Best Tent Camping near Pittsburg, KS

Tent Camping Reviews near Pittsburg, KS

142 Reviews of 7 Pittsburg Campgrounds

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  Oct. 22, 2021

  Gopher Valley - Twin Bridges — Grand Lake State Park

  Pleasant RV/Tent campground

  Gopher Valley campground in on of several campground in the Twin Bridges area of Grand Lake State Park.  This campground is fully paved with both full hook up RV camping area, tent camping area and areas that work for both.  Campground have drive through and pull in sites.  Sites all have picnic tables and metal fire rings.  Campground has a large pavilion which can be rented.  The pavilion has a huge BBQ grill.  Campground has a small playground for the kids.  Small restroom with showers is available.  With the exception of the RV pull through sites all the other sites have plenty of grass to set up a tent.  Sites can be reserved.

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• H

  Hanna T.

  Scout

  May. 31, 2022

  Prairie State Park Campground

  Primitive accomodations but beautiful land!

  The tiny campground is located in a wooded hollow at the edge of the prairie and has 4 primitive sites, no electric or water at sites, no showers and one vault toilet only. You can drive up the hill to the maintenance area to get water and there is a sign for this. 2 sites have paved pads and the others are gravel/dirt. The 2 outer gravel sites back up to a curved stream that runs along the perimeter of the campground but are lower and more shaded and more prone to hovering clouds of bugs. They are all have a picnic table and fire ring and are relatively private and well distanced. Since you have to drive through this stream to get to the campground beware when there has been heavy rain as it may not be accessible. The center paved sites are more open and grassy and get more wind but also don’t have as much shade. I think I stayed in site 4 and it was great for my solar panel. I did have steady cell service with AT&T while here.

  Since it’s pretty primitive you will likely have the place to yourself, but be prepared to have guests of the state park driving through all day to check it out. Lots of deer around, beautiful to see but this also means ticks! There is also significant poison ivy along the roads but there are signs warning about that. Best to keep to the maintained roads and paths. As far as dogs, they are not allowed on any of the trails because of the bison but they can walk the entire main gravel road of the state park (no shade). Nature center was closed due to covid when I was there but looks interesting. There were a couple bison about 20 feet from the center when I was there. My parents visited once and ended up on the road for about an hour while an entire herd of bison meandered across the road around their vehicle! The bison roam free here, although the small campground area has fences and/or cow grates to keep them out. The land is stunning and open and takes you back to a bygone era of this country. The sunrises here over the prairie are gorgeous.

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• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  Oct. 22, 2021

  Eagle Bluff - Twin Bridges — Grand Lake State Park

  Tent camping with covered picnic tables

  Eagle Bluff campground has both RV and tent camping spots.  Drive in sites have electrical, picnic tables, metal fire rings, BBQ grills and paved parking pads.  The nice part of this campground is the undeveloped camping area for those tent campers, the sites while close together have Shelters over most of the sites picnic tables as well as BBQ grills.  Sites with electricity have plenty of room for setting up tents.  Campground has a new playground for the kids.  Rest room has showers as well.  Horseshoe pits and a basketball hoop are also available.  Sites can be reserved.  A Pavilion is available.

• 

  Dexter I.

  Legend

  Oct. 29, 2021

  Angler's Paradise - Twin Bridges — Grand Lake State Park

  Camp between two rivers

  Angler's Paradise campground is a 20 site campground in the Twin Bridges area of Grand Lake State Park.  The campground sits between the Neosho and Spring rivers.

  17 of the sites are RV sites with hook ups, the last three are primitive tent sites.  All sites have Picnic tables and BBQ Grills.  Some sites have hooks for lanterns.  Restrooms are on site as well as water and trash service.  Most of the RV sites are right up against each other with little room between.  It appears that this will be a busy site due to the very large boat launch at the campground.  The campground is also just off of U.S. Highway 60 so expect some road noise.  The campground does have a shelter as well that can be rented for $51.

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• 

  Wendy M.

  Guide

  Oct. 25, 2020

  Prairie State Park Campground

  Primitive fun

  This campsite is not for those who want amenities. There are 4 SPACIOUS sites and they are what I would call primitive. No hookups/ no electricity/ no running water. Good for star gazing. Two sites have a paved pad and two do not...depends what you’re looking for. There are quite a few trails ranging from 1.5-4.5 miles—- total of 14 miles of trails. The nature center is small but they have two bison, a coyote, and many other learning opportunities inside. Speaking of bison and coyotes... you’ll hear the coyotes all night howling and barking...the bison are roaming around which you will be able to see where they’ve been by the scat droppings around the road and trail system. Definitely something to see if you’ve never seen the plains before.

