Exploring the State of Kansas and Its Parks

Kansas is a beautiful state for RV Camping adventures. There is so much to do and so much history to observe and learn about! Let’s get to Exploring the State of Kansas from an RV Camping state of mind!

~Travel TO Kansas Not THROUGH It~

 

 

A Brief History Lesson about Kansas

The state of Kansas is known for the Western Meadowlark Bird, the Wild Sunflower (aka the Sunflower State), Bison, and Cottonwood trees, limestone rock, and the song “Home on the Range”. The state of Kansas was first settled by Americans in 1827.

In the 1850’s, there were a lot of political arguments about slavery and whether or not Kansas would become a free or slave state. This created a lot of violence that is also known as the ‘Bleeding Kansas‘ era. Kansas eventually entered the union as a free state on January 29, 1861.

Kansas is the 15th largest state in the United States.

The western 2/3 of the state is what it’s mostly known for as “the Great Plains” of flat land covered with prairie and grasslands; however, the eastern 1/3 has many more hills.

The Missouri River and the Kansas River (known as the Kaw River) flow through much of the northeastern area of Kansas.

 

 

Interesting Weather Facts About Kansas

It wouldn’t be appropriate to write an article about Kansas without mentioning what, it seems, everyone on earth knows us for, “The Wizard of Oz”. Looking at these interesting weather facts about Kansas, we shouldn’t be surprised that Dorthy had some “weather issues”!

1. Kansas is the 9th sunniest State in the U.S.
2. Kansas is prone to severe weather in the spring and early summer months.
3. Record high temp on July 24, 1936, in *Alton, KS of 121° (tied with North Dakota) for the 5th highest record high temp in the country.
4. The all-time lowest temp on record for the state of Kansas is -40° on February 13, 1905, in *Lebanon, KS.
5. *Oddly, Alton, KS and Lebanon, KS are only 50 miles from each other.
6. Kansas is right in the middle of Tornado Alley-where there is the highest potential for tornado development.
7. Kansas has an average of 96 tornadoes per year.

 

 

National Historic Sites in Kansas

There are many National Historical Sites throughout the state of Kansas that include Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, the California National Historic Trail, Fort Larned National Historic Site in Larned, Fort Scott National Historic Site, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Nicodemus National Historic Site at Nicodemus, Oregon National Historic Trail, Pony Express National Historic Trail, Santa Fe National Historic Trail, and the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Strong City. You can read all about each of these HERE.

 

 

State Parks in Kansas

We thought it would be helpful to have a list of the Kansas State Parks to visit if that happens to be YOUR G.O.A.L. Kansas is a beautiful state and perfect for RV camping in most of the seasons. This article has been updated since its original publication on 7/27/2019. There are now 29 Kansas State Parks including the 2 most recent additions of Little Jerusalem Badland’s State Park in 2019 and Lehigh Portland Trails in 2023.

 

 

Kansas State Parks

Living in Kansas and RV Camping in Kansas means we get asked a lot of questions about Midwest RV Camping and where are the best places to go RV Camping in Kansas. We thought it would be helpful to have a list of the Kansas State Parks to visit. Kansas is a beautiful state and perfect for camping in (most) of the seasons.

 

 

Here is a helpful list of the 29 Kansas State Parks

1. Cedar Bluff 
2. Cheney
3. Clinton 
4. Crawford
5. Cross Timbers
6. Eisenhower 
7. El Dorado
8. Elk City
9. Fall River
10. Flint Hills Trail 
11. Glen Elder
12. Hillsdale
13. Kanopolis 
14. Kaw River 
15. Lehigh Portland Trails
16. Little Jerusalem Badland’s State Park
17. Lovewell 
18. Meade 
19. Milford
20. Mushroom Rock 
21. Perry
22. Pomona 
23. Prairie Dog 
24. Prairie Spirit Trail
25. Sand Hills 
26. Scott 
27. Tuttle Creek 
28. Webster
29. Wilson 

 

Annual Passes

Get your Annual State Vehicle Pass and/or Annual RV Camping Pass listed by state!

 

 

Reserving State Park Campsites in Kansas

If you’re interested in reserving a campsite at any of these Kansas State Parks, check out our information on the Best Membership and Pass Options!

 

 

8 Wonders of Kansas

The state of Kansas has SO much to offer the RV Traveler and because SOWLE RV has a G.O.A.L. to explore many of the Kansas State Parks, we thought it would be a great time to tell you all about the 8 Wonders of Kansas. Even more specifically, the 8 Wonders of Kansas Geography “section”. Additionally, there are many, many more “sections” within the Wonders of Kansas.

