15 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA and Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park offer luxury glamping accommodations within easy reach of Edwardsville. These sites feature premium glamping options with electric hookups, comfortable beds, climate control, and dedicated fire rings for evening relaxation. "This place was fantastic all the way around," noted one visitor about their glamping experience in the region. Both locations maintain well-appointed accommodations that blend outdoor charm with resort-style amenities, including on-site markets, modern shower facilities, and reserved picnic areas surrounding each glamping unit. Full hookup service and reliable Wi-Fi connectivity enable guests to enjoy nature without sacrificing modern comforts.
Hillsdale State Park houses distinctive yurt accommodations alongside hiking trails, boat access, and waterfront views within a 30-minute drive from Edwardsville. The park maintains year-round accessibility with laundry facilities and fifty-amp electrical service for climate-controlled glamping units. Watkins Mill State Park Campground similarly offers upscale glamping cabins with picnic tables, fire rings, and shower access within preserved natural surroundings. A recent visitor mentioned, "Big sites, lots of shade" when describing their glamping experience at one of these parks. Both locations require reservations, particularly during summer weekends when premium glamping accommodations fill quickly. Proximity to Kansas City provides convenient urban access while maintaining the secluded, natural setting that defines the boutique camping experience.
"We went back around and the person moved so we could get water. After that, we headed to pull through site 28 with electric(50/30/20 AMP) only."
"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."
from $15 - $52 / night
Check Availability"We live near Crow’s Creek, and enjoy making spur of the moment camping trips here throughout the year. There are many spacious tent sites with great views of the lake."
"We had a nice RV site with electric. The best part is the view of and access to the lake! So beautiful and relaxing. We had a nice gravel site with fire ring and picnic table."
"Camp ground was very clean and the staff is very helpful! Drive you right to the campsite so no need to have to look for it. Pizza delivery a d wood was a nice touch."
"I’m in my 30s traveling solo and this stop was a great place to regroup and take advantage of their amenities like shower, laundry, etc. The bathrooms were clean and the staff was very friendly."
"Both electric and primitive sites are available."
"The staff were very friendly from start to finish. Our site was perfect for our 32 foot travel trailer. Our site was shaded. as were many others on the campground."
"My kids love camping here, we came in an RV and we're barely ever inside it until we were ready to sleep."
"Stayed on the A loop and had a beautiful view of the lake! Nice to be close to bathrooms and have a gorgeous view."
"The bike trail is about 3 steps away from our site. only downside is it is only electric hookups. ( only a downside if you are a travel trailer/rv)"
"Close to Kansas City so it makes a great quick getaway. Clean, friendly, and right next to Smithville Lake. Our pick for a short trip."
"Of everywhere Smith's Fork is the only one (so far) that offers Electric (30 & 50 amp), Water (2) and Sewer at every campsite. At just $30 per day it is a steal!"
"All spots have plenty of shade when we walked around. Shower house and bathrooms were clean and nice. Lots of things to do such as boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing and swimming."
"The only downside is that the spots, while larger, are fairly open (in the area around 92). I prefer a spot that has a tucked away fire pit and table, but this worked OK for us."
from $15 - $46 / night
Check Availability"A couple miles down a secluded drive, nestled back in the woods right on the lake. Lots of trees, nice shower house. Camp host is friendly and laid back. Pet friendly, well lit."
"This campground is close to home for us, but we love it as a quick get away. It has beautiful, tree-covered campsites that offer direct access to the lake. "
from $10 / night
Check Availability"Stayed here for one night after driving down from Nebraska. Great place to set up for the night, clean bathrooms, a nice fire pit, and plenty of room to set up a tarp for the rain."
"The tent campsites are just a small patch of turf, but they do have tables and a nice fire pit."
from $45 - $130 / night
Check Availability
TravelerStayed on the A loop and had a beautiful view of the lake! Nice to be close to bathrooms and have a gorgeous view. Friendly staff, great price, and campsites have a fire pit with a grill, and a picnic table. We’ll be back!
TravelerGood:
New management seems friendly and helpful.
Laundry facilities acceptable. ($1.25 to wash)
Propane fill on site.
Pool and restrooms closed during my stay, appear nice enough.