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• N

  N I.

  Legend

  Aug. 25, 2021

  Timber Hill

  A Walk on the Hill Side

  .• 20 Non electric

  • No hookups

  • FCFS•$10.00

  • Boat ramp

  • Drinking water

  • Dump station

  • Pit toilets

  • Boat Trailer Parking

  • Campfire Rings

  • Dock

  • Drinking Water(peak season)

  • Grills

  • Hitching Racks

  • Horseback Riding Trails

  • Lake Access

  • Non-Potable Water

  • Parking Area

  • Paved Roads

  • Paved Sites

  • Picnic Tables

  • Table& Benches

  • Trailhead Parking

  • Trailheads

  • Trash Collection

  • Vault Toilets

  • Water(Seasonal)

  • Accessible Drinking Water

  • Accessible Parking

  • Dump Station

  • Paved Parking

  • Pets Allowed

  • Horse Staging Area

  Part of this drive will be on a gravel road but it is well maintained. This is a small and very quiet campground and had very few campers. Sites are small and heavily forested which will make for a very shady stay.

  Located on Bill Hill Lake outside of Cherryvale, Kansas and set in the gently rolling prairie with a large scattering of trees. The area considers itself as Kansas “Little Ozarks.” It is a beautifully serene setting dotted with campgrounds and day use areas. The Bill Hill Lake is a reservoir and holds 1,240 acres of water with 367 acres available for use by the public. The park is nestled in the rolling, wooded countryside with thick oak-hickory forests surrounded by prairie and farmland, the lake shore supplies a variety of habitats for birds and mammals. Cherryvale Park offers a relaxing atmosphere with plenty of trees for shade, and the lake is only a short walk away from the campsites. Campers can venture onto several hiking and equestrian trails including Big Hill Lake Horse Trail, a 17-mile trail with a variety of terrain for all ages to explore. The trail winds along a scenic hardwood ridge that offers gorgeous views all along the way. Big Hill Lake is known as a trophy lake for fishing. Principal species of sport fish include largemouth bass, crappie, channel and flathead catfish, bluegill, walleye and smallmouth bass. The lake is also popular for fishing tournaments. Almost all of the land around the lake is open to public hunting, except for parks and areas around the dam and control structures. Principal species hunted are whitetail deer, turkey and squirrel. Families with kids will enjoy visiting the sand-covered beach nearby for cooling off from the summer heat and enjoying a picnic Campers can venture onto several hiking and equestrian trails including Big Hill Lake Horse Trail, a 17-mile trail with a variety of terrain for all ages to explore. The trail winds along a scenic hardwood ridge that offers gorgeous views all along the way. Big Hill Lake is known as a trophy lake for fishing. Principal species of sport fish include largemouth bass, crappie, channel and flathead catfish, bluegill, walleye and smallmouth bass. The lake is also popular for fishing tournaments. Almost all of the land around the lake is open to public hunting, except for parks and areas around the dam and control structures. Principal species hunted are whitetail deer, turkey and squirrel. Families with kids will enjoy visiting the sand-covered beach nearby for cooling off from the summer heat and enjoying a picnic. 

  Getting Here Latitude 37° 17' 43.8324" N Longitude 95° 26' 51.8352" W From Dennis, KS go south on Gray Rd to 21000 Rd and turn right. Follow signs to park. 

  Need to Know• Check in and out is 3pm. Campsites are reservable online or by phone at recreation.gov or 877-444-6777. No pay station at park. 

  Contact Information Mailing Address 19065 Cherryvale Parkway, Cherryvale, KS 67335 Physical Address 20013 Timberhill Parkway, Cherryvale, KS 67335 Phone Number For campground inquiries, please call: 6203362741 

  Need to Know• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited within the Mound Valley Swimming Beach Area

  Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information. 

