Best RV Parks & Resorts near Ellinwood, KS

We spent one night here (May 10, 2022). It was a nice CG for our cross country trip needs. There was one other camper (long term). The CG is all grass with a gravel entry/exit road. We had our pick of back-in sites or pull through– we chose a back-in. We did not have time to visit the office, clubhouse or showers. The CG is next to a rest stop on the west side and farm fields to the south and east. There is traffic noise from Hwy 50, but no bother. Cell phone reception was great.

Thank you goes to the management for allowing us to use our credit card for one night. Cash or check is preferred for short stays.

We called ahead to see if they had sites available for the night. Arrived just before the office closed at 7pm. Got a pull-through full-hookups site. The campsite pads are level, nice and wide, gravel like the roads, with wide grassy/dirt/gravel areas between and beautiful mature shade trees everywhere. Also several friendly cats acting as camp hosts, welcoming us at the office when we checked in, greeting us every time we stepped out of our rig, and checking out all the campsites and trees regularly. ☺️ Our site had a picnic table and a clay/Terra cotta statue of a bear eating honey, with a hole in his belly as a small fire ring. Most sites had a covered picnic table. Full hookups worked fine.

Bathrooms were ok; dead crickets on the floor.

We would stay here again.

Big Bluestem Campground Site 78! Prime spot with large shade tree to block western sun. 20’ from water’s edge with path to drop kayaks in, swim or even sit lawn chairs into the water to cool off. Noted as largest saltwater and clearest lake in Kansas. 30/50A/120V and water hookups. Concrete pad. Clean showers a few hundred yards away. Trash bin in middle of loop. Marina two loops away; about 4 minute drive. Outstanding rock formations, reminds me of Utah. Water levels effect access to some formations. Great time, great weather, we’ll be back soon! T-Mobile service 1-4 bars. Streamed HotSpot for ROKU without issues.

This campground has 51 sites at $21 per night. Each site has electric, water, picnic table, and fire ring. The outside loop sites are pull through with beautiful lake views. The inner loop is back in sites with a view of the lake but nothing like the outside one. This area has few trees for shade and unfortunately no wind break. There is a swimming beach and a small fishing hole for kids. We camped at site 45 and 46 and had a small beach area that we could put our kayaks in. We had a beautiful view of the water and rolling hills. Each time we opened our door we instantly saw the lake and for most of the time it felt as if we were the only ones there. One thing that frustrated us was that the sites were either reserved or said One Day Only and there was no one at the camp host spot, the booth, or the office so we had to keep moving.

I took a detour off the flat highway land in search of the town of Lucas where I had heard great things about their art installations. As I drove along the land began to open up to large rolling hills and beautiful landscaping with a turnoff just off the main road marked by some very interesting stones and a pavilion. I took a moment to pull off and noticed a kiosk which told the history of the area and some very impressive information about Lucas Park. 

I was impressed by the information and one of the signs detailing the trails which led from just outside of the campground all the way to a very special cliffside which is renowned in the state of Kansas. So naturally I had to go check it out!! 

Pulling into camp it had rained recently and some of the gravel roads were a bit slick for my small car, but I did notice they had some road work signs where they are working to improve these areas. The rest of the property was well developed and had great improvements including full service restrooms which were placed throughout camp and nice playground equipment for the kiddos. 

The campground is divided into two separate areas. Each with their own unique appeal. I personally liked the campground closest to the pay station as it seemed to have better overall access to amenities such as community water. There was a good mix of campsites at this location with pull through and back in options with sites ranging vastly in overall spacing.

 As a tent camper, I typically look for shaded areas which provide a little shelter from the elements and they did have several of these in this campground. Water access to the lake was also very close by although I didn’t see a swimming beach at the time of my visit. This could have been in part due to the rains and the lake levels or it could be that there indeed was not one in this area.

 I had decent cell signal at this campground on AT&T. 

**TIPS: **

• On weekends make sure to book in advance, the lake is one of the biggest draws of the area. 
• Drive into town and check out the“US Largest Toilet Bowl” art installation,“Garden of Eden” and the downtown district where you can find a few unique pieces. Don’t forget to stop off and try some of the famous Lucas bologna. 
• Check out the trail on the property to the rocks!

Wilson’s Lake in Kansas is something of a departure from surrounding areas of Kansas. If you take a moment to pull just a slight distance off the major highways and toward the Wilson’s Lake area you will be pleasantly surprised as the world begins to roll and open up into vibrant hillsides winding their way though the area. 

I honestly stopped myself for a moment and checked the map thinking to myself in such a cliche way,“ We are not in Kansas anymore.”

 But just as the map proved, I was in fact still in the same state, I noticed more and more signs for Wilson’s Lake State Park and found it was a must see while visiting the area. 

The road winds you down to the park and down to what seems like a dead end just at the Yarrow Campground. This campground is one of the most coveted in the park because of its location, its convenience and its size.

When visiting Wilson Lake you might want to consider this loop for improved camping.   When I visited I noticed that the roadways in and out of the campsite were well structured to provide ample movement for larger units with back up capabilities.   While this loop also offers tent camping, it really is designed for the small to mid-size RVs.     

Each campsite was equipped with a picnic table and fire ring, although I must say that some of the tables in this area were lacking a bit and needed some updating.    The sites also included water and electric hook ups with reasonable spacing between sites.   Pull- in/ back-in sites were graveled and semi level while the area between the spaces were grassy and lush.    During summer months this would be a perfect retreat for families looking to have a little fun together but still have convenience.   

What I liked most about this particular site was the proximity it had to the swimming beach and also the restrooms.   Within 100 yards of one another you could access flushing toilets and showers or fun in the sun.     This was the best overall campground for accessing both of these amenities and therefore I believe would bring about the most fun for the family overall.   Additionally, a playground was located nearby.

I would definitely recommend arriving early if visiting on a weekend or making reservations online to ensure a site at this campground in particular.   The most popular of this lake region, Yarrow, stays booked well into the later portion of summer on weekends and is hit or miss on weekdays.

TIPS:

* Check out the rental shop just outside of the park where you can find anything from a paddle board to a canoe.   Also this is a great place to check in if you are needing a few last minute supplies.

* Make sure to check out park rules at the kiosk before entering, this can be very valuable information especially when crowds are flocking to the area.

While we didn’t think we’d find anything as great as our Ft Benning stay, this one is! Different purpose - Ft Benning is for hiking, trail running. This one is for water. The sites in the 10s with water/electricity have water within close walking distance but no hookup. The water/electricity in the 40s have water hookup. the lake is gorgeous and since we are here on a Wednesday, it is super quiet. While there are others here, we are all so far apart it feels like we’ve got the lake to ourselves. #12 is flat, no leveling blocks required. It is fairly packed large gravel. Electricity has been steady/dependable. The bathhouse is a one stall/one shower deal for men and women.