Are you planning a trip to Melvern Lake with your horse? We've got you covered. Finding a place to stay in Kansas while traveling with your horse is easy. With our help, you'll find the best Kansas equestrian campsites from scenic to easily accessible.
Eisenhower State Park has 1,785 acres. It features 1,000 acres of tallgrass prairie, 440 acres of woodland and a complete range of recreational facilities in addition to the 6,930 acres of Melvern Lake. Eisenhower State Park provides 163 utility campsites: 126 with water/electric, 25 with water/electric/sewer hookps and five shower houses. Non-utility sites are available for primitive camping in Five-Star, Sailboat Beach, and Omaha Swim Beach. Fifteen Equestrian Campsites with electric/water and individual corrals are available in the upper loop of Westpoint Campground. Cowboy campground is a primitive area for equestrian camping. The park offers 4 modern cabins and 2 primitive yurts for rent. Campers may stay at any one of the campgrounds for up to 14 consecutive days. FREE WIFI is available at the park office/parking lot. A Boat Dock with 16 slips located at the East Boat Ramp can be rented through the Ike Store. Ike's Shelterhouse is excellent for hosting family reunions within the Jones Family Activity Area. There is a playground, basketball court and horseshoe pits close by. Other recreational facilities include a swimming beach, sand volleyball court, picnic shelters, an 18-hole disc golf course, a 19 target walk through archery trail, kids fishing pond and a fly fishing pond. Visit Ike's General Store located at Doud Campground to pay your campground fees, purchase souvenirs, rent kayaks/canoes and check out games. Eisenhower State Parks' Friends Group offers items you might have forgot at to bring from home. Ice and firewood for sale at Doud campground. Laundry facilities are available at the Doud shower building Eisenhower is also home to a burgeoning trails system for horseback riding, biking, hiking and archery. Crooked Knee Horse Trail offers equestrians a 20-mile excursion through the undeveloped west side of the park. Biking and hiking is available on the horse trail. The bike trail and 19 target walk through archery trail head is located in the Five-Star campground. Wildlife include white-tailed deer, eastern wild turkey, bobwhite quail, squirrels, furbearers, and waterfowl. Anglers seek walleye, crappie, sauger, white bass, and channel catfish. Two nine-lane boat ramps offer excellent access to Melvern Lake.
Outlet Campground is situated below the Melvern Lake Dam on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills of Kansas. Visitors enjoy the area's wide range of recreational activities, including boating, fishing, hiking and hunting. Find a virtual tour of Melvern Lake at http://www.photographyoptions.net/images/melvern/tour.html
Melvern Lake impounds nearly 7,000 acres of water on the upper reaches of the Marais des Cygnes River Valley. Boating and swimming are popular activities on the lake. Anglers will find walleye, crappie, channel and flathead catfish, as well as black, striped, white and smallmouth bass. The 18,000 acres of land surrounding Melvern Lake provide plentiful hiking and hunting opportunities. Several trails wind around the lake, including the 4-mile Tallgrass Heritage Trail, which begins in the campground. Hunters may find deer, quail, turkeys, ducks, rabbits and squirrels throughout the area.
Melvern Lake impounds nearly 7,000 acres of water on the upper reaches of the Marais des Cygnes River Valley. Boating and swimming are popular activities on the lake. Anglers will find walleye, crappie, channel and flathead catfish, as well as black, striped, white and smallmouth bass. The 18,000 acres of land surrounding Melvern Lake provide plentiful hiking and hunting opportunities. Several trails wind around the lake, including the 4-mile Tallgrass Heritage Trail, which begins in the campground. Hunters may find deer, quail, turkeys, ducks, rabbits and squirrels throughout the area.
The Flint Hills represent America's last expanse of intact tallgrass prairie, made up of big bluestem, switchgrass and Indian grass. The rolling hills on the south side of the lake are wooded, and the campground has scattered trees and limited shade.
For local information, please call (877) 444-6777 or call (785) 549-3318 for general information.
$66 / night
This recreation area is part of Pomona Lake
This recreation area is part of Perry Lake
Rockhaven Park is located on the south side of Clinton Lake, west of the Dam on the Rock Creek Arm of the lake. Rockhaven Park is the trailhead for the South Shore Trails (equestrian and hiking trails on the south side of the lake) and is the only place where equestrians can camp overnight with their horses and mules.
Rockhaven Park, first of all, is an equestrian friendly campground. This is Clinton Lake's only campground that allows overnight camping with horses and mules. Approximately one-fourth of the campsites are open to non-equestrian campers, but three-fourths of the campsites are strictly for equestrian campers. There is a "day use only" parking lot for those who come to ride or hike for the day, but not stay overnight. Access to the South Shore Trails is located in Rockhaven Park. The main trailhead is on the north side of the campground, which is a short walk or ride from a campsite or the day use parking lot.