  Upon arrival at Big Hill Lake a visitor may choose from a plethora of fun activities. Camping with and without electricity, boat launches, ball field, swimming beach and so much more. For trails you will find the Big Hill Lake Horse Trail which surrounds¾ of the lake and is 17 miles long. It provides a variety of terrain for all ages. The trail provides amazing views and riders will enjoy tethering areas and three parking areas along the trail. The parking areas are equipped with limited facilities that can be used for overnight camping by the trail riders. Riders will have the opportunity for wildlife viewing. For those that wish to hike you will find the Ruth Nixon Memorial Trail. The trail enjoys blue bird houses that were set in honor or Ruth Nixon. It is about one mile and offers the hikers the chance to observe local wildlife. The scenery along the way is spectacular. This trail links the Overlook Day Use Area and Cherryvale Recreation Area. There are rest areas along the way so take advantage of those inviting stops to enjoy the lake views and just take in the scenery. Big Hill Lake is one of the clearest lakes in Kansas and considered a trophy fishing lake. Sport fish include largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, channel and flathead catfish, bluegill, walleye and sunfish. Hunters will find about 800 acres of project land that is managed for wildlife. Game species are lardge and varied around Big Hill Lake. Hunters will find bob white quail, rabbit, grey and fox squirrels, mourning dove, migratory waterfowl, wild turkey and white tailed deer. Hunters may also utilize another 1350 acres of land located about½ mile from the project. Wildflowers are in abundance in the spring and fall along with the beautiful trees such as persimmon, osage orange, redbud and dogwood. Swimming on the sandy beaches along the lake is a joy. Alcohol is not allowed on the beach area. Glass containers are also not allowed on the beach or in the water. 

  Boats that are propelled by a motor of any kind or a sailboat must be numbered and registered with the state of Kansas or legally registered with another state. 

  The Cherryvale area present day is a farming/ranching rural area with Friday night football the big excitement. In the 19th century Kansas was a bloody place. Before the “Civil War” you would have different groups battling for control. After the civil war the pioneers began their westward journey through the many trails that crossed the plains. In 1870 a group of five families settled in western Labette County. Cherryvale had not been established. This group stands out because of one particular family. The Bender family, a normal– mother– father– son– daughter from Germany. John Bender, Sr., his wife Ma Bender, son John, Jr. and daughter Kate. Now I am not going to get involved in their story but I will touch on some of the highlights and let you know the story includes an inn, a store, a hammer, a trap door, lonely single male travelers, haunted property and the only place where a mass murder is celebrated by a state historical marker. Google the Bender family in Kansas and enjoy a bit of the old west

  LNT 

  Better than when you found it

  Stay safe– Happy Travels

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• 

  Annie C.

  Legend

  May. 27, 2018

  Zans Creekside RV Park

  Creek side party beach camping

  This could be a really nice little campground if it weren’t for the party vibe starting at 7am (yep, there was that one guy pounding beer and cranking tunes at 7am). Camp sites are divided by the road with RVs on one side and tents on the other. A person can easily walk under the bridge to get from one side to the other without having to walk on the road. There are no designated sites for tents, and that means there are also no picnic tables or grills for tents (it looked like there were at least some grills and fire pits near the gravel parking pads for RVs). But, for $5 you can camp on the beach and Mike (the fellow who runs Zan’s) will help you get hooked up with kayaks or rafts to float the river. There are no showers. There’s a decent roadhouse just up the street for some eats.

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• 

  Ella K.

  Traveler

  Jul. 6, 2017

  Echo Hollow - Twin Bridges — Grand Lake State Park

  Lone Wolf

  Camped primitive at Twin Bridges State Park in 2002 by myself. Set up one-person tent. Built a campfire and enjoyed the solitude. Grand lake and Spring river joins together there just over the hill. Thats reason its called Twin Bridges! On 60 highway west of Senaca, Mo and between there and Fairland, Ok going west. Nice shelters with bath houses and picnic tables. Fishing is great! Have roped off swimming area too. Rangers came through every couple hours to do a security check which was nice. Made coffee next morning on fire and brother came with cinnamon rolls and to visit!! What a nice campground.

• 

  Lea B.

  Guide

  Jul. 21, 2020

  COE Stockton Lake Ruark Bluff West

  Perfect for Our Needs

  Stayed in campsite #5 in a rooftop tent. Level spot. Heavily shaded. Lots of trees for hammocks. Immediate access to the lake from this site for our kayaks. Short distance from bathrooms/shower house. Plenty of showers and bathrooms (both family style and community style options available). We were there in mid July and we had a pleasant cool breeze off the lake and not much of an insect problem. The only negative issue we had was that the fire ring hadn’t been cleaned out in a while. We had a ton of ashes we had to clear out ourselves just to be able to build a fire and as we walked around we noticed other fire rings were much the same. Some even had a lot of trash left in them. Also sketchy cell service and check in time is 6:00 pm which is kind of late. Overall, though, a great experience!

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