Looking to go glamping near Topeka and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Glamping is not only a fun alternative to traditional tent camping, but also allows you to pack more or less gear as you see fit. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a site closer to all the action, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect glamping spot.
This recreation area is part of Clinton Lake
This recreation area is part of Perry Lake
This recreation area is part of Pomona Lake
This recreation area is part of Melvern Lake
Carbolyn Park is located in eastern Kansas along Dragoon Creek, just east of Pomona Lake. The scenic park appeals to family campers, sportsmen and water sport enthusiasts. The reservoir covers 4,000 acres and offers excellent fishing and boating opportunities.
Fishing, boating, picnicking, and hunting are favorite activities on and around Pomona Lake. The lake's fish and wildlife resources provide ample opportunities for sportsmen and women. Three nearby trails meander around Pomona, providing visitors with hiking and nature study opportunities. Deer Creek Nature Trail and Witches' Broom Trail are short trails for hikers. The Black Hawk Trail offers a 33 mile loop with several trailheads. It is a popular hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking path.
Pomona Lake is situated among the rolling hills, mixed grasslands, croplands and forests of eastern Kansas. Wildlife and numerous species of birds can be observed at this secluded, heavily shaded campground. Bald eagles, white-tailed deer, Canada geese, wild turkey, crappie, walleye, channel catfish and other wildlife can be found here.
Numerous parks lie on the banks of Pomona Lake, offering additional boating, fishing, swimming, hunting, and hiking opportunities. The town of Lyndon, Kansas is less than 10 miles away, with limited restaurants and shops. This small town is home to 22 historical sites and the smallest Carnegie library still in use.
$14 - $20 / night
Traveler
Pne of the closest to the Kansas city metro lots of glamping
Traveler
We missed a KOA in Kansas City because of construction. Went to Lawrence KOA instead. Glad for the misfortune. The park has all you need for short or long term camping and RV trips.
Legend
This was one of our favorite Kansas State Parks. At the end of May, it was almost empty. We had our pick of sites. We got a prime tree shaded spot on the water. In fairness, most sites are on the water or have a water view. Spectacular sunsets.
There was only 1 small bath house open while we were there, but it was clean and the shower was hot. It was one of those push button kind that only stayed on for a min. Not a problem to just keep pushing.
We road bikes, but the cold spring winds made kayaking impossible. In the summer, I can see why this place would be a fun destination. Swimming, boating, fishing, horses, archery, wide open spaces.
The roads within the park are not the best. Also, online reservations must be made 48 hrs in advance, otherwise, its day by day.
Guide
We stayed a week at Clinton State Park’s campground at site 92 in the middle of July with our two dogs.
Pros: The park itself is very big so the sites were pretty big which is always a big plus. Sites come with a picnic table and a fairly large fire ring which we unfortunately never got to enjoy because we were here during a heat wave (100+ almost every day). 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. There’s also a marina and boat ramps for anyone who has a boat, which we sadly did not. Of course, it’s important to mention this was one of the most affordable places we’ve ever stayed, granted, it was with a non sewer site but still.
Cons: The check-in situation was not very good. We received our site number upon reservation but we didn’t receive any instructions on when and where to check-in or if anyone would even be there to check us in. We also weren’t aware we’d have to pay for a parking pass for both our RV and towed vehicle which is normally $5/day but since we were there 7 days they gave us the annual passes which came out to $50 total for both vehicles. This one obviously most likely just has to do with the time of year we were here and it’s out of the park’s control but there were SO MANY BUGS especially at night. We hung our outside string lights like normal and, as you’ll see in the photos, they were absolutely swarmed with bugs. We’ve never seen so many bugs in one place, not even close. We also, as mentioned above, stayed at a W/E only site in the Prairie Clover Campground and each campground only has one dump station (2 total for the whole park) and the one for ours was closed for construction, which we were not made aware of, so we had to drive a pretty good distance to take our honey pot to the only one that was open. The bathrooms/showers were extremely hot because of no ventilation, had a lot of bugs, and the showers only give you one temperature and one pressure level, neither of which were great, and the lights in both are on a sensor and they went off within about 5 minutes of being in there and no matter how much you motioned it wouldn’t come back on so you’re stuck showering in the dark. Lastly, our Verizon service wasn’t very good, only about 2 bars of LTE. We both work full time remotely so this was concerning but luckily with our jet pack connected to an antenna we were able to get around 3 bars of LTE which was enough for us to work off of.
Overall: This is a nice, affordable state park/campground overall, not exactly the prettiest but it’s big and offers big sites and a large lake you can enjoy. It would have been much more enjoyable to stay during a cooler time of the year when there wasn’t so many bugs and on a site that had sewer (a non sewer site was our choice to be fair) so you didn’t have to worry about the dump station situation. Also not having wi-fi or great phone service was inconvenient but we had enough to make it work. We don’t plan to spend a whole lot of time in Kansas but if we came back through anytime that’s not spring or summer we’d definitely consider staying here again.
Scout
Stayed for one night and left very early in the morning. Showers were clean but old. Could use an update but decent for a state park.