Rockhaven Park, first of all, is an equestrian friendly campground. This is Clinton Lake's only campground that allows overnight camping with horses and mules. Approximately one-fourth of the campsites are open to non-equestrian campers, but three-fourths of the campsites are strictly for equestrian campers. There is a "day use only" parking lot for those who come to ride or hike for the day, but not stay overnight. Access to the South Shore Trails is located in Rockhaven Park. The main trailhead is on the north side of the campground, which is a short walk or ride from a campsite or the day use parking lot.
Congress authorized Clinton Lake in 1962, and the finished reservoir was filled in 1980. While the Dam and Reservoir were originally built for flood control, the area has now become a recreational oasis for millions of visitors to enjoy the beautiful green Kansas backdrop. Clinton Lake's beautiful setting of steep bluffs, wooded shoreline and clean water is unequaled among Kansas lakes. Shoreline development has been limited in an effort to preserve as much of the natural setting as possible.
The Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center, located on the northwest side of the dam, has several informative displays covering topics such as the history of the area, reasons for the dam and the wildlife in the area. The Clinton Lake Museum, located within the Bloomington East Park, has information on the history of the region and the Underground Railroad. The cities of Lawrence and Topeka are within a 30 minute drive.
$20 / night
Traveling cross-country in an RV? Pony Express RV Park is the perfect RV campground to get off the road and spend a few days getting the ground back under your feet. Stay with us for a few nights or explore long-term RV parking, making us your new basecamp for a few weeks. You’re welcome no matter how long you decide to stay and we promise convenience and comfort all the days you’re with us. Our Maysville, MO RV community offers daily, weekly and monthly RV parking rates, as well as special rates for long-term guests.
Water, Electric: 22
Primitive Campsites: 12
Other Information: Saddle Ridge equestrian area has approximately 32 miles of marked trails available to horseback riders and trail users. Sites are reservable at reserveamerica.com 2 days in advance of arrival.
Conveniently located south of the Kansas City Metro Area, one of Kansas’ newest reservoirs awaits visitors to its more than 12,000 acres of park and wildlife area. Completed in 1982, more than 70 percent of the standing timber was left in the reservoir basin to provide fish habitat. Walleye, catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill are abundant. Approximately 4,500 acres of water and 51 miles of shoreline are open to fishing. Roughly 7,000 acres are open to hunting at Hillsdale within the wildlife area and state park.
Common wildlife includes whitetail deer, bobwhite quail, squirrel, rabbit, beaver, muskrat, and a variety of waterfowl. Birdwatchers will see bald eagles, shorebirds, finches, warblers, sparrows, and hawks.
The Saddle Ridge equestrian area on the east side of the reservoir has about 32 miles of marked trails available to horseback riders.
Nestled in trees just off Ferguson Rd. Surrounded by 700+ acres of public use land and 1/2mi from 2nd largest lake in Kansas. Full Hookup Sites - Green, Simple, and Quiet
Laundry facilities onsite
$49 - $600 / night
Beautiful well-kept park with gorgeous trails, beach, lots of shade, and quiet camping. We’ve been here three times now and just love it. Outlet park is below the dam. If you’re into fishing/boating the giant lake has a marina with everything you need to get out on the water as well as a kitchen where they serve hamburgers and other food items. The Marina is currently closed as of 8-2-24 due to weather damage but will reopen.
Super easy to pull in and set up. Plenty of spots.Only a few signs with a map so i took a picture on my phone and used that.
Water on each site which is a luxury.
Stayed for 2 nights. Easy breezin
100 glorious acres. A little rustic but beautiful. Pull-Through and Back-In sites. MOST shave Electric, Water and Sewer. Tent Sites are available. Terri Karper is a wonderful Hostess.
Sites are plentiful. Lots of riding trail miles and lake.
Stayed here for a quick overnighter off season. Looks like this is state land with designated camp sites in season. I parked. Near the boat launch and had a quiet night. There is a pit toilet close.
Beautiful campgrounds with so many activities available! The general store is super helpful, as they sell firewood and ice, and have kayak and canoe rentals. There are a few swim beaches, and plenty of sand to sit in and relax. Our actual campsite was great and came equipped with a firepit and picnic table, and we could walk to the lakeshore. We will be back!
Great place for a day or two... Stayed in lot 93,nice spot on end with extra privacy. Only complaint, cold shower in facility near marina. I would recommend a spot closer to marina if you're not In an RV. We were a rooftop tent and could heat distant trains all night.
We had a great family trip to Melvern Lake. Fishing at the Dam release was fun but pretty difficult to reel in fish. Camp was pretty quiet, and bathrooms were pretty good (toilets, showers, and sinks with warm water). The water was pretty gross for swimming and rocky. Saw deer and turkey.
Great campground (Sunflower) The host's are friendly and knowledgeable of the area. The trees in the sites are small saplings, give them a few more years, and they will be nice.
