Best Tent Camping near Paola, KS

Tent campers near Paola, Kansas will find several established campgrounds with varying amenities and environments. Woodridge Park offers free primitive tent sites with both drive-in and hike-in options, while Rabbit Ridge Primitive Campground at Hillsdale State Park provides reservable sites with some utilities. Both locations accommodate tent camping specifically, with Woodridge Park particularly noted for its secluded camping experience along a trail system.

Most tent sites in the area require minimal preparation as facilities are basic. Woodridge Park provides clean vault toilets and potable water access, but no shower facilities or electrical hookups. The campground features a gravel loop with picnic tables for car camping and numerous primitive sites dispersed along trails. Fire rings are available at most locations, and trash service is provided at Woodridge Park. Adam's Grove offers 30 tent sites without hookups for a $6 fee per site and includes boat ramp access, making it convenient for water activities.

The tent camping experience around Paola offers genuine seclusion and natural settings. Woodridge Park stands out with well-spaced sites providing privacy even during busier periods. One camper noted, "We went over Labor Day weekend and didn't see a single other person on the 1/2-ish mile hike to Primitive Site 4, where I spent the night." The trail network at Woodridge extends approximately 4.5 miles, rated as moderate difficulty, and can become problematic when wet. Sites positioned along Clinton Lake offer sunrise views and water access. Primitive sites are typically first-come, first-served, so arriving early on summer weekends is advisable. Several walk-in tent sites require short hikes from parking areas, adding to the sense of remoteness while keeping convenience within reach.

Best Tent Sites Near Paola, Kansas (8)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Paola, KS

7 Photos of 8 Paola Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Paola, KS

360 Reviews of 8 Paola Campgrounds


  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2025

    Cedar Park

    Beautiful area.

    Great area, friendly guests even the kids showing up on the weekends were well behaved. One vault toilet they maintain the best they can. Area is patrolled by Park Rangers and law enforcement, not sure if local, county, or state. While there the park placed plaques marking site numbers and eventually they will add a kiosk that will have a QR code for payment, they were not sure what the fee would be (free for now). The sites are huge and not right on top of each other, they offer a picnic table, fire ring, and a gravel parking spot for your camper or grassy areas for tents. Very dusty roads getting here but worth it. Watch out for wildlife, deer, turkeys, and vultures are always on the roads including the pup that chases you're truck, just down the road from here, lol. Hope this helps, Happy camping you all!

  • Leni K.
    Apr. 7, 2024

    Prairie Clover Campground — Clinton State Park

    Relaxing Car/Tent Camping Spot

    Pros Off-season was quiet Open bathrooms were nice and well kept. Easy access to trails Lots of wildlife, vultures, deer, etc. Well marked and plenty of them spots Marina was a quick bike ride away and had a lot to offer during the season. Primate loops had some good spacing and tree cover, along with views of the lake. Inner loops not so much Potable water available year round. Was drinkable.

    Cons Signs marked closed bathrooms but not the closest open bathrooms. One per campsite was still open with heat and electric. Weirdly all vaults were closed Office and hosts were unavailable so we had to leave for Casey's for firewood. While before the season, someone told us it's typically impossible to get firewood because the office is usually closed. Signs to the entrance to park and n avigation were pretty small, impossible to read at night, not lit. Electric parking pass only issued one day pass at a time. Would do the paper pass across the parking lot next time. Spacing is definitely a bit crowded for tent camping privacy this time of year. Will be curious to see how it feels in the summer/fall.

  • Christina H.
    Apr. 23, 2021

    Eisenhower State Park Campground

    Primitive camping was small and exposed, but fun

    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.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 4, 2025

    Osage State Fishing Lake

    Beautiful place - big rig friendly

    So glad we chose this dispersed camping location as an overnight stay. It's fantastic! Beautiful area, campfire rings in several locations, and our 43' Rv navigated smoothly (well, husband navigated smoothly!) Easy to drive through, well-maintained roads....leave no trace, and enjoy!

