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Best Campgrounds in Kansas

1,531 Reviews

Kansas offers diverse camping experiences across its prairies and around its lakes, featuring a mix of state parks, lakeside settings, and private campgrounds. Clinton State Park near Lawrence provides a combination of tent, RV, and cabin accommodations at its Prairie Clover Campground, while Wilson State Park offers similar options at its Big Bluestem Hell Creek Area. Many campgrounds offer full hookups for RVs, including water, sewer, and 50-amp electrical connections, alongside primitive tent sites. KOA locations in Goodland and Salina provide standardized amenities with cabins and RV sites.

Seasonal variation affects campground availability throughout Kansas, with many locations operating year-round while others close during winter months. Goodland KOA, for example, operates from mid-March through October, while Lake Shawnee County Campground near Topeka remains open all year. Most developed campgrounds in Kansas provide amenities such as drinking water, showers, and sanitary dump stations. Reservation requirements vary by location, with many state parks and private campgrounds accepting advance bookings. A review noted that McPherson State Fishing Lake is a "fantastic get away with full hook ups, great bathroom and showers."

Campers report high satisfaction with waterfront camping options in Kansas, particularly around reservoirs like Clinton Lake and Wilson Lake. Many campgrounds offer boat access alongside traditional drive-in sites. The state's fishing lakes provide additional camping opportunities, often with more primitive facilities but peaceful surroundings. Visitors appreciate the quiet nature of many Kansas campgrounds, with one camper describing Neosho State Fishing Lake as "beautiful camping fishing and more... quiet I was the only one here." Several reviews mention the helpfulness of campground staff and the cleanliness of facilities. Wildlife viewing opportunities exist at locations like Cheyenne Bottoms, though campers should be prepared for seasonal insects, particularly mosquitoes during warmer months.

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Best Camping Sites in Kansas (591)

    1. Prairie Clover Campground — Clinton State Park

    35 Reviews
    Lawrence, KS
    +1 (785) 842-8562

    $10 - $100 / night

    "The great part is that the sites are so large, at least on the lake side, which is actually a bit away from the lake, but accessible by stairs from the camp sites."

    "The park is also at a lake so there’s a beach access area where you can go and swim or just sit by the very large lake."

    2. Goodland KOA

    28 Reviews
    St. Francis, KS
    Website
    +1 (785) 890-5701

    "The park is also super conveniently located to the interstate, so it’s the perfect place to pull off for the night."

    "No forests, lake, trails, or any of that, but in this part of the state such things don’t exist anyway. Perfect as a stopover on the Great Journey between Kansas and Colorado."

    3. Ellis Lakeside Campground

    29 Reviews
    Hays, KS
    Website
    +1 (785) 726-4812

    "This little RV park is a perfect no frills stop while driving through Kansas with easy access off I70."

    "Scenic lakeside spot. Bathhouse wasn’t open but we did not expect it to be in early Feb. Would stop again"

    4. Salina Campground

    26 Reviews
    Salina, KS
    Website
    +1 (785) 827-3182

    $46 - $65 / night

    "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."

    "We arrived late while driving from CO to AR. The sites are large enough that we didn’t need to unhook. It’s close to a gas station to fill up before hitting the road again in the morning."

    5. Lake Shawnee County Campground

    24 Reviews
    Topeka, KS
    Website
    +1 (785) 251-6834

    $20 / night

    "General: In addition to a campground, this county park has so much to offer including a seven-mile paved path around Lake Shawnee, disc golf, a heated fishing dock, softball complex, golf course, boat"

    "Beautiful gated lakeside campground in SE Topeka that can accommodate almost any camper type. There are pull through and back in sites. All are gravel with a picnic table and fire ring."

    6. Big Bluestem Hell Creek Area Campground — Wilson State Park

    23 Reviews
    Wilson, KS
    Website
    +1 (785) 658-2465

    $21 / night

    "Prime spot with large shade tree to block western sun. 20’ from water’s edge with path to drop kayaks in, swim or even sit lawn chairs into the water to cool off."

    "We stayed in a loop alone that could have had 3 other sites, next to beach access. Bathrooms were a bit of a walk but again, worth it!!"

    7. Minooka Park

    21 Reviews
    Dorrance, KS
    Website

    $8 - $200 / night

    "I think this campground is located on the only lake In Kansas. Very windy. Nights are Gorgeous. Showers and bathrooms on site. Located 10 mins from I-70"

    "Would for sure come back here if I’m ever needing a campsite in Kansas."

