19 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Historic Lake Scott State Park encompasses multiple pet-friendly campgrounds accommodating tent, RV, and cabin campers. Elm Grove, Circle Drive, Apache, Timber Canyon, Lakeview, and Lakeside all permit pets throughout their camping areas with standard leash requirements. The park's cabins explicitly allow pets, though facilities near the swim beach have limited pet access. Campsites feature electric hookups, picnic tables and fire rings at most locations, with water and sewer connections available at some loops. Circle Drive campground's sites are well-spaced with good shade coverage, though some primitive areas like Apache campground offer less privacy between sites. While campgrounds remain busy during summer weekends, they typically clear out by Sunday evenings, creating quieter midweek experiences.
The park's setting within a scenic gorge provides multiple pet exercise opportunities along shoreline paths and hiking trails. Dogs particularly enjoy accessing the spring-fed lake water at designated areas away from the swimming beach. Monument Rocks and Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, both approximately 19 miles from the campgrounds, offer additional dog-friendly hiking experiences in the surrounding area. The local bait shop and small store operate primarily on weekends for essential supplies. The entire camping area contrasts dramatically with surrounding Kansas farmland, creating an unexpected oasis with abundant shade trees, bluffs, and water access. Bathhouse facilities vary in cleanliness and maintenance, particularly during busy periods, so campers with pets may prefer full-hookup sites for self-contained camping.
"Lots of positives, mainly the scenery and peace & quiet. Amazing sites nearby...Jerusalem Badlands & Monument Rocks about 15-20 minutes north off of US 83. "
"Driving through Kansas and coming up on this park and it's views made it a great spot to stop at along the way. Able to pull up to campsites and park next to your tent area."
from $10 / night
Check Availability"This was our last stop in our Tour de Kansas. The landscape felt more like the west than the flatlands of Kansas we had come to love. We pulled in on a Thurs. The campground was almost empty."
"Camped in Circle Drive in our Popup. Friendly staff, clean grounds and lots of trees. Lake isn't deep - could stand pretty far out. Small beach area but you can get in water anywhere."
from $23 - $24 / night
Check Availability"Great sites friendly staff Equestrian trails
Frisbee golf course
Well painted swimming area
Small store for essentials and bait. Mr. Larry is the best!"
from $13 - $24 / night
Check Availability"We were pleasantly surprised at the beauty and remoteness of the location."
from $23 / night
Check Availability"This particular site would be difficult for family with young children because it is far away from the pit toilet."
from $10 / night
Check Availability"We wanted to try some parks in Western kansas. Heard some good things about them. This park is pretty good. It was a nice quiet location just north of Scott City and south of colby."
from $10 / night
Check Availability"Simply picked the first loops on the lake. if you want to swim I would suggest camping on the other side. I picked this spot because no one else was around I had the whole loop to myself."
from $23 / night
from $10 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $115 - $150 / night
Check Availability
RangerWe wanted to try some parks in Western kansas. Heard some good things about them. This park is pretty good. It was a nice quiet location just north of Scott City and south of colby. The general store that's very small is only open on Friday Saturday and Sunday.
RangerWe enjoyed our 2 night stay in the Circle Loop. Only negative was no fire pits in this loop, but all the tent sites had fire pits. Strange.
Lots of positives, mainly the scenery and peace & quiet. Amazing sites nearby...Jerusalem Badlands & Monument Rocks about 15-20 minutes north off of US 83.
Scott City, 15 miles south has a great grocery store and eateries,gas stations.
TravelerVery quiet, clean, pet friendly! We stayed here for 3 1/2 weeks wile I worked nights. Small showers
GuideDriving through Kansas and coming up on this park and it's views made it a great spot to stop at along the way. Able to pull up to campsites and park next to your tent area. Everything was clean and my spot was a nice wake up view looking across the lake. Only caught a catfish while there but still great fun. Wish I could've gotten video of the thunderstorm that rolled through in the distance. Overall though, great hiking around the lake and good spots. Just a short drive to town also if you need to pick anything up.
TravelerIf you’re looking for a dream destination, then keep going until you get deep into Colorado. This is not a vacation destination, but it certainly has everything you need. I stayed here for 4 nights and my site had electric, water, and sewer. The water pressure was great and I didn’t have a any issues with utilities even though temperatures dropped to 12 degrees outside. It’s close to the highway, which is convenient, but there is a little noise from the highway. The noise wasn’t bad and didn’t bother me at all. The campground has laundry and bathrooms on site. There’s also a gas station across the street and a Mexican restaurant right next to the campground. For western Kansas, this place is top notch. I will definitely stay here again in the future.
