Clinton Lake camping areas provide alternatives to Perry Lake for campers near Perry, Kansas. Located within a 20-minute drive from Perry, Clinton Lake offers several campgrounds with terrain that transitions from open grassland to wooded areas. The area features more secluded camping options with access to hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate difficulty.
What to do
Hiking and wildlife viewing: Prairie Clover Campground at Clinton State Park offers extensive trail networks. "Saw eagles, turkey vultures, and possible osprey," notes Kent F. The park includes specialized recreation facilities beyond standard lake activities. "Rolling hills and lots of green with many trails and recreational facilities including more unusual things like archery," shares Amber A.
Water sports access: Woodridge Park has secluded primitive campsites with lake access. "Site 4 is right on the lake and had a beautiful view of the sunrise," reports Alexandra J. Trails lead to waterfront sites that are rarely crowded. "We very rarely run into anyone else while camping on the trail," adds Nikki S.
Disc golf course: Clinton State Park includes disc golf facilities for campers looking for alternative activities. "Full bath houses, disc golf, archery range, and an abundance of hiking all around the camps," mentions Charles F., who stayed for two weeks during off-season.
What campers like
Secluded sites: Bloomington East at Clinton Lake offers waterfront sites with privacy. "Site 246 was at the bottom of the hill, right on the lake," notes Paul Y. Many sites feature significant distance between neighbors. "While lots of big RVs, it was not crowded down by the lakefront sites."
Hammock-friendly areas: Perry State Park has designated areas for hammock camping. "The primitive sites and RV sites are extremely close (especially the RV sites) other than that they have dedicated hammock sites!" shares Darius C. Woodridge Park also caters to hammock campers: "Lots of hammock tree setups too," notes Daniel T.
Free camping options: Several primitive camping areas near Perry don't require fees. "Free dispersed camping at camp area 3. Showers have warm water," reports Dan K. about Prairie Clover Campground. These areas typically provide basic facilities while still offering lake access.
What you should know
Train noise: Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA experiences significant train disruptions. "Trains passed by really loudly all night long - it finally stopped at about 5am," warns LauraJane B. Multiple reviews mention trains passing approximately every 30 minutes throughout the night.
Weather impacts: Campgrounds in low-lying areas experience flooding effects. "With all of the recent rain, we had a huge puddle separating our pull-through from our picnic table and fire pit," describes Myron C. Trails can become difficult after rain: "Keep in mind though that the trail gets very muddy if it has just rained!" cautions Carly H.
Seasonal insect activity: Specific insect hatches affect camping comfort during certain months. "We went mid-June, and there had apparently been some type of butterfly hatching. They were small but quite aggressive, constantly swarming us," reports Harmony H. about Woodridge Park.
Tips for camping with families
Playgrounds and activities: Rock Creek offers child-friendly facilities. "There is a playground for the young ones that's in great condition with decent options to play on," reports Ian C. The peninsula location provides water views from most campsites.
Swimming areas: Multiple campgrounds feature designated swimming locations. "Large sandy beach" is available at Bloomington East according to Nancy L., making it suitable for families with children. These areas typically have gradual entry points for safer water access.
Kid-friendly camping loops: Some campgrounds have sections better suited for families. "We stayed in Campground 1 in one of the primitive sites. There were many sites to choose from even through there were quite a few campers here during the middle of the week," notes Jessica C. about Prairie Clover Campground.
Tips from RVers
Level sites and hookups: Deer Creek Valley RV Park offers well-maintained concrete pads. "The pull-thru RV pads are huge and the grass in between is sizable for each," reports Sandra V. The park includes fully functional hookups with good lighting. "Wide open lots that were level and the hookups were all lit up so easy to see at night," adds Julie F.
Limited full-hookup options: Many campgrounds offer electric and water but lack sewer connections. "We had water and electric but no sewer, which was a little bit of a pain. However there are full hookup sites, just none available," notes Dan M. about Prairie Clover Campground. Most areas have dump stations located near campground exits.
Wide turning radius: Several campgrounds accommodate larger RVs with pull-through sites. "Great access to boat ramps, fishing dock, and a large sandy beach," explains Nancy L. about Bloomington East. Paved roads throughout many campgrounds make navigation easier for larger rigs.
