Looking for the best campgrounds near El Dorado Lake, KS? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near El Dorado Lake, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near El Dorado Lake and user-submitted reviews.
$10 - $23 / night
"My husband, our 2 dogs, and I stayed at the Equestrian Loop. We pulled in our PUP for a night sleep."
"We stayed in the equestrian loop. All but a couple primitive sites are back-in. The layout of the fire rings, grills and picnic tables are all weird..."
$12 - $110 / night
"Fairly clean bathrooms that are very close to this site."
"Nice lake."
"Some of the trails were a little overgrown at times."
GuideMy husband, our 2 dogs, and I stayed at the Equestrian Loop. We pulled in our PUP for a night sleep. The spot we chose to pop up was right near the water, and you could hear the waves hitting the shore all night long. A beautiful and peaceful sound.
TravelerWe stayed in the equestrian loop. All but a couple primitive sites are back-in. The layout of the fire rings, grills and picnic tables are all weird... Not consistent and usually on the wrong side of your trailer. The parking pad was nowhere near level, so you'll want to plan for that. The trees are lovely. You're very near the water and the breeze was beautiful. The toilet at the loop are pit. The bath house was not clean and many of the showers didn't work.. Water is lukewarm but water pressure was great. No stall doors on toilets or showers. We used the city of El Dorado dump station. The park is massive. Lots of amenities in El Dorado. And a quick jump to Wichita. We will be back.
GuideYou'd think the Big Oak Campground in El Dorado State Park would be amazing. It's shaded with huge trees, nice sized sites some of which are very spread out, a quick walk to the swim beach and a quick drive to put your boat in the water. Unfortunately these pluses are far outweighed by the negatives. First the bathrooms were horrible. I realize they are older restrooms but they smelled awful, they were never obviously cleaned, the showers were not even a tiny bit private, the door to the restroom was broken and had to be propped open with a tree branch. Just over the bridge at the swim beach they were worse and some of the doors in the women’s room were missing. Yuck! Secondly basic campground rules were not enforced at all. The site across from us easily had 30 people camping and were up until 4am with loud music and a bright light on. I’m not kidding, my daughter was up around 3 to use the restroom and we walked by twice. The family in the site next to us had at least 4 cars and 2 tents set up outside the site on the walking path in addition to their two tents in their own site. The dog free swim beach had dogs on it. We camp with our dogs, one of which loves to swim and even I don’t want dogs on a public beach. Our camping weekend was negatively affected by poor camping etiquette and a sever lack of basic rule enforcement. We won’t be back to El Dorado State Park Big Oak campsite any time soon, at least not during the busy summer camping season. Cross Timbers and Fall River are much better!
GuideYou'd think the Big Oak Campground in El Dorado State Park would be amazing. It's shaded with huge trees, nice sized sites some of which are very spread out, a quick walk to the swim beach and a quick drive to put your boat in the water. Unfortunately these pluses are far outweighed by the negatives. First the bathrooms were horrible. I realize they are older restrooms but they smelled awful, they were never obviously cleaned, the showers were not even a tiny bit private, the door to the restroom was broken and had to be propped open with a tree branch. Just over the bridge at the swim beach they were worse and some of the doors in the women’s room were missing. Yuck! Secondly basic campground rules were not enforced at all. The site across from us easily had 30 people camping and were up until 4am with loud music and a bright light on. I’m not kidding, my daughter was up around 3 to use the restroom and we walked by twice. The family in the site next to us had at least 4 cars and 2 tents set up outside the site on the walking path in addition to their two tents in their own site. The dog free swim beach had dogs on it. We camp with our dogs, one of which loves to swim and even I don’t want dogs on a public beach. Our camping weekend was negatively affected by poor camping etiquette and a sever lack of basic rule enforcement. We won’t be back to El Dorado State Park Big Oak campsite any time soon. Cross Timbers and Fall River are much better!
TravelerThis Park is closer to home so just took my son on a quick fishing/camping overnigh for his birthday. Stayed at the Walnut River Area, the Blue stem area was still closed down for winter in April. Lots of good places to fish on this reservoir, fish weren't biting so we spent quite a bit of time riding our bikes around the area. There is a large playground for kids, a nice swim beach away from the main lake, an archery range, and they are building a pistol/ rifle range next to the ranger station for public use.
ScoutRestrooms with showers and dumpsters (for you campsite garbage) are widely available during camping season. The designated swim areas are great for the whole family because there is a wide and far out area that doesn't get too deep while being roped off. NO STICKERS IN THE GRASS AT THE DESIGNATED CAMP SITES!!!!! At some sites, you can fish just feet from your tent. Beware at the box turtle camp site though, a channel runs 3-4 feet out from the shore and drops about 12 feet QUICK so don't swim there! The general store and bait shop at Bluestem is wonderful. If you visit Kansas State Parks frequently, it pays to purchase an annual vehicle permit early in the year when they are discounted rather than pay per day every time you visit.
TravelerWe will stay here for overnight trips since it's only about 40 minutes from home. We usually stay on the Walnut River side as there is a large playground with tent sites close enough to keep an eye on the kiddos. They also have a swim area on this side. Bathroom and shower are next to the playground which is also convenient for us. There are some cool little hiking spots to explore. We just kicked off camping season last weekend here.
ScoutVery nice woodsy campground. You must reserve in advance. We were able to fit in more trailers than the reservation said. Fairly clean bathrooms that are very close to this site.
TravelerIt’s a small lake but big enough to go fishing and do your boating fun on like skiing , tubing and etc. There is camping around the lake with RV hookups in spots around the lake. A few full hookups, water & electric hookups and many just electric spots.
Horse camping near El Dorado Lake in Kansas offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors while accommodating your equine companions. With several well-reviewed campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to relax and explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near El Dorado Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near El Dorado Lake is Boulder Bluff Area — El Dorado State Park with a 3.5-star rating from 12 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near El Dorado Lake?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near El Dorado Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
