Elm Grove — Historic Lake Scott State Park, near Scott City, Kansas, is a scenic campground that offers a mix of relaxation and outdoor adventure. With sites that provide water and electric hookups, it’s a solid choice for both RVs and tents, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the area comfortably.

The campground is known for its picturesque views of the lake and surrounding bluffs, making it a great spot for fishing and swimming. Many visitors have commented on the clean facilities, particularly the bathrooms, although some have noted that maintenance could be improved. One camper mentioned, “The site was clean, and the view of the lake was a nice wake-up call.”

For those looking to explore, the campground is conveniently located near attractions like Monument Rocks and the Jerusalem Badlands, both just a short drive away. You can also find hiking trails and picnic areas nearby, perfect for a day of adventure or a leisurely afternoon.

While the beach can get a bit crowded, the peaceful atmosphere and natural beauty make Elm Grove a worthwhile stop. Whether you’re passing through or planning a longer stay, this campground has a lot to offer for a memorable outdoor experience.

Hidden within the western Kansas prairie, Lake Scott State Park is a startling oasis of natural springs, deep wooded canyons, and craggy bluffs. A 100 acre spring fed lake created by a dam constructed in 1930 is nestled among the picturesque hills. Groves of hackberry, ash, elm, willow, walnut, and cedar trees compliment the bank and several majestic cottonwoods as old as the lake also accent the area. Rich in history and scenic splendor,Lake Scott State Park provides a perfect recreational setting for swimming, canoeing, camping, hiking, biking, fishing, and wildlife observation.

You must be 18 or older to rent a cabin or campsite.

- Due to extremely dry conditions of Western Kansas, a fireban may be implemented during certain times of the year. Please observe the fire ban notices at the park entrances or contact the park office for updates.
- Subject to regulations and posted notices, any individual over 21 may possess, consume, or drink alcoholic liquor. Kegs and party balls are strictly prohibited. 
- Electric and gas powered scooters and skateboards cannot be operated in the state park. ATV use is prohibited in the state park.
- Camping is allowed only in designated areas and is subject to restrictions as posted. All campers and camping units are limited to a stay of not more than 14 consecutive days although a 14-day extension may be obtained with written permission from the park manager. A five-day absence is required before returning to the park to camp again. Any property left unused or unoccupied for 48 hours is subject to removal. Only one camper/RV per utility site is allowed.
- Fires are allowed in fireplaces, fire rings, and cooking grills only. Fires must be completely extinguished prior to leaving the area. 
- Swimming is allowed in designated areas. Liquor and beer are prohibited on swimming beaches or in waters designated by buoys or other markers as swimming areas. For other beverages, only shatterproof containers are allowed. 
- Pets must always be restrained by a camper, cage, hand-held leash, or tethered chain no longer than 10 feet. They are not allowed on swimming beaches or swimming areas that are delineated by buoys or other markers or in public buildings or structures. Dogs participating in authorized activities or assisting the visually or hearing impaired are not subject to these restrictions. 
- Fishing is prohibited on boat ramps, courtesy docks, swimming beaches, and in swimming areas marked with buoys. In state parks, fish may only be cleaned at designated fish cleaning stations or other locations as posted. 
- Digging holes, removing or defacing geological formations, archeological relics or ruins, or vegetation (except for noncommercial use of edible wild plants, wild fruits, nuts, or fungi) is prohibited. 
- Quiet hours are 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Actions which alarm, anger, or disturb others are prohibited. Generators can not be used during quiet hours. Failure to comply may result in expulsion from the park. 
- Firearms may only be discharged in areas specifically designated for hunting or target practice.
- DUMPING OF GREY WATER IS PROHIBITED. Grey water must be disposed of at the dump station.
- Cabin renters may check in after 3:00pm and check out by Noon everyday, year round. Smoking is not allowed in cabins. Pets and pet carriers are not allowed inside or on the porches of cabins. Cabin renters are not allowed to grill or cook from the porch deck. The cabin must be clean prior to departure. Cabin renters shall be responsible for full payment of any damages incurred during the length of stay. Damages will be billed to the renter for payment.
- \*\* Information in this brochure has been prepared as a guide, not a complete list of regulations. Complete regulations may also be viewed and printed online at [ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Park-Regulations](https://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Park-Regulations). \*\*

Elm Grove — Historic Lake Scott State Park

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Scott City, KS has a lot to offer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Scott City, KS. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.

