Glamping close to Hays, Kansas offers a mix of prairie landscapes and lakeside camping opportunities across varied terrains. During summer months, temperatures can exceed 90°F with cool evenings dropping to the 60s, making proper shelter essential. Winter camping remains available at select locations despite occasional snow and freezing temperatures.
What to do
Fishing at Wilson Lake: Lucas Park provides excellent fishing opportunities in crystal-clear waters. "The lake is extremely clean. You can park with a water view nearly everywhere," notes a visitor to Lucas Park.
Visit historic sites: Triple J RV Park puts you near local history and dining options. "Called Sunday of July 4 weekend and the owners answered. Late check in was zero issue. Walked 5 mins up to Meridy's for dinner and had one of the best steaks of my life," shares one camper at Triple J RV Park.
Water recreation: Cedar Bluff State Park offers swimming and boating from spring through fall. "The swimming beach is large and looked clean. There is new looking playground equipment. The most precious thing I have seen, Pa's Lake. It's a little lake built for disabled and youths to fish in," reports a visitor.
What campers like
Privacy and spacing: Many sites offer generous spacing between camping spots. "Lots of privacy and space between sites. Bathrooms good and Verizon service ok," notes one camper at Page Creek Area — Cedar Bluff State Park.
Overnight convenience: Triple J provides convenient access for travelers passing through. "Nice level gravel pads. New full hook ups. Nice place to stop for the night," shares a reviewer. "Great for an overnight stay. Came in late, called number & was greeted on the golf cart by an elderly lady."
Dark skies for stargazing: The remote location of many sites provides exceptional night sky viewing. "If you want dark skies and solitude, this is the place," observes a Cedar Bluff visitor. "Pure beauty as far as the eye can see."
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: While some glamping facilities operate year-round, others have limited seasonal availability. "The glamping season runs from spring through fall when visitors can take advantage of the swimming beach and outdoor recreation."
Self-check-in options: Many campgrounds offer after-hours check-in. "Self pay station was available for those wishing to stay who didn't book before 12 noon day of. Lots of open spaces beyond what was available through the website," notes a camper at Cedar Bluff.
Road conditions: Some access roads may be challenging. "Dirt road was troublesome; lots of things shifted in the RV!" warns one Lucas Park visitor. "The road up to site 98 was long but beautiful. Surprisingly far from i-70."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several sites offer dedicated play areas. "There were play grounds for the kids. Really nice clean baths and the roads were pretty easy to push a wheelchair over," shares a Lucas Park visitor.
Educational opportunities: Combine camping with learning experiences. "We were able to launch our kayaks easily lets say 50 ft down. Was a small beach as well by the site. Larger beaches elsewhere," notes a camper.
Free primitive camping options: Plan midweek trips for potential savings. "The primitive campsites were free Monday evening through Wednesday evening. Vault toilets were clean and there was a trash dumpster at the end of each loop," shares a visitor at C2T Ranch and Campground.
Tips from RVers
Big rig accessibility: Most campgrounds can accommodate larger vehicles. "The sites are long and the utility hookups are good. There's a lot of highway noise, which should be expected since it's extremely close to I70. This was a handy and reasonably priced stop on our cross country journey."
Extended stays: Some RVers find these sites worth extending their planned stops. "We are slowly making our way to Montana and decided to stay for two nights. After seeing the campground we changed our plans and stayed a week. We were parked across from the dog park as requested. The laundry facilities were good and reasonably priced."
Leveling considerations: Some sites require minimal setup. "What a beautiful campground. Wide open grass spaces with tables and shelters for picnic tables. Fire rings. Very clean shower house facility. Lots of space," reports a visitor at Cedar Bluff State Park.