Was surprised at the layout of this campground loop when we pulled in. Thankfully it was just a pit stop on our drive out west, but it was essentially a parking lot. Also surprised there were essentially semi-permanent campers set up. Did not live up to what I would expect at a state park and there were zero views of the lake from any of the campsites (tree line was heavily overgrown). Would not recommend if you are staying for more than a night.
It’s a long gravel road to get there and you’re mostly just in farmland, but there are waterfront sites and it’s flat. There’s a ground toilet you can walk to. I wouldn’t swim in or even filter the water, but makes for a pretty view.
Cool weekend at a great lake right before things turned green. Closed last year to redo the electric, enjoyed Site 181 at Scott Creek, west side of Hillsdale Lake.
Still a little cool and gray, but nice 60 degree weekend.
This campground was set back in the woods. Lots of nice people. We had a blast at this campground. We barbecued with most of the people that live there full-time. It’s kind of sit back in the woods each individual side as a picnic table and a place for a fire and is kind of isolated. People that live there year-round are all really nice and we did a big barbecue with them. The woman that runs the place told us about a big lake that was close to us. We went there for a couple of days and have more fun it’s a beautiful big lake. We were able to rent a boat and actually go on the water. She gave us lots of fun stuff to do in the area. People are very helpful we had a great time be in there and can’t wait to come back next year.
I drove in the front entrance and decided I didn't want to look any further. The entrance to the RV park was marked private property no trespassing owner authorization required and a phone number so I didn't go any further. Out on the road there was a CBD shop that didn't appear to be open and a run down RV storage area to the north of that. It did not look very appealing.
Spent the weekend here and glad we had reservations prior as it was full even though it was the end of October and the weather wasn't the best. Close to Melvern and the railroad tracks so if the sound of trains all night isn't your thing, then pick somewhere else. Excellent clean restrooms and showers. Great views of the lake from many spots. Also good cell service. Only 8 miles from Lyndon where there are restaurants, gas and a dollar store although no grocery store.
Sites level and on the larger side. Basically the water is a large pond with a circumference road with sites off of it. Restrooms clean, virtually no road noise yet it's right near it.
Owner is great. Open year round. In the country but a short trip to a small town or an hour to Kansas City.
We camped in the Hobie Cove campground and the site itself was OK. Not a lot of choices for sites that are flat or offer a lot of shade. We did have a good time though exploring the area.
This is our second time camping here and the new bar/restaurant across the lake kills an overall good family camping weekend. There was a live band that had their music so loud we could hear it across the lake from 8-midnight. I'm sure it's just a Friday/Saturday night deal but if you are looking to escape and listen to the crickets, birds, and the occasional laughter of other campers, this lake isn't that place.
Utility camping is a little close together for my liking. Still decent overall.
Clean facilities, quiet camping, great fishing lake, and nice bike paths.
We had a wonderful stay! Wonderful pull through spots, great views, and closer to the boat ramp!
Nice state park on the lake can be crowded and a little crazy on weekends. Like most state parks no sewer hookups but easy access to dump station
Beautiful as always. Loved our camp site. Shower house was cleaned regularly. Water was down a little at the beach, but didn’t stop us from enjoying it.
This campground is close to home for us, but we love it as a quick get away. It has beautiful, tree-covered campsites that offer direct access to the lake. The sites and facilities are well kept and clean. Full-hookup sites don't have any tree coverage, but the electric/water sites near the lake are very cozy.
It is a great place to bike and fish. It also has excellent public hunting areas. It also has a great bow range for siting in and practicing with your bow. You can even climb towers to practice shooting from "tree-stand" elevations.
Great campsite. Plenty of space for tents and other activities and very close to water
The fivestar loop is decent for tent camping. The sites were fairly small and jammed next to each other, and half of them didn't have great tree cover, but they all have a nice firepit and picnic table. It was super duper windy off of the lake for us, so be ready for wind. Bathrooms were nice and clean and the staff were very nice.
This was one of our favorite Kansas State Parks. At the end of May, it was almost empty. We had our pick of sites. We got a prime tree shaded spot on the water. In fairness, most sites are on the water or have a water view. Spectacular sunsets.
There was only 1 small bath house open while we were there, but it was clean and the shower was hot. It was one of those push button kind that only stayed on for a min. Not a problem to just keep pushing.
We road bikes, but the cold spring winds made kayaking impossible. In the summer, I can see why this place would be a fun destination. Swimming, boating, fishing, horses, archery, wide open spaces.
The roads within the park are not the best. Also, online reservations must be made 48 hrs in advance, otherwise, its day by day.
Camping near Melvern Lake, Kansas, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Melvern Lake, Kansas, has something for everyone. Just be prepared for the quirks and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Melvern Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Melvern Lake is Eisenhower State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Melvern Lake?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Melvern Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.
