Looking for the best options for tent camping near Marion? Find the best information on tent camping near Marion, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Kanza View Picnic Shelter is located at the east end of Council Grove Dam just off Kansas Highway 177. It offers some of the most scenic views of the lake.
Although Council Grove Lake has excellent fishing and boating opportunities, access to the water limits these activities at Kanza View. Picnicking and tent camping at Kanza View's primitive sites are this location's primary activities.
The park sits on top of a hill adjacent to the lake offering breathtaking lake views. Although the park has many open grassy areas interspersed with large Cottonwood and Oak trees, access to the lake is limited due to the steep, rocky terrain.
Multiple developed campgrounds surround Council Grove Lake in the near vicinity. The town of Council Grove affords an array of historic sites and the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is 18 miles south on Highway 177.
$11 - $30 / night
Outlet Park is a day use park at Milford Lake located just below the Milford Dam. With one shelter available for reservation, those visitors interested in angling and wildlife observation will enjoy its location near the Outlet Pond, a popular fishing pond and wildlife attractor. Inside the park is also a great fishing areas and access to the Riverwalk Trail. Click here for the Milford Lake Virtual Tour.
Activities at Milford Lake include boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking, wildlife viewing and biking. Milford Lake is known to have great sail boating opportunities as well.
The shelter has a vault toilet and grill available for use and also has a playground, horseshoe pit and sand volleyball court nearby. The shelter is located by a fishing pier which offers great fishing access.
Milford Lake is nestled on the edge of the Kansas Flint Hills and is fed by the Republican River. Milford Lake stands as the largest man-made lake in Kansas, with a surface area of 15,700 acres and 163 miles of shoreline. Milford Lake is also the home of the states third largest wetland and is known to a variety of wildlife.
The Milford Nature Center and Fish Hatchery is nearby just below the dam. There you can find live animal exhibits as well as learn about the ecosystems of Kansas. A golf course is adjacent to the nature center on the north end of the Dam and the town of Junction City is approximately five miles from North Overlook Shelter.
$25 / night
This recreation area is part of Council Grove Lake
This recreation area is part of Milford Lake
Guide
This site was beautiful, camping in a tent, had picnic table, and fire pit. Bathrooms were at drive away at the entrance of the camping sites.
Legend
After having camped every night for the past several nights in cold weather, we decided to stay in a KOA Kamping Kabin this time. While we were in Colorado, it had gotten below freezing and it had snowed. It was time for a break. This campground should be rated on a scale of 1-10. I would give it a 9, but I gave it 4 stars because of two things. The road noise was constant since we were next to an Interstate highway. Also, if we had been tent camping, there would have been too much gravel. The playground was mostly dirt. For some people that would be a bad thing--for others, not so much. I only state readers would get as many details as possible. The tent sites are a little close together, as well as the RV sites, but that is to be expected. Other than the things I previously stated, this campground is large and has lots of activities. There are several things for children and young adults to do—gem mining, basketball, table tennis, fishing, volleyball, a jump pad, horseshoes, etc. The cabin we stayed in had plenty of space for outdoor relaxing. Although our cabin had a bath room, I was able to check out the bath house. It was modern, up to date, and well decorated(as you can see in the photos). This campground probably gets more visitors passing through than people looking to come here as a destination, but Salina does have its share of things to do. By the way, if you’re looking for good Chinese food, you need to check out Great Wall in Salina. It is takeout only, but it is well worth taking it back to the campground. If you don’t like Chinese, there are plenty of other options. Overall, I think this is a great campground and I do recommend it(except for the road noise).
Guide
Kansas has over 40 state fishing lakes with free camping. Lots of fishermen. I’d say over a dozen camping sites. We had a shelter, picnic table, toilet building, view of the lake. We rode our motorcycles here to tent camp. Raccoon couldn’t wait for me to zip my tent to come out and see what we left out.
GuideVery nice laundry room and bathroom facilities! Standard tent camping site. Nice staff - check out the postcards in the office!
Guide
Sandy beaches at most of the tent campsites are our favorite things about this lake! Also, super affordable camping.
Traveler
plenty of campsites of all kinds. Tent sites,electric only,water and electric and full hookups. Boat launches close to most sites. No marina on the lake but just 5 miles to 2 towns with services. Lots of shade. Restrooms/ showers are clean.
Scout
This location is well maintained with multiple tent camping spots and a few electric. The owners take great pride in keeping it this way. The mountain bike trails as well as hiking trails are perfect for beginners to experts. It is large enough for wake but we love taking our kayaks out.
TravelerThis is a nice smaller lake that is fairly close to Wichita. Great staff on board. Electric only but the office lets you fill your fresh water tank by the entrance and there is a dump station. Swim beach & great for tent camping. This was the first lake we went to as new RV owners.
Traveler
We tent camped here and enjoyed our stay. The food, pizza, was excellent. The staff brought our order to our site. We enjoyed a swim in the pool to cool off due to the temperature being in mid 90's. The bathrooms were air conditioned and clean. Overall, this campground is a good one and we recommend it!
GuideKOA campgrounds are a quick stopover for us, never a destination. This location has it all. Cabins, tent sites. Great RV sites, even a yurt! Some highway noise. Clean, great kid play area (with ping pong) and a nice playground. New furniture provided and built in fire pits.
ScoutKOA campgrounds are a quick stopover for us, never a destination. This location has it all. Cabins, tent sites. Great RV http://essaypapers.reviews/ sites, even a yurt! Some highway noise. Clean, great kid play area(with ping pong) and a nice playground. New furniture provided and built in fire pits.