Scott City

The Best Camping Near Scott City, Kansas

There 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.

Kansas Oasis

This park is a gem!!! Just a mile away all you can see is the flat flat farmlands of KS and then the road dips down into the canyon and you're in another world with a spring fed lake and shady cottonwood trees, mesas and rock formations. We camped in the Circle Drive campground and had a wonderful time. The campground was full and so very quiet. 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. The lake is small and quiet with fishers and kayakers. We swam a lot, fished a bit even though the fish weren't biting, explored the dam, hiked a on the bluffs trail and made the short drive to Monument Rocks. There is a great disk golf course and ADA fishing docks with paved walkway access for those who need it. The campsite bathrooms were open-air and nicely cleaned once a day. The shower house and bathrooms near the swim beach were clean and well kept. We'll be back for sure! Highly Recommend!

Awesome KS State Park! 

While traveling through Kansas we found a beautiful spot to camp that we would recommend to all campers whether beginning, tenting, RV or even to just stop and spend the day. There is plenty of camping sites, fishing areas, swimming beach, a beach/boat/market house, historical markers and dwellings along with beautiful rolling hills and bluffs. Camp hosts were pleasant and helpful and area was clean. Some areas are shaded better than others as seen on google maps. And not to forget that Monument rocks are about a 20 minute drive from there and a must see-amazing that they could be there.

A Diamond in the rough

Arrived on a Thursday afternoon late August. 
Started out looking for spots on the west side. Drove around the entire lake and found spot #3 on the east side to have the best views. 
Pros: 
Lakeside camping
Decent views of bluffs
Relaxing sounds of fish jumping 
Plethora of wild white sage

Cons:
Only found one spot worthy of camping 
Broken glass, diapers, beer cans



Decent scenery 

Despite a broken motorcycle and random people showing up to fish, it was a lovely spot. The fishermen were innocuous and I highly recommend the primitive spots

Wonderful

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. 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.

Great Surprise 

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 it is you won't see it until you are right at the top of and/or descending into the gorge.  

  

This is a nice stopover spot for anyone traveling west through Kansas.  We used it as a pit stop before entering Colorado.  It's a pretty lake with good fishing and a nice swimming area.  You can also rent boats to paddle and fish.  Our spot was a bit exposed, but there are plenty of campsites with good tree coverage and privacy.  

  

The campground and facilities were clean

An Oasis in Western Kansas

Diverse collection of camping types from RVs to small tent sites. Great scenery and a nice clean lake. Fairly busy, we were here on a Tuesday in June and it was probably half full with several locals just hanging out in campsites to socialize or drink so if you want seclusion pick your site carefully. Overall a very nice campground compared to I state parks we've visited in the state. Close to castle Rock Badlands, monument rocks and Little Jerusalem Badlands which made for a great time.

Very Nice Kansas Park

We 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 &amp; quiet. Amazing sites nearby...Jerusalem Badlands &amp; 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.

Scenic, quiet place

Standard Campground in middle nowhere Kansas. We were passing through to Colorado and were also planning to see the nearby Monument Rocks and New Jerusalem Badlands SP. We managed to be the only one in this campground. While this campground had a sign explaining their color coded services, there were no actual services. There were no  formal fire rings on grills, but most sites had remains of improvised fire rings. There is a group camping site with large fire ring, grill, volleyball court etc. This campground had two available bathrooms. One is a pit toilet with no lights, so bring a flashlight. The second had sinks, flush toilets, and showers, but had no main bathroom doors and completely open to the elements at the 8 foot height.

Elm Grove Campground

Stunning site! I loved being right near the water and the bathrooms were very clean and well kept. 

I camped here in the winter so it got down to 5°, so make sure to prepare for that.

Beautiful lovation

   It 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&amp; all we saw were fields upon fields &amp; 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 &amp; saw the lake!

    This is not our first Kansas state park. We've been to Kanopolis &amp; Mushroom Rocks. Lake Scott is supposed to be Kansas' most historic park. We stayed for 2 nights in the Circle campground. Water &amp; 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 &amp; a view of the lake. The site was clean 

    It was a short walk to the bathroom by the lake. There are flush toilets &amp; showers &amp; 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 &amp; the lake, ect. There was never anyone at the beach store &amp; I found out it's only open on weekends. There was someone at the park office&amp; I got some area info. It was closed by afternoon though. The Steele Home Museum was closed both days we were there.

Photos of Elm Grove — Historic Lake Scott State Park

Real photos from real campers