Campers visiting Lee's Summit, Missouri can find both seasonal and year-round campgrounds within 30 minutes of Kansas City. Most camping locations in this area open from April through October, with select RV parks operating throughout winter months. Jackson County maintains several camping areas surrounding Lee's Summit where sites are typically level with concrete pads or gravel surfaces. The region experiences variable weather patterns with frequent thunderstorms during summer months and occasional flooding along lake shores.
What to do
**Fishing opportunities: Blue Springs Lake Campground provides lake access for fishing enthusiasts with well-maintained grounds. As one camper noted, "Beautiful Lake, with fishing, and boating."
**Historical attractions: Visit Fort Osage National Historic Landmark near Lake Jacomo - Fleming Park for rainy day activities. According to a visitor, "We enjoyed taking time to go to Osage Fort and Missouri Town. Two historical landmarks worth the visit."
**Swimming options: The zero-entry pool at Lake Paradise Resort is popular during summer months. A camper described it as "very large, zero entry, up to mostly around 5 ft deep with a small area that was 9ft; there is a children's area with a sprinkler."
**Hiking trails: Multiple trail systems surround the Jackson County park system. One visitor at Fleming Park Jacomo Campground mentioned, "27 hiking trails, you can kayak, rent a pontoon, lots of sailboats on the lake, fishing. 30 minutes from downtown Kansas City."
What campers like
**Spacious sites: Campers appreciate room between sites at Blue Springs Lake. A recent visitor stated, "The sites were well situated such that you felt you had plenty of privacy. The staff was nice but since entrance time and exit time are both 2:00 we had to wait for our spot to open."
**Clean facilities: Campus RV Park in Independence maintains well-kept restrooms and showers. One camper noted, "Bathrooms were clean" and "Great location from airport. Nice campground and great staff."
**Security features: Some campgrounds implement security measures for visitor safety. A visitor at Blue Springs Lake Campground mentioned, "We felt very safe here since they require an access code to get into the gate."
**Tree coverage: Shade availability differs between campgrounds in the region. A camper at Kansas City East-Oak Grove KOA observed, "Stayed here for one night after driving down from Nebraska. Great place to set up for the night, clean bathrooms, a nice fire pit, and plenty of room to set up a tarp for the rain."
What you should know
**Noise levels: Traffic noise varies at campgrounds near highways. A camper at Blue Springs Lake Campground mentioned, "You can't see the lake from the campground, and there was some road noise from morning commuters but overall it's a nice stop for a night or two."
**Site drainage: Spring rains can create water issues at certain sites. A visitor to Lake Jacomo - Fleming Park noted, "It's really close to the lakes so that's great but there's minimal tree coverage and several of the sites are at the bottom of a hill which get water logged when it rains. Call ahead and make sure you aren't in one of those sites."
**Bathroom facilities: Bathroom design and maintenance receives mixed reviews. One camper at Lake Jacomo stated, "Bathrooms are the nicest campground bathrooms I've ever used - large, clean, and not communal, so you get a sink, toilet, and shower all to yourself."
**Reservation policies: Same-day check-in and check-out times can cause logistical issues. A camper observed, "The sites were well kept up, with many prime locations near the playground for our kids. Campground staff were beyond friendly and accommodating."
Tips for camping with families
**Playground access: Select sites near play areas when traveling with children. At Blue Springs Lake Campground, a visitor recommended, "the sites were well kept up, with many prime locations near the playground for our kids."
**Tent camping placement: Families using tents should request higher ground. A camper at Lake Jacomo noted, "Not a great spot for tent camping. Ton of road noise and most grassy areas are sloped. Bathrooms are nice and people are great. $31 for a tent spot."
**Weekend activities: Peculiar Park Place offers special events during holiday weekends. A visitor mentioned, "We went to a movie outside there and fireworks for Memorial Day weekend. The pool was open for the first Saturday but it was rainy and of course cold."
**Wildlife viewing: Children enjoy exploring natural areas around campsites. One camper at Lake Paradise Resort reported, "Kids found tons of frogs and snails to play with. Too late in the year for the pool to be open but looked nice."
Tips from RVers
**Site leveling: Many campsite near Lee's Summit require leveling equipment. An RVer at Blue Springs Lake Campground shared, "The site slopes to the passenger side and downhill toward the road, so we used a few levelers. Many sites here are sloped. The premium cement pads seemed to be more level than gravel sites."
**Utility placement: Hookup locations vary between campgrounds. A visitor noted, "The utilities were located mid-to-rear on the site, and we had no trouble reaching them."
**Pull-through availability: Larger rigs should request specific sites. An RVer at Walnut Grove RV Park advised, "We did pay for the premium pull through site, so we had more room. Everything worked great, the spot was on a slight hill- but wasn't terrible to level out."
**Cell service coverage: Working remotely is possible at most area campgrounds. A camper reported, "There's no Wifi in the CG. We got 3 bars on both Verizon and T-Mobile. There are mature trees here, but most sites except a few north perimeter would have a shot for satellite."