    8. Bloomington East - Clinton Lake

    22 Reviews
    Lawrence, KS
    Website
    +1 (785) 843-7665

    $14 - $60 / night

    "The draw for me is the many hiking trails accessible from the campsite. Great place to spend a nice Kansas weekend!"

    "Awesome location and beautiful surroundings. Loved our site - lots of shade, big picnic table, & right next to playground. Beach was in great condition. The whole family had a great time."

    9. Gunsmoke RV Park

    19 Reviews
    Dodge City, KS
    Website
    +1 (620) 227-8247

    "Sites 50 through 82 are in the back away from the highway and very quiet. 33 through 44 are back in sites and front the highway and are noisier. 50 to 82 have 20 feet of grassy space between sites, I"

    "Some noise from road and train close by. Overall quite comfortable. Sites good size. Park next to rig."

    10. Creek Side Resort

    17 Reviews
    Hays, KS
    Website
    +1 (785) 259-0927

    $35 / night

    "Campground just outside of fun, nice Hays, Kansas. Nearly no trees, but extra long sites - probably 90 feet long.     Almost all are pull-thru."

    "A nice little campground near Hays! The site was well kept and was an easy pull through, full hookup. Nice quiet campground."

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Recent Camping Photos in Kansas

288 Photos of 591 Kansas Campgrounds

Recent Reviews in Kansas

1531 Reviews of 591 Kansas Campgrounds

  • cThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 5, 2025

    Chase County Fishing Lake

    Camp on the water

    Not a bad spot and mostly clean. Dispersed camping directly on the lake. I didn’t fish, but there are big fish jumping. Downsides are that you can hear the highway and there isn’t much for hiking or running trails.

  • KThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 4, 2025

    Courtland City Park

    Solo Camping in City Park

    The Courtland City Park has one RV spot next to a picnic shelter and essentially below the town’s water tower. The park has a playground and ball field, in addition to restrooms. The park is surrounded by a church, houses, and a grain elevator and is located about 2 blocks from the Main Street with businesses. Overall it was a fairly quiet one-night stay. While in town, you must visit Irrigation Ales Brewery!

  • Katie B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 31, 2025

    Leavenworth Kansas State Fishing Lake

    Great stop for the night

    Pulled in late and left early. Lots of level grassy space available, and the lake looked really nice. A few other overnighters were there. Not too much time is added if you’re traveling i70. Poop on the toilet seat in the pit toilet so we waited until we got to a gas station in the morning. People are animals.

  • Pam R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2025

    Wakeeney KOA

    Fine for over night

    This is our second stay at the Wakeeney KOA. It's a good choice when traveling across Kansas where there are few options. It's right on 70, so there is road noise. It's well maintained. The sites are level and the bathroom/showers are clean. There's a little store as well. We had trouble with wifi at site 1, but had no problem when we were at the back on our last trip.

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 27, 2025

    Boot Hill Casino

    Good spot to sleep for the night

    Good spot to crash for the night on those long travel days. HUGE concrete parking lot. Pretty level. Well lighted and felt safe.

    Called and asked before we showed up and they were very pleasant. Requested that we park behind the Hampton Inn adjacent to the casino.

    I'll definitely stay here again when traveling through.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 26, 2025

    Wellington KOA

    Hickory Hollow campground

    No longer a KOA but still a nice campground for an overnight stop.

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 23, 2025

    Phillipsburg City Park

    Great little campground!

    Clean, quiet (aside from the roosters across the street), concrete pads, water and electric hook ups, dump station just east of the campground. All for just $15/night.

  • Smitty S.
    Oct. 21, 2025

    Gunsmoke RV Park

    Overnight stay

    We stopped here for the night. There are a lot of stores not far down the street.we had a spot in the back witch was really quiet and dark. Made for a good night sleep.

  • 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!

Guide to Kansas

Camping in Kansas offers a unique blend of beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.

What to Do

  • Hiking and Biking: Many campgrounds, like Wilson State Park Campground, have trails for hiking and biking. One camper mentioned, “The Switchgrass MTB is surprisingly fun!”
  • Fishing and Swimming: Campgrounds near lakes, such as Minooka - Wilson Reservoir, provide great spots for fishing and swimming. A visitor noted, “We were right on the lake and it was stunning for sunrise.”
  • Wildlife Watching: Places like Cheyenne Bottoms Campground are perfect for spotting wildlife. One camper shared, “The marshlands exploded with sound...frogs, crickets, owls, foxes, coyotes, and more wildlife sounds than I could identify.”