The 8 Wonders of Kansas is a contest that was run by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, a group that was created to help preserve and sustain rural culture in the state of Kansas. According to the Kansas Sampler Foundation, their group and contest was formed to “get the world to know Kansas and to encourage the public to explore Kansas”. They share the most significant things to see and do in the state of Kansas. The contest revealed 8 finalists that are now known as the 8 Wonders of Kansas as of Kansas Day (January 9^th) of 2008.

The 8 Wonders of Kansas contest consisted of 9 categories that include Architecture, Art (including a Post Office Art Section), Commerce, Cuisine, Customs (including Kansas Soda Fountains), Geography, History, People, and finally the actual 8 Wonders of Kansas.

The 8 Wonders of Kansas Geography are:

1. Alcove Spring, near Blue Rapids
2. Coronado Heights, near Lindsborg
3. Four-State Lookout, White Cloud
4. Gyp Hills Scenic Drive & Gypsum Hills Scenic Byway, Barber & Comanche counties
5. Konza Prairie, Manhattan
6. Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, Canton
7. Mushroom Rock State Park, Ellsworth County & Rock City, near Minneapolis
8. Pillsbury Crossing Wildlife Area, near Manhattan

 

Categories of the Wonders of Kansas

If you would like to know the results of the contest of the other 8 of 9 categories, click HERE! There are 216 places to visit within this mission and if you have been following SOWLE RV very long you might just notice some that look familiar!

 

Wonders of Kansas Guidebook

The Kansas Sampler Foundation has a 272-page book that was released in April of 2011 titled “8 Wonders of Kansas Guidebook“. This book won 1^st place in the North American Travel Journalists Association category for travel book or guide in 2012.

 

 

Sharing Our Experiences Within Kansas State Parks While RV Camping

This wouldn’t be complete article about exploring the state of Kansas and Its Parks if we didn’t include a few experiences we have had RV Camping at some of the Kansas State Parks. So here are a few things we have done at Pomona, Clinton, Hillsdale, Wilson, Kanopolis, Mushroom, and Eisenhower State Parks in Kansas!

 

 

RV Camping at Pomona State Park

On our recent visit to Pomona Lake in Kansas we chose to do our RV Camping at Pomona State Park. First, we made sure to purchase an Annual State Park Camping Pass and State Park Vehicle Pass for each of our vehicles. Finally, we made our Reservations ahead of time to ensure we got just the right spot for our family’s needs. Read on to hear about our RV Camping at Pomona State Park!

 

Location

Pomona State Park is located in Vassar, Kansas. Vassar is approximately 30 miles south of Topeka, the capital of Kansas. Pomona State Park is located on the south shore of the 4,000-acre Pomona Reservoir.

 

Entertainment

Pomona State Park is open year-round.

At 490 acres, there are plenty of recreation choices at Pomona Lake including trail hiking, camping, boating, fishing, golf, disc golf, horseback riding, bike riding, and most importantly, relaxing!

Some of the campgrounds have special entertainment for campers visiting Pomona Lake. You can check out those opportunities on their Facebook site Friends of Pomona Lake.

 

Trail Hiking at Pomona Lake

There are 3 trails throughout the park; they are Rising Sun Trail, Buckbrush Trail, and Hedgewood Trail. The Hedgewood Trail is a “Healthy Kansas Trail” and is the longest trail in the park; over 3 miles. It is also ADA accessible! We didn’t get over to the Hedgewood Trail on our most recent trip, however, we did take a stroll on the Buckbrush Trail. It was a well-maintained trail, especially considering the floods lately.

 

Camping at Pomona Lake

We have been RV Camping at Pomona Lake many times. We stayed at Big Bear and Four Winds Campground when the Whippoorwill was still on the water (see below for details about this Theater Boat). Most recently though, we stayed at the Burning Heart Campground because it has Full-Hookups! There are 11 Campgrounds at Pomona Lake, including 142 utility and 200 non-utility campsites. There are also 4 cabins available to rent.

 

Boating at Pomona Lake

There are 4 boat ramps at Pomona Lake. Additionally, there are 2 Marinas, one on each side of the Lake. North Shore Marina on the North side and Lighthouse Bay Marina on the South side. Boating on the lake is perfect for skiers and anglers! Fishing at Pomona Lake is good for crappie, catfish, white bass, and wiper fishing.

