The best camping near
Council Grove Lake, KANSAS

Small RV park however, it is a nice place. Owners are very nice people.

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!

When visiting Milford State Park one of the first camping loops you find is Prairie View Campground which is why many find it so appealing.   It has great cell signal, close proximity to the front office and highway and borders upon the lake.    But with that lake access also comes a very scary reality during rainy season.   This campground is prone to lower sites flooding when rains are abundant.    However no one could have prepared for massive rains which took an already vulnerable large campground and turned it into a very small limited access site.

Of the campgrounds available at Milford Lake this is one of the few which remain open despite waters swelling and swallowing the majority of the camp during the 2019 season.

Campsites offer electricity and picnic tables with a variety of styles of sites including pull through and back in.    However with man of these underwater it is hard to find a site currently that feels safe and high enough to merit camping here.

This campground has a lot of promise with their facility.    There is plenty of shade in the area making for a very comfortable stay when not experiencing rising waters.   There is firewood available from the campground host as you enter the campground and 2 loops for camping offer plenty of options during peak season.

Currently there are less than 10 sites available at this location, road is barricaded and the waters are literally in the backyard of all sites as it has created a peninsula.   

Typically there is shore access for fishing in this campground.

TIPS:

• Call ahead before visiting this park as a whole to check conditions.  With limited locations for camping currently available you will be happier by checking in advance rather than coming and experiencing being turned away.
• Book online or pay at the pay station with cash.    No cards are accepted at the pay station and mostly of the time there is no one in the check in booth at the gate.

Traveling to this State Park I didn't know much what to expect.   I did know that a lot of the camping was not accessible because of the recent flooding but they did maintain the self pay station for those wanting to snag the limited sites available.    I can only imagine with the upcoming Labor Day weekend this will still be hot ticket!  

When I checked out this campground the sites seemed larger and more spacious overall.   The upper loop still had that camping neighborhood vibe with sites clumped together a bit more closely but each was shaded and had a nice pull in and included a fire ring and picnic table, in some cases more than one.

There was a nice restroom area which included showers, something many of the campgrounds did not have so this was a hot commodity for sure.   

I can imagine this being a great location for RV campers with relatively even pull ins and for tents alike with lush grassy areas.   This campground did offer connections and water around camp.

On the lower loop it was a Bir more secluded and felt more spacious.    I preferred the short walk to the restroom to keep that privacy.   

Many of these sites were located on shoreline directly or on the cliffside of the area with great views.    Unfortunately these were also the ones which were more effected by the floods so only a portion of the area was able to be accessed.

Tips:

* Book Online or carry cash, there is no fee station currently and self pay is the only option.   This does not allow you to use card.

* Check the weather in advance.   There are many options for camping at the park when the weather has not been terrible but with limited sites available currently you will want to make sure you plan ahead with the weather and seek higher sites.

* Bring your fishing pole or boat, this lake is amazing for fishing and has plenty of places you can launch your water vessel of choice.

This area is unique as a part of the overall parks area.   Providing mostly day use they have used this as overflow upon occasion according to the lake office.   It has vault toilets and not much more for campers however.   There are no clearly marked camping locations as this is only used as overflow and for special event camping.

The area is mainly used as day use and does have some really nice features for that. There are several pavilions and covered areas for shaded picnics and functions.    Additionally there are several volley ball areas spread throughout and maintained well.    

There is an older playground near the boat ramp and a much nicer and newer one located closest to the larger parking area and largest pavilion.    

The main draw to this area is the swimming beach which is the best of the parks offerings with sandy bars and well maintained grassy areas for shade.   However, due to recent flooding the are is not currently deemed as safe for swimming and now is more of a collection of water foul enjoying the banks casually.

If you are visiting the area this is a location I would definitely check this part of the lake out and give it a shot for day use.   Also check with the lake information center to see if they are hosting special events which allow you to camp and reserve in advance!!

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!

This is a nicely maintained state park. All the amenities you'd expect. No complaints. Truck stop a few miles away that had a really good breakfast and giant cinnamon rolls!

Nice little lake with free camp sites

Gotta say this was my first attempt at free camping and this place did not disappoint. Since my stay I have learned the area I camped has been designated as day use only by the ACoE, but I say as long as there aren't signs posted, (there weren't when I went) you're safe to set up camp. You turn into the park and before the pay sites, there are two left turns, the first is for RVs and the second is for tents and cars. We arrived the first weekend after Labor Day 2018 and we only saw 2-3 other campers there, and we even made a friend for the night. In total I would say there are about 7-8 official sites with fire rings, but there is plenty of space regardless. We arrived at dusk and as soon as we got our tents up we were greeted by the largest swarm of dragonflies I had ever seen in my life. Didn't have an issue with bitey bugs, but the bugs were plentiful. The lake is nice too, with cranes swooping in and out and we were treated to a wonderful sunrise. That place was just overall a good omen for the beginning of our trip. We plan to use this place as our main waypoint to the west.(Hope to run into you again someday, James!)

Another KOA that just loves gravel! The road in is paved, but there is gravel (and dust) everywhere else. There is also very little shade - so is was hot in July! There is a nice, but small, salt water swimming pool that was refreshing after driving 8 hours. And a small dog park. There is a small store/ gift shop with basics. The shower/bathroom was clean.