  • Freya
    Oct. 16, 2025

    Quail Run Campground — Hillsdale State Park

    Relaxing place to camp and enjoy nature

    All in all I really enjoyed tent camping at one of the primitive sites! My dad and I used two separate tents, each of which are six person tents, and it was easy to fit both on the campsite. I didn’t love the fire ring because the wall was pretty high and the grill part didn’t have adjustable height so that limited the height of the fire we could build when we wanted to cook over it. The nearby vault toilet was just OK, it was about as clean as a vault toilet could be but there was no way to use hand sanitizer or wash your hands nearby. The shower house with flush toilets, which was a little further away, was clean but didn’t have any hand soap, it only had hand sanitizer which was a disappointment.

    Those were really the only drawbacks to this campsite though! Everything else was lovely. I liked that there was a small camp store nearby with firewood for purchase during operating hours. The scenery was very nice and even though there were a lot of RVs in their section of the campground, I didn’t hear any noise coming from their air-conditioning thanks to the distance between that section and the primitive section.

    Being almost completely surrounded by the lake was so serene and we got to hear and see a lot of wildlife. The only other thing to know about this spot on the campground is that if you’re going to the primitive sites, you will have to park nearby and then walk the rest of the way with your gear. At the site I was in that was only a couple of yards but other ones were further away.

    Also, a note about spiders: there were way more than I’ve ever seen while camping before, so if large amounts of them bother you I suggest you not camp here in October! Most of them were small, but seeing them so often was still kind of gross. Such is life when camping though!

  • Jordan B.
    Jun. 7, 2020

    Louisburg Middle Creek State Fishing Lake

    Peaceful near KC

    I car camped here for one night early this spring and will definitely come here again. There was a big RV parked next to me, some other car campers, and then a group of tent campers. The sites are right on the lake and the vault toilet was clean. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring and they are spaced out nicely. There was a decent amount of traffic to and from the floating boat dock but it still wasn’t too noisy.

  • T
    Jul. 9, 2023

    Prairie Clover Campground — Clinton State Park

    Easy Camping, For Our First Time

    It was busy and noisy up until quiet hours, super family friendly, the camp sites are quite large and spread apart. The showers & bathrooms were nice! Many spots to choose from, we were lucky to grab one with tree cover making it feel like we were really out in nature. Lovely park and campground.

  • Laura H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 23, 2020

    Sunflower Campground — Hillsdale State Park

    Very Clean and Very Relaxing

    The Park: We love this park, it’s massive, and really pretty. They have so much to do (listed below). Sunflower Loop is our favorite and has full hookups. There are more primitive loops as well. It is ADA accessible. There was not a tornado shelter as of 2018. This is one thing that should be mandatory given its proximity and being further away from potential shelter. Excellent camping on the lake. Lots of water activities available.

    Sites: level, clear, easily accessible. Sunflower loop is widely spaced and plenty of room for larger RVs.

    Cellular: decent cellular signal.

    Amenities: Amphitheater Bath House Bicycling Boat Ramp Boating Canoeing Kayaking Campground Host Camping, Equestrian Camping, Improved Site Camping, Primitive Church Comfort Station Dock, Boat Dump Station, Camper Dump Station, Marina Fire Rings Fishing, Park Lake Fuel, Boats Golf Grills Gun Range Hiking Hiking Trail Horseback Riding Hunting Information Booth Jet Skiing Laundry Marina Mountain/Trail Bicycling Park Lake Parking Picnic Area Picnic Shelter Picnic Tables Playground Rentals, Boat, Motorized Rentals, Jet Skis Reservoir Restrooms Shelters Showers Skiing - Water Swimming, Park Lake Telephone Toilet, Pit/Vault Trails, Bicycle Trails, Equestrian Trails, Hiking/Walking, Easy Trails, Mountain Bike Walking Water Access, Park Lake Water Skiing

  • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 2, 2025

    Blue Springs Lake Campground

    Nice County Campground

    Both RV Life Trip Wizard navigation and GPS took us to Campground Rd where there were signs to the camping area. The check in area at this county campground (CG) was a little tight but doable with our 40’ 5th wheel and F450 truck. We proceeded to back-in site 29 with FHUs. The road area was wide, so we had no issues backing into the site. The utilities were place middle-back on the site and we had no problems reaching. The site slopes to the passenger side and down hill to the road, so we used a few levelers. Space between sites varies within the CG. Our site was very close to 30 but we were on the end with a nice yard. Water pressure was decent. There’s no Wifi in the CG. We got 3 bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. There are mature trees here, but most sites except a few north perimeter would have a shot for satellite. The bathhouse was newer and in good condition plus there’s a laundry in one of the restroom buildings. This CG is a good option as it's just east of Kansas City. We were here overnight and would stay here again. ChatGPT: First edit, I asked for a more engaging narrative. It did that but took accuracy away from the review. Then I asked ChatGPT to just edit. This version did that and improved the flow, plus kept the facts in tact. Both RV Life Trip Wizard navigation and GPS took us to Campground Rd, where there were signs directing us to the camping area. The check-in area at this county campground(CG) was a little tight but manageable with our 40’ 5th wheel and F450 truck. We proceeded to back-in site 29 with FHUs. The road was wide, so we had no issues backing in. The utilities were located mid-to-rear on the site, and we had no trouble reaching them. The site slopes to the passenger side and downhill toward the road, so we used a few levelers. Many sites here are sloped. The premium cement pads seemed to be more level than gravel sites. Space between sites varies within the CG—our site was very close to site 30, but we were on the end with a nice yard. Water pressure was decent. There’s no Wi-Fi in the CG, but we got 3 bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. There are mature trees throughout, but most sites—except a few on the north perimeter—would have a clear shot for satellite. The bathhouse was newer and in good condition, and there’s a laundry in one of the restroom buildings. This CG is a good option just east of Kansas City. We stayed overnight and would return. KJ Edit Both RV Life Trip Wizard navigation and GPS took us to Campground Rd, where there were signs directing us to the camping area. The check-in area at this county campground(CG) was a little tight but manageable with our 40’ 5th wheel and F450 truck. We proceeded to back-in site 29 with FHUs. The road isn't real wide, but we had no issues backing in. However, if there had been a rig in the site right next to us on the driver side, it would have been challenging. The utilities were located mid-to-rear on the site, and we had no trouble reaching them. The site slopes to the passenger side and downhill toward the road, so we used a few levelers. Many sites here are sloped. The premium cement pads seemed to be more level than gravel sites. Space between sites varies within the CG—our site was very close to site 30 and thus, they didn't have much of a yard, but our site had a nice yard. Water pressure was decent. There’s no Wi-Fi in the CG, but we got 3 bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. There are mature trees throughout, but most sites—except a few on the north perimeter—would have a clear shot for satellite. The bathhouse was newer and in good condition, and there’s a laundry in one of the restroom buildings. As you exit the park, if you have a big rig, you'll want to stay to the left side of the dump station for a wider right turn out of the park. This CG is a good option just east of Kansas City. We stayed overnight and would return.


Guide to Paola

Tent camping opportunities near Paola, Kansas include free primitive sites and paid established campgrounds within a 40-mile radius. Clinton Lake's wooded shorelines provide secluded campsites, while Hillsdale State Park offers more developed options with basic amenities. The camping season typically runs April through October, with summer temperatures averaging 75-90°F and occasional thunderstorms making trail conditions challenging.

What to do

Water activities at Clinton Lake: Woodridge Park campsites provide direct access to Clinton Lake for fishing, swimming and kayaking. A short hiking trail connects most primitive sites to the shoreline. "The campground is very well groomed, lots of amenities and it is really close to the lake via a short hike in the woods," notes Clay W.