GuideI stopped for just one night on my way to Colorado in a baby 13 foot travel trailer and they were kind enough to put me back in the corner so I could watch the beautiful Kansas Sunset, and away from the big rigs. Big clean, hot and free showers with good water pressure. 
GuideThere is not a lot to see on the flat western plains of Kansas and you would not see this state park either if you didn’t know it was there. This lake is like a sunken oasis of trees and water. The area itself was great! There’s even a few histoical sites to visit and it is close to Monument Rocks, which is what bought us to Kansas.
The campground, however, is just ok. Perhaps it would’ve been better if they had rain to green up the grass, but it was mostly brown in June when we camped there. They have a large selection of sites and on a Monday night in June, we had many choices available for tent camping. It appeared that most who camp here have an rv and those spaces looked about full. Thankfully, those are two different areas of the campground because they were packed into a parking lot style campground. The tent area probably would’ve looked packed in too since the sites are small, but with only a handful of tents, we had some space.
One thing that did limit our choice of sites was a LARGE herd of geese that covered all of the lakeside sites as well as the next row in. I didn’t want to set up in bird poop in the dry grass so the sites with a decent view were out. We did luck out and find site 2 of the Flatland area which was up above the water line so the geese couldn’t swim up and walk in. Site 2 had a great view of the lake and was set apart from the other sites along with site 1. Site 1 would’ve been the better site but it was occupied by a tent that appeared to have been abandoned. Site 2 was not level by any means, in fact it sloped quite a bit compared to the rest of the sites. There was no tent pads, which would’ve helped a lot for this site. We just set up so our heads would be at the high end and it worked. It was too nice of a view to let a bumpy sloping site stop us!
The campground has a host and everyone was quiet for the night. We slept pretty well, other than the high humidity of Kansas.
The bathhouse left a lot to be desired. A good cleaning to remove dead bugs would’ve went a long way. A fresh coat of paint would make it inviting. It looked like nobody had checked on its’ condition for many years. We were hoping to use the showers, but they were no cleaner and had an odd design with no doors or shower curtains. The lighting was very dim as well, making it all look a little too creepy for a shower there. A fresh coat of paint, brighter lighting, some shower curtains, and a good scrub down would make this facility SO much better! We also checked the other batthouse on the opposite side of the lake and it was the same way...only creepier because there was one lone rv camped near it.
Overall, I would not camp here again unless I read some reviews indicating the the bathhouse has been improved. It’s not a dealbreaker to not have a shower, but if this campground had been fuller, the geese all over the sites may have been. If you have an rv and pay for full hookups, you might like this campground. If you are tent camping, keep looking.
LegendIt seemed like we drove a long time to get here. This was a stop on our way back home from Colorado. It was around 40 some miles from the Interstate& all we saw were fields upon fields & no trees. The husband was grumbling when we turned off on the road to Lake Scott. I felt a lot better when we took the road down into the valley & saw the lake!
This is not our first Kansas state park. We've been to Kanopolis & Mushroom Rocks. Lake Scott is supposed to be Kansas' most historic park. We stayed for 2 nights in the Circle campground. Water & electric. There's a few "seasonal" sites that offer sewer.
As before, there was no one at the gatehouse to check in, so we found our site ourselves. The camp host was never around, but there were a few people in golf carts who waved at us.
The site had some trees & a view of the lake. The site was clean
It was a short walk to the bathroom by the lake. There are flush toilets & showers & I've got to say, they are the filthiest I've seen camping. Apparently it's no ones job to take out the garbage or clean the sinks or toilets.
The beach was fairly crowded both afternoons we were there. I have no idea why anyone would want to swim in that disgusting water, but I guess that's all that's around. My husband says he saw fish jumping, so there is that to do.
This is a pretty scenic park. The rocks & the lake, ect. There was never anyone at the beach store & I found out it's only open on weekends. There was someone at the park office& I got some area info. It was closed by afternoon though. The Steele Home Museum was closed both days we were there.
TravelerMy girlfriend and I met here early in November for a few days. We were pleasantly surprised at the beauty and remoteness of the location. Both of us grew up in southeast Kansas and didn’t realize what a different geological and historical history the region contained. We will be returning
Historic Lake Scott State Park sits within a scenic gorge that contrasts dramatically with the surrounding Kansas plains. The spring-fed lake creates a hidden oasis with natural springs, sandstone bluffs, and wooded areas at 2,965 feet elevation. Summer temperatures typically range from 65°F to 90°F with frequent afternoon thunderstorms during peak camping season.
