Camping sites near Tonganoxie, Kansas range from primitive lake access to full-service facilities with family activities. The area sits within the rolling terrain of eastern Kansas at approximately 900 feet elevation, characterized by a mix of wooded areas and open grasslands. Seasonal temperatures fluctuate significantly, with winter lows occasionally dropping below freezing and summer highs regularly exceeding 90°F from June through August.
What to do
Hiking trails at Clinton State Park: Access over 25 miles of trails with varying difficulty levels within 20 miles of Tonganoxie. "Staying 2 weeks and couldn't have been more pleased! Website is little to no help unless visiting in peak season, but the camp hosts and park rangers are the tops. Visiting in non peak is as easy as driving in, finding a spot and paying your fees," notes one visitor at Prairie Clover Campground.
Fishing at multiple lakes: Cast for bass, crappie, and catfish at Leavenworth Kansas State Fishing Lake or Clinton Lake. A camper described the Leavenworth location as "a small remote lake of about 160 acres water area. A county road takes you through the area and across the dam. There are gravel pull off areas and a lakeside gravel road."
Bird watching near Perry Lake: Spot eagles and other wildlife at the lakeside camping areas. "Saw eagles, turkey vultures, and possible osprey," reports a camper at Slough Creek Perry Lake, which operates seasonally from April 16 to October 15.
Archery practice: Visit the dedicated range at Clinton State Park for target shooting. According to a reviewer, the park offers "disc golf, archery range, and an abundance of hiking all around the camps."
What campers like
Quiet weekday camping: Many campgrounds report significantly lower occupancy Monday through Thursday. A visitor to Weston Bend State Park shared: "Campground is hilly, sites are level, gravel pads. Lots of space between sites. Electric sites, no water, but water spigots were scattered around the campground. Majority of sites had shade."
Lake views from campsites: Several campgrounds offer direct waterfront sites for easy fishing and water access. One camper at Bloomington East noted: "Paved roads are great for taking a walk or riding bikes and make it easy to move from one place to another within the campground. Our camping spot offered significant shade and a large grassy area for setting up chairs, cooking equipment, and outdoor games."
Secluded primitive options: Find more private sites by choosing primitive camping areas. "Woodridge is one if my favorite campgrounds. First come/first serve, plenty of space, potable water, nice toilets, tons of trails," reports one camper about Woodridge Park.
Clean facilities: Modern bathrooms and showers at several established campgrounds receive positive comments. According to a visitor at Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA: "The staff is very nice, the camp is clean the bathrooms are clean the laundry is clean the pool is clean overall a very pleasant little camp."
What you should know
Campground reservation policies: Most established sites require reservations, especially during peak season (May-September). A Prairie Clover Campground visitor explains: "Website is little to no help unless visiting in peak season, but the camp hosts and park rangers are the tops. Visiting in non peak is as easy as driving in, finding a spot and paying your fees."
Train noise impacts some locations: Multiple campgrounds near railroad lines experience frequent train disturbances. One visitor noted about Kansas City West-Lawrence KOA: "This is a lovely campsite but we'll sadly never stay here again - because trains passed by really loudly all night long - it finally stopped at about 5am."
Limited primitive amenities: Campgrounds without full hookups often lack water sources and trash disposal. At Leavenworth Kansas State Fishing Lake, a camper noted: "Everything is as great as it can be, aside from missing trash cans, and ideally water and grey dump, but that's usually rare to find water and a grey dump at a free site."
Weather considerations: Summer heat and humidity can be intense, with occasional storms. Spring and fall offer milder conditions. One camper mentioned: "Very muggy in the summer" about their camping experience near Tonganoxie.
Tips for camping with families
Look for dedicated activities: Some campgrounds offer specific children's programming. A camper at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park noted: "My kids love camping here, we came in an RV and we're barely ever inside it until we were ready to sleep. So much fun activities for the kids to do to keep them entertained and occupied, giving the adults time to do things like conversations and hanging out without kids interrupting."
Choose sites with playground access: Several established campgrounds include play equipment near camping areas. At Bloomington East, a camper observed: "We appreciate that the layout made it easy for children to move freely and safely among campsites and to restroom facilities and the playground."
Consider noise levels for sleeping children: Weekends tend to be louder at most campgrounds. One visitor to Perry Lake reported: "We were glad we were not there over the weekend as our neighbors said it can be pretty loud even though the campsites are pretty dispersed."
Pack for insects: Bug activity increases in summer months, particularly near water. "We went mid-June, and there had apparently been some type of butterfly hatching. They were small but quite aggressive (who knew!?), constantly swarming us," reported one family camping at Woodridge Park.
Tips from RVers
Reserve premium sites for more space: Standard RV sites can be quite close together at some campgrounds. A visitor to Walnut Grove RV Park advised: "I would recommend staying at the premium pull through sites the other back-in sites are rather small. I like the location it's close to where I was working and close to downtown so lots of things to do in the area."
Check site leveling before setup: Some campgrounds have uneven sites requiring additional equipment. One RVer noted: "The spot was on a slight hill- but wasn't terrible to level out."
Plan for seasonal closures: Not all campgrounds remain open year-round. Slough Creek at Perry Lake operates only from April 16 to October 15, while others like Walnut Grove RV Park stay open throughout the year.
Verify hookup types before arrival: Electric service varies between campgrounds and sites. At Weston Bend State Park, a visitor observed: "Electric sites, no water, but water spigots were scattered around the campground."
