RV campsites near Perry Lake offer electric, water, and sewer connections with most parks accommodating larger recreational vehicles. Many campgrounds have concrete or gravel pads that require minimal leveling effort. Sites at several parks provide grassy areas between campsites, offering some separation from neighboring campers during peak season months.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Anglers visiting Basswood Country RV Resort can fish in one of five small lakes without needing a license. "You could fish in the lakes and didn't even need a license. We watched kids get excited as they caught fish after fish," reports one visitor who observed bluegill and bass being regularly caught.
Brewery visits: Located less than a mile from the Topeka Capital City KOA, Happy Basset Brewing Company offers local craft beers and often hosts food trucks. "On the way in, less than a mile from the campground is Happy Basset Brewing Co. - highly recommend, as well as the food truck that was on site On the Hook!!"
Museum exploration: While camping near Topeka, visitors can tour the Evel Knievel Museum and Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site. A visitor to Capital City KOA mentioned, "Some fun things to do outside of the campground are the Evel Knievel museum and Brown vs. Board of Education historical park."
What campers like
Spacious sites: The pull-through spots at Deer Creek Valley RV Park provide ample room for larger rigs and setup areas. According to one camper, "Great spot, the pull-thru RV pads are huge and the grass in between is sizable for each."
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept bathroom facilities with reliable hot water and cleaning schedules. One camper at Deer Creek Valley noted, "Clean bathrooms and showers. Fun little pool and awesome play area for kids. They have the property gate guarded at night which is another nice feature."
Scenic walking trails: Several RV parks offer maintained walking paths around ponds or through wooded areas. Capital City KOA features "a scenic walking trail. The trail is almost a mile and they've kept it mowed and easy to identify."
What you should know
Airport and railway noise: Some campgrounds near Perry Lake have notable noise factors to consider. Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA has frequent train activity, with one camper reporting, "Trains passed by really loudly all night long - it finally stopped at about 5am."
Seasonal crowds: Summer months bring higher occupancy rates, particularly at lakeside locations. Advance reservations become essential during peak periods, typically Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Site privacy variations: Site spacing differs significantly between campgrounds and even within the same park. At Walnut Grove RV Park, a visitor observed, "The spaces are very tight in the travelers section and more spread out in the long term section."
Highway proximity: Several campgrounds back up to major roadways, creating potential noise issues. "Our site backed to I-70. Also some plane noise," noted one Capital City KOA visitor, highlighting the importance of requesting sites farther from highways when making reservations.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Multiple RV parks near Perry Lake feature dedicated children's play areas. A visitor to Deer Creek Valley RV Park shared, "Clean bathrooms and showers. Fun little pool and awesome play area for kids. They have the property gate guarded at night which is another nice feature."
Family activities: Many campgrounds schedule weekend events specifically for children. Basswood Country RV Resort offers "organized activities such as arts and crafts, fishing contests, duck races and frozen t-shirt contests in the pool, and a Saturday evening outdoor movie."
Swimming amenities: Several parks maintain swimming pools with extended summer hours. "They have a nice, but small, salt water swimming pool that was refreshing after driving 8 hours," noted one camper at Capital City KOA.
Tips from RVers
Hookup configurations: At some campgrounds, utility connections are positioned between neighboring sites, requiring longer hoses and cords. A Capital City KOA visitor advised, "The water and sewer hookups are in the middle between sites, which can make hooking up somewhat awkward depending on the layout of your rig. A longer water hose and sewer extension are a good idea."
Buddy sites awareness: Some RV camping near Perry Lake includes shared site configurations that may not be clearly advertised. A camper at Capital City KOA discovered, "The most FRUSTRATING part is that this was a buddy site (that is NO WHERE on their website). We have rescue dogs and don't want to share our space with neighbors we don't know."
Road conditions: Access roads to some campgrounds require careful navigation. "Forbes Landing RV Park has full hookups. The neighbors are nice. It is well kept up. The down side is there is constant noise from the grain elevators. Many trains that are noisy."