Bad: Noise. Mostly from the highway, but also trains and air traffic. Situated between two neighborhoods, the highway, and an RV dealership. Did I mention noise? WiFi is laughable.
Phone/internet service is low average.
Overall, adequate. Nothing too bad (except the noise), and nothing to rave about.
TravelerStayed here for three nights. All spots have plenty of shade when we walked around. Shower house and bathrooms were clean and nice. Lots of things to do such as boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing and swimming. Fire pits were even nice with an attached grill grate.
TravelerStayed here for one night after driving down from Nebraska. Great place to set up for the night, clean bathrooms, a nice fire pit, and plenty of room to set up a tarp for the rain. Not too much privacy as there’s not very many trees around and the sites are close together but otherwise a great campground!
ScoutCamp ground was very clean and the staff is very helpful! Drive you right to the campsite so no need to have to look for it. Pizza delivery a d wood was a nice touch. Laundry room was nice and easy to use. Everything is very close in the campground. Close to downtown
GuideWe stayed for two days in spot #92. Many of the spots have a good amount of room, but there are some that looked tricky to level. 92 was fine for leveling. The only downside is that the spots, while larger, are fairly open (in the area around 92). I prefer a spot that has a tucked away fire pit and table, but this worked OK for us. Bathhouses were clean and there is a great 3.75 mile paved loop around the lake if you have dogs that enjoy long walks.
ScoutWe are camping here while doing the Cotopaxi Questival Adventure Race. It's a very nice setting in a Grove of trees atop a hill. Both electric and primitive sites are available. The bathrooms are the nicest campground bathrooms I've ever used - large, clean, and not communal, so you get a sink, toilet, and shower all to yourself. This campground is in close proximity to the lake, trails, and many other outdoorsy diversions!
LegendGetting to the state park off I 29 and through the countryside was easy as the route had Weston Bend SP signage. We followed the SP signs to the campground(CG) where the gate was not manned so we headed to get water, but someone was sitting in the dump station waiting for another person to arrive so we went around this one-loop CG to see if there was a convenient spigot. There are spigots but with a larger rig, you will block the road, and/or you will be on a hill. We went back around and the person moved so we could get water. After that, we headed to pull through site 28 with electric(50/30/20 AMP) only. The site is long but has a 1/4 moon turn so we had to pull back around to get better positioned on the pad so we could disconnect our 39’ 5th wheel and F450 for our 3-night stay. There were tree branches overhead that we could not avoid. RVers next to us in site 30 had just arrived as well and were having trouble getting their travel trailer unhitched and leveled due to the pad’s slight incline and unlevel asphalt. They got their trailer positioned so they could get somewhat level. We got a solid two bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. Due to our proximity to Kansas City, we got a lot of OTA channels. A satellite connection would be iffy in most sites here due to the number of mature trees. The trees in a lot of sites would also scrape the top of larger rigs. There’s a variety of sites with most being good for regular trailers versus tall rigs, and tent sites. They have a nice shower house with 1 washer and 1 dryer both for$1.50. There are also vaulted toilets here and there. There’s a 1.7-acre fenced dog park that includes one large area for large dogs and two other areas with one dedicated to smaller dogs. The dog area is at the front park entrance away from the campground and it would be a long walk to get there, so we drove up. There are a lot of hiking trails here plus an old tobacco barn that’s worth a look.
GuideWe really enjoyed this campground. The staff were very friendly from start to finish. Our site was perfect for our 32 foot travel trailer. Our site was shaded. as were many others on the campground. There are a handful that do not have any shade. Though we did not have one, there are also a few sites with a Lakeview. Nice playground for the kids, and plenty of grass to take the dogs out. Site was large enough for our trailer and two vehicles and still room for fire pit and awning to come out. A little hwy noise, but nowhere near enough to interrupt our trip.
Weston Bend State Park Campground offers a mix of basic and electric sites within 30 minutes of Edwardsville, Kansas. The campground contains about 40 campsites scattered through wooded terrain at elevations around 850 feet. Most sites feature asphalt pads with electric hookups, while sites #3 and #26 are designated as non-electric. The park maintains moderate to high occupancy during summer months when temperatures regularly reach the 90s, making advance reservations advisable.