Trail exploration: Woodridge Park features approximately 4.5 miles of trails through wooded terrain. "Best trail I've been on in Lawrence," reports one camper who regularly hikes the trails even when not camping. The paths wind through forests and along lakeshores with moderate difficulty. Josh M. shares, "Woodridge is one if my favorite campgrounds. First come / first serve, plenty of space, potable water, nice toilets, tons of trails..."

Boat launching: Adam's Grove maintains a boat ramp providing lake access for small watercraft. This location is strategically positioned for water recreation. "Adam's Grove does provide the closest boat ramp if you plan on picking up passengers off the beach near the dam," reports JC C., highlighting its convenience for coordinating group water activities.

What campers like

Secluded campsites: Woodridge Park receives consistent praise for its privacy between sites. "Camping spots along trail are really spread out and even if every spot is full you still feel secluded," writes Zach C. The spacing between primitive sites creates a sense of isolation rare at public campgrounds.

Morning lakeside views: Sites positioned along Clinton Lake offer scenic sunrise opportunities. Alexandra J. writes, "Site 4 is right on the lake and had a beautiful view of the sunrise." Multiple sites feature unobstructed water views, particularly those along the eastern shoreline.

Hammock-friendly terrain: The wooded environment provides ample trees for hammock camping. Mark R. specifically notes Woodridge Park is "not the typical slice of pie camping great for hammocks." Many sites feature mature trees at appropriate distances for hammock setups.

What you should know

Free camping availability: Unlike many areas, several sites near Paola offer no-cost camping. "Beautiful free camping. There's a gravel loop with some picnic tables and a couple hike-in sites dispersed along a trail," reports Alexandra J. about Woodridge Park. The main camping area includes drive-in sites while primitive options require short hikes.

Trail conditions: The hiking paths connecting primitive sites can become problematic after rain. "Keep in mind though that the trail gets very muddy if it has just rained!" warns Carly H. Waterproof footwear is recommended, particularly in spring or after storms.

Bathroom facilities: Most primitive sites rely on vault toilets without shower facilities. "The main loop/parking area had some pit toilets that are very basic but honestly no worse than what I've seen at some paid campsites," notes Alexandra J., setting appropriate expectations for amenities.

Park closures: Some smaller campgrounds in the region have permanently closed. "They closed this campground in 2018," reports Nikki S. regarding 110 Mile Park. Always verify current operating status before planning trips to lesser-used sites.

Tips for camping with families

Bug protection: Seasonal insect activity can impact comfort, particularly for children. "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. from Rabbit Ridge Primitive Campground. Pack insect repellent and consider early spring or fall visits to minimize encounters.

Consider gear limitations: Primitive sites require carrying equipment from parking areas. "It our first time hiking in to a site (lots of work with our regular gear for a family of four, but worth it!)," shares Harmony H. about their Woodridge Park experience. Families should consolidate or minimize equipment when using walk-in sites.

Off-peak timing: Holiday weekends significantly increase campground usage. Ashley F. notes, "Woodridge is never over crowded unless it's a holiday, so more often than not you could camp the whole weekend and potentially not see another person." Weekday camping provides a more secluded experience for families seeking quiet.

Tips from RVers

Limited hookup options: Most primitive camping areas near Paola lack RV facilities. For those requiring electrical connections, Rabbit Ridge at Hillsdale State Park provides sites with electric hookups and a sanitary dump station. No water hookups are available at most primitive sites.

Site maintenance concerns: Several campers note cleanliness issues at primitive sites. "Only downside is I wish people would clean up better after themselves," writes Nikki S. about her experiences at Woodridge Park. Pack out all trash and inspect sites thoroughly upon arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Paola, KS is Rabbit Ridge Primitive Campground — Hillsdale State Park with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Paola, KS?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Paola, KS, with real photos and reviews from campers.