TravelerThe campground is kept up great! Enjoy going there each time! We just had a family get together where we rented 6 sites. It accommodated us all!
TravelerPerry State Park is well maintained and manicured park. The primitive sites and RV sites are extremely close (especially the RV sites) other than that they have dedicated hammock sites!
ScoutNice state park on the lake can be crowded and a little crazy on weekends. Like most state parks no sewer hookups but easy access to dump station
GuideWe had a wonderful stay! Wonderful pull through spots, great views, and closer to the boat ramp!
TravelerUtility camping is a little close together for my liking. Still decent overall.
TravelerWe camped in the Hobie Cove campground and the site itself was OK. Not a lot of choices for sites that are flat or offer a lot of shade. We did have a good time though exploring the area.
This is our second time camping here and the new bar/restaurant across the lake kills an overall good family camping weekend. There was a live band that had their music so loud we could hear it across the lake from 8-midnight. I'm sure it's just a Friday/Saturday night deal but if you are looking to escape and listen to the crickets, birds, and the occasional laughter of other campers, this lake isn't that place.
TravelerWas surprised at the layout of this campground loop when we pulled in. Thankfully it was just a pit stop on our drive out west, but it was essentially a parking lot. Also surprised there were essentially semi-permanent campers set up. Did not live up to what I would expect at a state park and there were zero views of the lake from any of the campsites (tree line was heavily overgrown). Would not recommend if you are staying for more than a night.
TravelerGreat place for a day or two... Stayed in lot 93,nice spot on end with extra privacy. Only complaint, cold shower in facility near marina. I would recommend a spot closer to marina if you're not In an RV. We were a rooftop tent and could heat distant trains all night.
ScoutSuper easy to pull in and set up. Plenty of spots.Only a few signs with a map so i took a picture on my phone and used that.
Water on each site which is a luxury.
Stayed for 2 nights. Easy breezin
TravelerMy husband and I got eaten alive by mosquitoes within a minute of getting it of our car. Needed to use the restroom and there was no toilet seat, the place looked and smelled disgusting, and it was simply unusable. I will not be back.
RangerRolling hills and lots of green with many of trails and recreational facilities including more unusual things like archery. Lake is surprisingly big, good wildlife and birding. Popular place for bike and road races, that’s what brought us here. Camp sites have pretty trees but most sites aren’t so shady. Also has cabins.
RangerThe potential is there as the lake is a pretty lake. The problem is that most if not all of the campgrounds are so fare removed from a view of the lake, you might as well be in a random pasture.
The campgrounds are clean, safe and well maintained. Just not very pretty.
GuideClinton is somewhat close to us, so that is its big pull for us. The biggest pull for me is stopping in Lawrence on the way home. Lawrence is a college town with great restaurants and shops. Clinton had great views, questionable bathrooms, however. Depending on when you go, you may get rowdy college kids nearby. We always find ourselves going back for the convenience.
ScoutNot bad, but Clinton is just not very rural place in general. No much of a view in this spot eather
TravelerLots of spots to choose from. Can be packed, especially on holiday weekends. I usually come here with larger groups of people or to test out new gear since it's the closest to my house. Campground 1 is definitely the best area. Lots of easily accessible trails, but water views are non existent and water access is not close.
GuideIf you enjoy no privacy and camping on top of your neighbor, look no further! If you the your dogs like we do, expect to keep them tied up on a short line and for the park rangers to come check every few hours. For a place with issues of bodies in the lake and homeless squatters, strange for rangers top consistently come into other campsites to check on illegal activity. We tried to go swimming once and was met with piles of dead fish on the swimming beach. Plus side, it's close and bathrooms are clean.
GuideI stayed at the free site a ways from the lake called Woodbridge public use area and the hiking trail that connected this spot to the lake was killer as well as the campground was beautiful I camped in the rain for 2 of the 3 nights I stayed here and it was still a very very enjoyable experience and it FREE!!
TravelerHad a large family gathering here. crowded but clean and fun.
GuideWe love this campsite, especially in the off months! We always get a great private campsite, but I can see where in more popular months, it can get crowded! Bathrooms are clean, dog friendly! Hiking trails are great too!
GuideIt's good for kids because it has a field and a playground. Some primitive sites do NOT have a fire pit. Bathrooms are bug filled. Even the showers that close all the way. Some campers look like they live there.
ScoutWe have tent camped here often. Most of the sites are spacious. It's not unusual to find a site with no neighbors. The campground is uphill from the lake but the are hiking trails to the lake as well as other trails around the park. Vault toilets and flush toilets with showers are available. They could be better maintained. Overall it is a nice quiet campground for a quick getaway. Also, very close to Lawrence.
TravelerWeird campsites, not enough trees, super loud at night due to traffic, the lake is disgusting and we ended up leaving after one night. Would never return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Topeka, KS?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Topeka, KS is Clinton State Park Campground with a 3.6-star rating from 36 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Topeka, KS?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 glamping camping locations near Topeka, KS, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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