Biking trails at Watkins Mill State Park: Watkins Mill State Park Campground features a paved trail system ideal for cycling. "This is a beautiful place close to town and wonder hiking trails," notes a visitor. The trail wraps around the lake and connects directly to the campground for easy access.
Fishing opportunities at Crow's Creek: At Crow's Creek Campground, lake access is readily available for anglers. "We had a nice gravel site with fire ring and picnic table. We could walk right down a grassy hill to the trail along the lake," explains one camper. The grounds are well maintained with grassy areas suitable for equipment setup.
Historical exploration: Visit the historic Watkins Mill within the state park to learn about 19th-century textile manufacturing. A visitor mentioned, "If you like history, take a tour of the woolen mill part. Very cool." The guided tours run regularly during operating hours and provide context for the region's industrial heritage.
Spacious sites at Smith's Fork: Smiths Fork Recreation Area Camping provides full hookup sites with more separation than typical campgrounds. "This is full hook up. They have both 30 and 50 amp. Perfect for families with young children. Smaller park, very friendly hosts," wrote a visitor. The recreation area maintains sites with electric, water, and sewer at every campsite for $30 per day.
Lake views: Many campsites at Hillsdale State Park offer direct water access. "It has beautiful, tree-covered campsites that offer direct access to the lake. The sites and facilities are well kept and clean," explains a reviewer. The electric/water sites near the lake are described as particularly cozy compared to the full-hookup sites which lack tree coverage.
Shower facilities: The shower buildings at Weston Bend receive consistent praise for cleanliness. "These are the cleanest bathrooms and facilities that I have been to I think Mabye ever," reported one camper. Another noted, "Clean and nice" when describing the shower facilities, which include separate stalls rather than communal setups.
Train noise affects some campgrounds: The Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA experiences significant rail traffic. "There was a train passing through, and the person I spoke to offered to throw in a pair of ear plugs and a night mask... the trains were one right behind the other… ALL NIGHT LONG," reported one tent camper. Trains pass approximately every 20-30 minutes at high volume levels.
Seasonal water shutoffs: Crow's Creek Park occasionally shuts off water earlier than expected in fall months. "We stayed in October and due to unseasonably cold weather they shut off water with no notice and halfway through our stay," noted a visitor who had to leave early because of the lack of water and sewer access.
Reservation requirements: During peak season, most campgrounds near Edwardsville fill completely on weekends. Sites at Watkins Mill State Park become particularly scarce between Memorial Day and Labor Day, with the most desirable lakeside spots booking up to six months in advance.
Playground access: Crow's Creek offers recreation areas designed for children. "The roads and trails are nice for scooters and bikes. Fairly close to the water and playground; within walking distance," notes a visitor. The paved trails within the campsite are particularly suitable for younger riders.
Less crowded options: For quieter family camping, consider Camp Branch Campground. "We have started staying here last couple of years. Nice big spots with electric only. It is quite a ways to shower house but much quieter than other campgrounds on Smithville lake. More family friendly," reports a regular visitor. The distance from facilities trades convenience for reduced noise.
Swimming areas: Smith's Fork has water access points suitable for supervised children. As one visitor noted, "It is a great place to make memories." Many sites include shade for protection during hot summer days when temperatures regularly exceed 90°F.
Site leveling challenges: At Lake Jacomo - Fleming Park, prepare for potentially uneven terrain. "The only draw back to this site is that you are close to your neighbors," mentions one RVer. Some sites require significant leveling blocks, with one camper noting a 13-inch differential that required multiple wood blocks.
Full hookup availability: Smith's Fork Recreation Area offers the most complete hookups in the region. "Of everywhere Smith's Fork is the only one (so far) that offers Electric (30 & 50 amp), Water (2) and Sewer at every campsite. At just $30 per day it is a steal!" notes a frequent visitor. This makes it particularly valuable for longer stays where tank capacity becomes an issue.
Pull-through accessibility: Weston Bend has limited pull-through sites, with only 1 or 2 available. Most sites require backing in, though the campground does accommodate large rigs in designated areas. A visitor noted the campground is "hilly, sites are level, gravel pads" with sufficient space between sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Edwardsville, KS?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Edwardsville, KS is Weston Bend State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 36 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Edwardsville, KS?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 glamping camping locations near Edwardsville, KS, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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