What Campers Like

  • Scenic Views: Campers rave about the stunning views at various sites. One review from Cedar Bluff State Park Page Creek Area said, “Pure beauty as far as the eye can see. Blue water. Generously spaced and well-maintained sites.”
  • Clean Facilities: Many campgrounds pride themselves on cleanliness. A visitor at Creek Side Resort remarked, “Beautiful and super clean. Amazing bathhouse and coffee house.”
  • Quiet Atmosphere: Campers appreciate the peacefulness of many sites. One camper at Ellis Lakeside Campground mentioned, “Spent one night on our way west and was glad to find this nice relaxing, shaded place.”

What You Should Know

  • Mosquitoes: Be prepared for bugs, especially near water. A camper at Cheyenne Bottoms Campground warned, “Watch out for mosquitos. It’s by a lake so this time of year it’s nasty!”
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds may not have all the amenities you expect. A review of Kansas Ellis Lakeside Campground noted, “Bathrooms were a bit of a walk but again, worth it!!”
  • Seasonal Access: Certain campgrounds, like Minooka Park, are only open from May to December. Always check the season before planning your trip.

Tips for Camping with Families

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for sites with amenities like playgrounds and swimming areas. One family at Cedar Bluff State Park enjoyed, “The swimming beach is large and looked clean.”
  • Plan for Activities: Make sure to have activities for kids. A camper at Kanopolis State Park Campground said, “There are walking trails, beaches, a boat launch, and bathrooms.”
  • Pack Bug Spray: Given the presence of bugs, especially near water, it’s wise to bring bug spray. A camper at Minooka - Wilson Reservoir mentioned, “Plenty of bugs (not as bad as I was expecting though) so plan to bring spray.”

Tips from RVers

  • Look for Full Hookups: Many RV parks, like Triple J RV Park, offer full hookups. One RVer noted, “The campsite pads are level, nice and wide, gravel like the roads.”
  • Check for Noise Levels: Some campgrounds are near highways, which can be noisy. A review of Triple J RV Park stated, “The noise is exceptionally loud and it was difficult to get a good night's sleep.”
  • Make Reservations Early: Popular spots can fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons. A camper at Wilson State Park Campground advised, “Reserve early online.”

Camping in Kansas can be a rewarding experience with the right preparation and knowledge. Enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the top camping lakes in Kansas?

Kansas boasts several exceptional camping lakes with clear waters and recreational opportunities. Wilson State Park features what's noted as the largest and clearest saltwater lake in Kansas, with prime waterfront sites like those at Big Bluestem Campground offering direct water access for swimming and kayaking. Tuttle Creek State Park provides excellent water views from its River Pond Area, with shaded sites under massive cottonwood trees. Other notable lake camping destinations include Clinton Lake near Lawrence, which offers both primitive and developed camping options, and El Dorado Reservoir, known for its fishing opportunities. Most lake campgrounds in Kansas provide boat ramps, swimming areas, and fishing access.

What are the best campgrounds in Kansas for tent camping?

Kansas offers excellent tent camping options with diverse landscapes. Page Creek Area — Cedar Bluff State Park provides gorgeous lakeside tent-only sites with easy beach access and clean facilities. For a unique plains experience, Otoe Yucca — Wilson State Park offers primitive camping on a peninsula with stunning 3-sided views, perfect for those seeking solitude with only 6 sites available. When tent camping in Kansas, look for shaded areas during summer months, as temperatures can soar. Most state parks offer designated tent pads, fire rings, and access to water sources. For the best experience, consider camping in spring or fall when temperatures are milder and insect activity is reduced.

Are there any free campgrounds in Kansas?

Yes, Kansas offers several free camping options. Chase State Fishing Lake provides free car camping with fire rings alongside a stunning lake surrounded by rolling hills and includes a clean bathroom facility. A unique Kansas feature is that all roadside parks allow one free overnight stay in your vehicle, with Smith Center Roadside Area being a particularly nice example located just outside town. Free primitive camping can also be found at various wildlife areas throughout the state, though amenities are typically minimal. When using free sites, practice Leave No Trace principles and be aware that most free locations don't offer reservations—arrive early during peak seasons to secure a spot.

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