Explore unique rock formations: Monument Rocks and Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park are both approximately 15-20 minutes from the campgrounds. "Amazing sites nearby...Jerusalem Badlands & Monument Rocks about 15-20 minutes north off of US 83," notes Bob M. from Circle Drive Campground.
Try kayaking on the lake: The spring-fed waters are perfect for paddling, especially during weekdays when boat traffic is minimal. "We spent the hot part of the days kayaking in the lake. The boat house rents kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats but only on weekends," according to Shannon G. who stayed at Circle Drive.
Visit historical sites: The park contains several preserved historical locations within walking distance of campgrounds. "There are amazing sites within 20 miles. The Little Jerusalem SP is a must. In the area, we saw turkey, owl, lots of buzzards, geese, albino buffalo and more cows than I have seen in one place," shares Nancy C.
Play disc golf: The park features a complete course suitable for all skill levels. "There is a great disc golf course and ADA fishing docks with paved walkway access for those who need it," mentions Angie S. from Timber Canyon Campground.
Unique landscape: The sudden transition from farmland to canyon surprises first-time visitors. "As you approach this lake, you will think your GPS is lying to you. You are in the middle of corn fields and no lake is visible, even when you are just a mile away. The lake sits in a gorge, and you won't see it until you are right at the top of and/or descending into the gorge," explains Jason W.
Midweek tranquility: The dog friendly campgrounds near Scott City empty significantly Sunday through Thursday. "We pulled up on a Saturday afternoon and the park was packed. Thankfully we had reservations. By Sunday evening there was hardly anyone left so we felt like we had the whole park for the next couple days," shares Shannon G. from Lakebank Drive Campground.
Well-spaced campsites: Many sites offer good spacing and privacy, particularly in Circle Drive. "Sites were well spaced and ours was fully shaded. An easy walk to the swim beach and little bait shop and store open on the weekends," notes Angie S.
Wildlife viewing: The park's ecosystem supports diverse animal species. "In the area, we saw turkey, owl, lots of buzzards, geese, albino buffalo and more cows than I have seen in one place," reports Nancy C.
Geese presence: Large numbers of geese frequent the lakeside areas, which can affect site selection. "One thing that did limit our choice of sites was a LARGE herd of geese that covered all of the lakeside sites as well as the next row in. I didn't want to set up in bird poop in the dry grass," explains Stacy R.
Weekend store hours: The park store operates limited hours. "The general store that's very small is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday," notes Wayne H. from Apache Campground.
Specific site recommendations: Some campground loops offer better experiences than others. "These spaces are blocked from the wind and feel more private than the Lakeview campground, but you are a bit further from bathrooms/dumpsters," mentions Katie L. about Timber Canyon.
Varying bathroom facilities: Restroom availability and quality differs between campground loops. "ReserveAmerica for reservations... No toilets in this CG. Nearest is about 1/3 mile away - vault toilet," advises Leslie B. from Lakeview Campground.
Group camping areas: Designated group sites are available with enhanced amenities. "There is a group camping site with large fire ring, grill, volleyball court etc," notes Ryan L.
Swimming areas: The designated swimming beach provides safe water access for children. "Well painted swimming area," mentions Keri F. from Lakeside Campground.
Weekend activities: Local events sometimes occur in the park. "On Saturday, the local car club drove their vintage cars to the park for a pop up car show," shares Nancy C.
Playground options: Multiple play areas are available throughout the pet-friendly camping areas near Scott City. "Great sites, friendly staff, equestrian trails, frisbee golf course, well painted swimming area," summarizes Keri F.
Loop-specific considerations: Different camping loops offer varying amenities and layouts. "Sites are a little close to each other. Water and electric sites. Sites are not marked real clearly," advises Larry E. about Circle Drive.
Leveling challenges: Some sites require additional equipment for proper RV setup. "Not very level where I was," notes Leslie B. about Lakeview Campground.
Hookup information: Electric pedestal arrangements vary by loop. "Gorgeous scenery but sites are on gravel or grass & not always level for our 30' 5th wheel. Verizon cell is available as is electricity & water. Dumping service is at the entrance," shares sKenyon who camped at Circle Drive Campground.
Seasonal considerations: Full hookup sites are recommended during busy periods. "Nice state park hidden away in the middle of nowhere, great stop on the way to Colorado, internet service four bars, no air TV, camp sites are spaced apart," reports Steve W.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Scott City, KS?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Scott City, KS is Elm Grove — Historic Lake Scott State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 12 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Scott City, KS?
TheDyrt.com has all 19 dog-friendly camping locations near Scott City, KS, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
