we had camped there I think the experience would have been different.
Clinton State Park Campground
Relaxing Car/Tent Camping Spot
Pros Off-season was quiet Open bathrooms were nice and well kept. Easy access to trails Lots of wildlife, vultures, deer, etc. Well marked and plenty of them spots Marina was a quick bike ride away and had a lot to offer during the season. Primate loops had some good spacing and tree cover, along with views of the lake. Inner loops not so much Potable water available year round. Was drinkable.
Cons Signs marked closed bathrooms but not the closest open bathrooms. One per campsite was still open with heat and electric. Weirdly all vaults were closed Office and hosts were unavailable so we had to leave for Casey's for firewood. While before the season, someone told us it's typically impossible to get firewood because the office is usually closed. Signs to the entrance to park and n avigation were pretty small, impossible to read at night, not lit. Electric parking pass only issued one day pass at a time. Would do the paper pass across the parking lot next time. Spacing is definitely a bit crowded for tent camping privacy this time of year. Will be curious to see how it feels in the summer/fall.
Leavenworth Kansas State Fishing Lake
Quiet spot
This is a small remote lake of about 160 acres water area. A county road takes you through the area and across the dam. There are gravel pull off areas and a lakeside gravel road. The pit toilet is not well maintained. Not suitable for larger vehicles.
Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA
Ridiculous
Had to call numerous times to acully get thru. Asked about 6 weeks of staying. Inquired about long term. Was told that it would cost me $3400.00 to stay a mo th here. That's insane
Weston Bend State Park Campground
Absolutely beautiful
This place is absolutely beautiful great for taking your family but if you need RV parts or repairs stay away from Camping World they will rip you off or even if you want to purchase an RV read the reviews on them.
Coeur D'alene
Off season Free Camping
Stayed here off season for free. They do not close the gates so you can enter but no access to facilities, water or electric. Campground slopes to the river so very few level sites. Some noise from the road but otherwise peaceful as nobody was there.
Topeka / Capital City KOA
Lots of highway noise! 🛣️
Stopping for a quick overnight at the Topeka KOA, the staff was very nice. There is a small store with plenty of affordable firewood which was great for our chilly night. The bathrooms were large and very clean. Being a dog friendly campground, it had a cute little fenced area, but lots of poop not picked up which takes away the fun. (not the campgrounds fault, but nevertheless, no fun to be around. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is the proximity to the highway. We had a “deluxe rv site” that backed up to the highway. So tons of highway noise all night. Additionally, the sites were pretty close together and our neighbors had an outdoor tv that was blasting for hours. Takes away from peaceful camping. In the way n, less than a mile from the campground is Happy Basset Brewing Co. - highly recommend, as well as the food truck that was on site On the Hook!! 🐟🍟
Topeka / Capital City KOA
Nice clean place to spend the night
Bath and showers were clean. Campsite was gravel with full hookups. Had to level the camper ever so slightly. Small amount of highway noise. Good cell service signal. Friendly staff.
Pomona State Park Campground
Peaceful
The park is very quiet 7/26/22. My wife is working, and I am setting and listening to the soothing sounds of nature, and trying not to fall asleep. Lol, absolutely beautiful
Guide to Clinton Lake
Camping near Clinton Lake, Kansas, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
What to do:
- Hiking: Explore the trails around the area. At Clinton State Park Campground, one camper mentioned, "PLENTY of wildlife. Bunnies, raccoons, and deer were everywhere!" This makes for a great hiking experience.
- Fishing: Enjoy fishing at Bloomington East - Clinton Lake. A reviewer said, "The site is perfectly shaded by large trees," making it a nice spot to relax while waiting for a catch.
- Kayaking: Rent a kayak at Eisenhower State Park Campground. One visitor shared, "We could walk to the lakeshore," which is perfect for launching your kayak.
What campers like:
- Clean facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the restrooms and showers. A review from Lake Shawnee County Campground noted, "The showers were amazing with great water pressure."
- Wildlife sightings: Many campers enjoy the wildlife. At Hillsdale State Park, a camper mentioned, "Lots of wildlife, vultures, deer, etc.," which adds to the camping experience.
- Quiet atmosphere: Campers often seek peace and quiet. A review for Woodridge Park stated, "Beautiful free camping... I didn’t see a single other person."
What you should know:
- Bugs can be a nuisance: Be prepared for bugs, especially in warmer months. A camper at Bloomington East - Clinton Lake said, "The bugs were horrible here. Swarms of gnats and mosquitoes."
- Limited amenities: Some campgrounds may have fewer amenities. A review for Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA mentioned, "The bathrooms are not handicapped accessible," which could be a concern for some visitors.
- Crowded during peak times: Expect busier campgrounds during weekends and holidays. A visitor at Walnut Grove RV Park noted, "Nice quiet park... but it can get busy."
Tips for camping with families:
- Choose family-friendly campgrounds: Look for places with activities for kids. At Topeka / Capital City KOA, a reviewer said, "They have a playground and a saltwater swimming pool," making it a great spot for families.
- Plan for activities: Make sure to have a list of activities. A camper at Perry State Park Campground mentioned, "Great place for a day or two... easy breezin'," which is perfect for families looking for a short getaway.
- Pack snacks and drinks: Keep everyone happy with snacks. A visitor at Russel Crites - Hillsdale State Park noted, "The host's are friendly and knowledgeable," which can help you find local spots for supplies.
Tips from RVers:
- Check site sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A review for Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA mentioned, "The sites were pretty close together," which could be a concern for larger rigs.
- Look for full hookups: Ensure you have the necessary hookups for your RV. A camper at Walnut Grove RV Park said, "Good sized gravel lots," which is ideal for RV parking.
- Be mindful of noise: Some campgrounds can be noisy. A visitor at Topeka / Capital City KOA noted, "Tons of highway noise all night," so consider that when choosing your spot.
Camping near Clinton Lake, Kansas, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just be prepared for the bugs and the crowds, and you'll have a great time!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Clinton Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Clinton Lake is Woodridge Park with a 4.7-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Clinton Lake?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Clinton Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.