Golf and Disc Golf at and around Pomona Lake

There is a 9-hole/basket Disc Golf Course. There is also a 9-hole golf course located at the entrance of Pomona Lake called Lamont Hill Resort Golf Course. Additionally, there is a 10-room motel and a restaurant too.

 

Wildlife at Pomona Lake

We saw many birds on this trip which was very good for our son, Aiden, who LOVES Bird Watching! He was able to watch from our RV Window Room as well as right outside in the heart of it all! There were Cardinals, Woodpeckers, Orioles, tons of Bluejays, Doves, Wrens, and Blue Birds. At the campground we stayed in, Burning Heart, they have many Blue Bird Houses on the backsides the campsites. We learned that at dawn and dusk you can also see many bats, although we didn’t see any on our visit. Can’t say that I was disappointed that we missed them!

 

Eating around Pomona Lake

While grilling outside is the best thing to do while RV Camping in our opinion, if you are interested in dining somewhere other than your campsite, there are 3 places we highly recommend near Pomona Lake and they are listed below. The first 2 are conveniently located side by side just off highway 268 in Vassar, KS.

1. Breck’s Green Acres Restaurant Facebook Page
2. GAPS (Green Acres Pizza and Subs) Facebook Page
3. Lamont Hill Resort Golf Course Restaurant

We had such a craving for pizza and beer while RV Camping this last time, however, we only had the motor home and no other vehicle for transportation, so we were not able to go get any during this stay. You all know it WILL be a priority on our next trip coming up soon!

 

A Little Bit of History

Pomona State Park was created after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed work on the dam project in 1963.

Pomona Lake controls watershed from over 322 square miles. Water is released into a creek that flows into the Marais des Cygnes, Osage, and Missouri Rivers.

 

The Whippoorwill Disaster

This article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning what most people are familiar with Pomona Lake by. It is the sad story that took place over 40 years ago, on June 17, 1978 to be exact. The 1978 Whippoorwill Tornado also known as the “Whippoorwill Disaster” is the deadliest F1 rated Tornado to this day. The Tornado was on the ground for 8 miles. This deadly tornado was too small to even be seen on the radar at the time it happened, and only a Severe Thunderstorm Watch had been issued for the county when the Tornado hit. The Tornado struck the 65′ Whippoorwill Paddle Boat and caused it to capsize. The Tourist/Dinner Theater Boat was carrying 58 passengers and crew at the time. Sadly, 16 of those 58 people drown in that horrific event.

Video credited to CJonline.com by Tim Hrenchir

 

 

RV Camping at Clinton State Park in Kansas

We do a lot of RV Camping around the Kansas City Metro Area in Kansas. One of our favorite places to go is RV Camping at Clinton State Park! There is so much to do in and around this park that you could stay for a month and not see and do everything!

 

LOCATION

Clinton Lake is located on the west side of Lawrence, Kansas in Douglas County at 798 N 1415 Rd, Lawrence, KS 66049. On our most recent trip to Clinton Lake, we stayed along the north shore at the Clinton State Park campground. We stayed at a campground that is simply called “Campground 3”. It is obviously 1 of the 3 campgrounds available on the state side of Clinton lake for camping.

 

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF CLINTON STATE PARK

Clinton State Park was established in 1975. The State Park is 1500-acres. The park is conveniently located just west of the University of Kansas (ROCK CHALK, JAYHAWKS) therefore making it very easy for Clinton State Park to work closely with KU. There are many concerts and special events held at Clinton State Park by Kansas University. Additionally,  Clinton State Park has hosted the annual Ironman Kansas 70.3 Triathlon. The swimming part of the Triathlon competition is held in Clinton Lake and the run competition is held on the roads within the campgrounds.

 

RV CAMPING AT CLINTON STATE PARK

Like I said before, there are 3 campgrounds for RV Camping and/or Tent Camping in the State Park at Clinton lake. The sites are spacious, and many have spectacular views of the lake and wildlife! There are 383 total camping sites at Clinton Lake. 140 of those sites have water and electricity (30amp), 74 of those sites have water and electricity (50/30 amp), and the remaining 169 of those sites are primitive sites. Clinton State Park allows RV Camping year-round in Campground #3 and they also have heated shower houses as well as Frost-Free hydrants! You can book your RV Camping spot online HERE.

