Map showing campground location near McCook, Kansas

Camper submitted image from Oberlin-Sappa State Park

Oberlin-Sappa State Park

SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

Oberlin-Sappa State Park sits within a city-managed recreation area on the edge of Oberlin, Kansas, where the layout tends to catch first-time visitors off guard. The entrance road passes a locked gate and an open grassy field before reaching the main camping area, which shares space with a disc golf course. Sites are not numbered or marked. Campers simply pull into a grassy spot between the trees, and those who continue past the initial field find more options, including electric hookups with 30/50 amp service available for a $10 nightly fee paid on the honor system.

Amenities are inconsistent and worth verifying before arrival. Reviewers have found water pumps shut off and electric boxes locked, with one sign indicating that activating power requires calling city hall on Wednesdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Gary T. noted he "did not find any potable water, all faucets were marked as non potable." Cell service is listed as available. The grounds are well-maintained, with tree cover providing shade across much of the camping area.

The park includes hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, a playground, a shelter house, and a geocache location. A mowed path labeled "Lake Bottom Trail" runs along what appears to be a dry lakebed. Small black flies have been noted by visitors during summer months, a factor worth considering for warm-weather trips. Campers who want hookups with more reliable utility access might look at Oberlin Inn & RV Park a few miles west, or browse campgrounds outside Oberlin-Sappa State Park for additional options in the area.

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Map & DirectionsOberlin-Sappa State Park is located in Kansas near McCook

Public Campground

Coordinates

39.8369509 N
100.49486728 W

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Connectivity

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Good Coverage
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Connectivity

Presented by

T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More

T-Mobile5G
Excellent Coverage
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 4 users
Last on 7/26/26
AT&T5G
Good Coverage
Verified by 4 users
Last on 7/26/26

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

Trash
Picnic Table
Phone Service
Reservable
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Pull-Through Sites
Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

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Reservations

+17854752217

Drive Time

2 hrs 38 min from Grand Island, NE
3 hrs 42 min from Lincoln, NE
3 hrs 45 min from Manhattan, KS
4 hrs 14 min from Wichita, KS

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Reviews5 Camper Reviews - Oberlin-Sappa State Park

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5 Stars

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1 Star

3.0

out of 5

5 Reviews

A unique city-run park offering free dry camping and affordable electric sites, but guests frequently mentioned locked or non-functional utilities and missing restroom facilities.

SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

Gary T.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 14, 2022

Oberlin-Sappa State Park

Not sure how you are suppose to access the electric boxes all had a lock tag on them. I was able to check which boxes were hot and found two boxes hot but was only able to use the 110 plug. Did not find any potable water all faucets were marked as non potable. There is a sign that says to call city hall on Wednesday between 8 and 5 to active electric. Today it is 101 degrees.

Site11

Month of VisitAugust

Mindy

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 28, 2020

Not your typical state park

State park ran by local city of Oberlin. Beautiful, well maintained grounds. The drive in leads one to wonder are we there yet? The answer is well kind of. We were sitting in a field in a spot that provided electrical hookups but if you keep going (don’t pull off into the field as we initially did) you will find more. $10 night fee provided us with 30/50 amp service, there was a water station to fill up. Frisbee golf, playground, lots of open space. We were able to get our electric bikes out and explore. Geocache located near and inside park.

Tommy S.

Ranger

Reviewed Jul. 12, 2020

Odd free campground

This state park/campground is definitely.. unique. Following GPS directions to this camping area led us into the park and to a locked gate. Drive beyond the gate and there's an open field to the left with one official 'campsite'. Continue to drive past, following the road around for about 1-2 minutes, and you arrive to the "campground" / "Frisbee golf course", where there's 10 spots, I believe, and a donation based toilet.

There was someone set up at the single site in the open field, but the campground was empty. There were hookups that didn't look like they functioned. Since there were blue signs with "camping" written on them, and arrows pointing to the open field, we pulled our van along the back behind some trees, where there was a cute spot with a picnic table, and access to "Lake Bottom Trail" which really looked like a mowed path around a hunting ground. There was also another trail or two in the area, but we did not explore them.

The air was filled with tiny black flies (though harmless) but dozens and dozens got caught in my arm, head, and leg hairs, and it was quite frustrating, but again they were quite small and harmless, but that was my main issue with the location.

Locals drove by a few times, as it seemed farmland and some houses are accessed through the park. The town of Oberlin has very limited food/supplies.

Month of VisitJune

(4) View All

Mary N.

Scout

Reviewed Jun. 16, 2020

Nice quiet spot

And free! Kind of an odd spot to arrive in, but really nice. Just two tiny signs indicating ‘camping’ in between. Trees and a field of mowed grass bordered by what appears to be a dry lake. A water pump on one side but it was shut off so none available. An electric box that was on the honor system to pay, but it was locked and unavailable as well. So we dry camped with our small teardrop. One picnic table, there are street type lights at one end. Only ones there but someone came in at dusk that seemed to be familiar with it and pulled behind a bank of trees with more privacy. There is a sign indicating that there must have been restrooms at one time- probably pit toilets- but they’re are NO bathrooms at this site! The sites themselves are not marked or numbered, so you just pull into a grassy spot between the trees!

Patti M.

Ranger

Reviewed Oct. 18, 2018

Can't beat free.

I should have paid more attention to this park. I didn't realize there was a frisbee golf course. Plenty of hiking, biking and horse riding trails. I read later there's pond there to fish in. The place is called a state park but it's actually run by the city of Oberlin, Kansas. We were just driving through and needed a place to stay and found this little gem. We were the only ones in the park. It's free if you aren't using electricity. Otherwise there is an honor box for those using RV electric hook ups. We are van living and didn't need any hook ups. Lots of trees for shade around. There's a shelter house. Wish I took some pics. It was a pretty little spot.

Month of VisitMarch

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping facilities and amenities are available at Sappa Park in Oberlin?

Sappa Park offers free camping with basic amenities. The campground has electrical hookups available in certain areas, though some electric boxes may have lock tags and visitors might only be able to access 110V outlets in some cases. Water availability is limited; some faucets are marked as non-potable, and the water pump may be shut off at times. The camping area consists of well-maintained, mowed grass fields with some trees. For assistance with facilities, there is reportedly a contact number for city officials. The campground has an honor system for utilities usage.

What activities can visitors enjoy at Sappa Park in Oberlin, Kansas?

Sappa Park offers a variety of outdoor recreational activities. The park features a disc golf course for frisbee enthusiasts. Visitors can also enjoy hiking, biking, and horseback riding on the available trails throughout the property. Fishing is possible in a pond located within the park boundaries. The well-maintained grounds provide pleasant natural surroundings for day use activities and relaxation. While the amenities are basic, the park's diverse offering of outdoor activities makes it suitable for active campers looking to explore the Kansas outdoors.

Where is Sappa Park located in Oberlin, Kansas?

Sappa Park (Oberlin-Sappa State Park) is located in Oberlin, Kansas. Despite its name suggesting state management, it's actually operated by the city of Oberlin. The park can be a bit tricky to find with only small signs indicating camping areas. When following GPS directions, visitors may encounter a locked gate, but the camping areas are accessible by following the road around for another 1-2 minutes beyond this point. The park features open fields bordered by what appears to be a dry lake bed.

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