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Best Tent Camping near McPherson, KS

173 Reviews

Tent campers visiting the McPherson area have limited established options in central Kansas, with Harvey County East Park in nearby Newton serving as one of the primary destinations. The park offers tent sites with lakeside access and sandy beaches, providing a convenient base for outdoor recreation approximately 30 miles southeast of McPherson.

Harvey County East Park features tent campsites with varying levels of shade and access to the water. Most sites include picnic tables and fire rings, with drinking water available through shared water sources that have strict usage limitations. Bathroom facilities, while dated, are generally maintained and include showers. The campground provides both drive-in and walk-in tent sites, with some primitive options for those seeking a more basic camping experience. During summer holidays, the campground can become crowded and occasionally noisy.

The tent camping experience at Harvey County East Park benefits from the lakeside setting, with multiple swimming areas and fishing opportunities. Sandy beaches near many of the tent sites create an appealing environment for families and water enthusiasts. The campground's layout allows for relatively easy lake access from most tent sites, with some offering direct views of the water. Shaded sites provide relief during hot Kansas summers, though availability varies throughout the campground. A recent review highlighted the practical amenities: "Great campground really enjoy the large and shady sites. I also like how they put boat docks behind all of the lake side sites." Kanopolis State Park's Rockwall Campground, located about 45 miles northwest of McPherson, offers an alternative tent camping option with more primitive setups.

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Best Tent Sites Near McPherson, Kansas (2)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near McPherson, KS

4 Photos of 2 McPherson Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near McPherson, KS

173 Reviews of 2 McPherson Campgrounds

  • N
    Oct. 4, 2021

    Little Bluestem Cabin Area — Kanopolis State Park

    Beautiful Trails and Primitive Site

    Do yourself a favor and stay at Blue Stem primitive site 5. Beautiful view of the reservoir, and it’s on the end so you have a huge open area all to yourself. Buffalo Track Canyon Trail has gorgeous views with 2 small caves, and beautiful rock coloring. Before you head to your campsite make sure you stop off at Mushroom Rock for a photo op! The kids fishing pond is stocked with catfish, my kids loved catching something other than our usual blue Gill! The only reason I’m giving this 4 stars is because the concrete shelter is covered in offensive graffiti and there was trash all over our campsite. I got most of it picked up so hopefully others can enjoy it! Don’t forget your 7 principles of Leave No Trace!

  • Jewlia T.
    May. 6, 2020

    Sterling Lake Park

    Great, but busy!

    Nice little campground next to the lake. Has a park, playground, and bathroom. There is also fishing. Campsites are flat, and have sewage and trash cans as well as clean water. There’s a tree at every campsite and a picnic table. It is in the middle of a neighborhood that likes to stay up late. Bored small town teens means a lot of people out at night just having fun. There are also tics so be careful. RV and tent friendly!

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 1, 2018

    Salina Campground

    Sleepy Little Town

    This 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.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2020

    Hillsboro Cove

    Nice shaded campground

    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.

  • DeAnn M.
    Oct. 14, 2022

    McPherson State Fishing Lake

    Pretty little lake with nice camp spots

    Free camping on a lake with tables, fire rings, some have shade, vaulted toilets. Quiet but close to a little town.

  • Blair
    Jun. 7, 2021

    Salina Campground

    Good kid amenities

    Convenient location along I-70 meant lots of highway noise. My kids loved the ping pong, basketball, inflatable jump pad, old metal playground and outdoor pool. Mosquitos were bad at dusk and dawn. Sites were tight and the standard site we had didn't include a fire ring. Restrooms were clean but not private. Pool needed to be cleaned from all the cottonwood. Had a pizza delivered to the site, which was fun.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2021

    Salina Campground

    Campground with Lots of Camping Opportunities

    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).

  • Lady Phyre ☆.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2025

    Marion Cove

    Lakeshore Primitive Camping

    There are a couple sites that you can park right next to with covered picnic tables and lots of tent only sites that are an easy walk. The reservoir is huge and accommodates boating, fishing, and swimming. It's reasonable priced at $10 per night. Reservations can be made up to 4 days in advance. #5 & #6 are right next to each other and would make a great area for larger groups. Check out Marion Cove on Recreation.gov for reservation details. Happy camping!

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2020

    Cottonwood Point

    Shady,Spacious,and quiet

    Cottonwood 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.

Guide to McPherson

Tent camping near McPherson, Kansas offers a delightful escape into nature, with several well-reviewed campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.

Local Attractions to Explore

  • Enjoy the charm of the quaint Swedish town of Lindsborg while staying at Old Mill Campground, which is nestled along a scenic river surrounded by big trees.

Activities for Outdoor Enthusiasts

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near McPherson, KS?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near McPherson, KS is Harvey County East Park with a 4-star rating from 9 reviews.

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