GuideWe loved this place. Pool, playground, jumping pad, horse shoes, roomy tent sites, gem mining, friendly staff, great price. My sister did hurt herself on the slide... but we are adults so maybe it’s our fault. YOLO. She’ll be fine. We had a ton of fun. This was a nice stop on our way. They also had bikes and a train for the kids.
Legend
This lake has a couple cute campgrounds nestled along side the lake, some with electric and some without. When you first come in there are tent sites right at the water that are secluded. There is also a lake front community at this lake with many houses. There are day use areas right next to the lake with fireplace/grills. There is a swimming area, a basketball court, boat slips and bathrooms.
Traveler
We 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.
Legend
So I was excited after seeing so many great reviews for this campground. Even more so when I arrived and saw how beautiful green and lush the area was. I did however discover the campground was locked and a sign had been placed at the entrance of the camp that it would not be opening again until April 2020.
A little confused because there were RV campers inside I explored inside and around and discovered this is partially due to recent rains flooding a portion of the campground. I completely understood that however the elevated RV spaces were still functional and not at risk.
The location itself is beautiful with lake views on 2 sides of the camp. You are only a short distance from the boat launch and day use area which have many more signs of recent rain with trees nearly completely underwater in this area.
The roads are paved, wide and well maintained. The bathrooms available on site are mainly vault toilets however in the camp there are some improvements.
Tent camping is only $14 well worth it if the campground were open in my opinion!! I will for sure be coming back!
LegendThis might be the metropolis of this area but when the Walmart in town closes at midnight you know it is a sleepy little town. With that said it was nice to find this site to lay my head in the sleepy town.
The sites were level and pretty typical of a KOA. The staff was very nice and accommodating and walked me over to my tent site when I arrived. Very nice touch!
The bathrooms here were warm on a cold night and very clean. You could tell they take care of this facility very well. I had missed the pool season but with the cool air I didn't mind missing the cold water I was just wanting to stay warm.
For a basic site which included a fire ring and picnic table it was $24 that included access to wifi.
The only negative to getting a primitive site was that it was pretty windy and there wasn't really any wind block, I could have sprung for an upgraded site had I have realized there was going to be so much wind but that is my fault not theirs.
Ranger
On our road-trip to Utah, we dreaded having to camp in Kansas, until a friend recommended this spot. This stunning little lake is a free site with plenty of fire rings right next to a road. PERFECT car camping. And even has a clean little bathroom. Stunning views of rolling hills and cattle. Places to fish. A little trail that leads up a small hill. Stunning stunning stunning views of wildflowers and rolling hills. Great sunrise and sunset views! Phenomenal place to stop if you’re driving through Kansas. A bit of a detour from I-70, but totally worth it.
LegendCottonwood point is one of the Rv campgrounds at Marion reservoir near Marion Kansas. There is a guard shack at the entrance along with a camp host. The sites are shady,spacious, and quiet. The outer sides are overlooking the water. Each site is electric 30/20, and has a covered picnic table, a grill,a cleaning station, and fire ring. There are water spigots scattered around. We were at site 76 and there was one next to us. There are huge group areas with large covered picnic shelter and 9 electric hookups if needed. There is a nice swimming area that has life jackets hanging in case you forgot yours, showers,a playground, boat docks, day use areas, and basketball courts. Also great fishing,kayaking, and hiking. There is a store with bait,wood,and things that you may need.
Legend
Marion Cove is a primitive campground at Marion Reservoir. The sites are spacious with fire rings and you are able to self register. There is a shop with bait and firewood near but not in the campground itself.
Legend
Hillsboro Cove is a nice shaded campground located at Marion Reservoir. This campground has electric and water hookups. There is a covered picnic area at each site with a grill and fish cleaning area. There are also fire rings at each site. There is firewood for sale at the entrance and a guard shack with a camp host across the way. There is also a dump, wash house, bathrooms, and a group area with very large covered picnic shelter and 9 electric hook ups if needed.
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.
Traveler
Nice pull through & back in site just 4 miles from Kansas fairgrounds
RangerMy sister and I have to drive through Kansas on our road trip to Utah. My friends have told me that it’s the worst state to drive through because it’s so flat and boring. BUT another friend recommended this campsite. OMG it’s free and it’s so cute and pretty well kept. It’s in the Flint Hills region of the state. There are rolling green hills surrounding a lovely little lake. Cottonwood trees shelter the many spaces out camp spots. Milkweed and butterfly bushes support a healthy monarch butterfly population! There’s boat / fishing access and a pretty decent bathroom. It wasn’t too buggy - and there was a lovely sunset in the wide open sky. I didn’t give Kansas a chance. And, I was wrong
Guide
2 different loops with a several waterside campsites and picnic shelters alongside each. Campsites include tent pad, shelter, picnic table and either a fire pit or an elevated grill. There is also water access that you can drop your boat into thats just adjacent for main Richey Cove campground's beach. Tent only camping allows you to get some quiet time in the out doors as its one of the least frequented of the campsites around the lake and the farthest north.
ScoutRent kayak, tent and rv friendly. Fishing and hiking. No Wi-Fi but there are usually two bars.
GuideFound this spot and had to share! Plenty of tent spots and places to park an RV. Vault toilets available. Boat ramps available. Best part is its FREE!
TravelerState park. Reservations accepted. Horse friendly. Over 600 acres of equestrian trails
tent and rv sites. Good, clean restroom/showers.
Tent camping near Marion, Kansas offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from serene lakeside views to wooded areas, there's something for every camping enthusiast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Marion, KS?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Marion, KS is Kansas View - Council Grove Lake with a 4.5-star rating from 2 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Marion, KS?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Marion, KS, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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