 

ENTERTAINMENT AT CLINTON STATE PARK

Like I said before, there are so many things to do while RV Camping at Clinton Lake State Park! There are TONS of trails including hiking, biking, equestrian, and even snow skiing! There is an archery range, disc golf course, a sand volleyball court, a swimming beach, a trout pond, a children’s fishing pond, boating fun, a mountain bike skills course, and of course, RV Camping all at one awesome lake!

 

TRAILS AT CLINTON STATE PARK

As you can see by the photo below, Clinton Lake has MANY Trails between the State Park and Corp of Engineers side!

 

3 North Shore Hiking and Biking Trails

There are 3 hiking and biking trails available within the North Shore Trails. They are accessible from the Corp of Engineers Park located on the northeast side of the lake as well as many trailheads located inside the Clinton State Park. The 3 trails are color indicated as the Blue Trail (aka George Latham Hiking Trail), the White Trail, and the Red Trail (aka Shoreline Trail). All 3 trails are a single track, dirt trail with rocks, roots, creeks to cross, hills and have mile markers. The Blue Trail is 7.9 miles, the White Trail is 12.8 miles, and the Red is 1.2 miles.

 

3 South Shore Equestrian and Hiking Trails

There are 3 Equestrian and Hiking Trails available within the South Shore Trails.

Rim Rock Trail (Blue) is a 6.67-mile trail used for hiking and horseback riding.

Rockbottom Trail (Orange) is a 4.39-mile trail used for hiking and horseback riding.

Benjamin Trail (Yellow) is a 6.81-mile trail used for hiking and horseback riding.

 

Cross-Country Ski Trail

Cross-Country Skiing in Kansas? Yes! It is the only Cross-Country Ski Trail in the state of Kansas! It is a 5-mile trail through the park that begins close to the park office along the North Shore of Clinton Lake State Park. A must for the winter months!

 

Nature Trail

There is also a nature trail. We will share more about that under the Wildlife part of this article.

 

Archery Range

The Archery Range is located in the Campground 1 area. It is ADA compliant as well! You know we appreciate that!

 

Disc Golf Course

There is an 18-hole Disc Golf Course is located in the Bloomington Public Use Area.

 

Boating

Water activities are a must if you have a boat or jet ski you bring along with you to Clinton State Park! They also offer boat storage if you happen to live in Kansas. There are also boats available for rental while you are visiting Clinton State Park. Check out all of this and more at the Clinton Marina!

 

 

WILDLIFE AT CLINTON STATE PARK

While we were at Clinton State Park, the first wildlife we saw was in the dark on our drive into the park. We were greeted by 2 deer. They are very common in this area. We also saw many birds such as Blue Jays and Cardinals and many, many woodpeckers such as the Downey Woodpecker and the Red Bellied Woodpecker.

 

We don’t live too far away from Clinton Lake and hadn’t seen many birds or woodpeckers at our home which is uncommon for summer but were happy to see them at this state park. In the spring and fall months you can also find Bald Eagles Waterfowl, and Wild Turkey here!

 

Nature Center

Additionally, there are 2 looped nature trails to enjoy while camping at Clinton Lake. The first is called the Backwoods Nature Trail and it is 5/8-mile looped trail. The second is called the Nature’s Way Discovery Trail and it is a ½-mile looped trail.

 

DINING OUT NEAR CLINTON STATE PARK

We didn’t leave our campsite on this trip as the view was absolutely beautiful and peaceful. That and the fact we didn’t have any other form of transportation other than our motorhome and we had no desire to pack up to go into town in it.

However, there are many restaurants in Lawrence just a couple of miles to the East if you’re looking for a place to dine out. Click HERE for suggestions!

We hope you will visit this beautiful State Park in Kansas soon! Happy Camping!

  

 

RV Camping at Hillsdale State Park in Kansas

RV Camping at Hillsdale State Park in Hillsdale, Kansas is absolutely a MUST for anyone travelling to or through the Kansas City metro area! Read on to see why!

 

Location

Hillsdale State Park is located just 30 miles south of the Kansas City Metro Area, west of Highway 169 in Hillsdale, Kansas in Miami County.

 

A Little Bit of History About Hillsdale State Park

Hillsdale Lake is one of Kansas newest reservoirs. It was completed in 1982. Hillsdale State Park was established and opened in 1994. It has over 12,000 acres of parks and wildlife.

 

RV Camping at Hillsdale State Park

There are 7 campgrounds at Hillsdale Lake. Only one campground (Sunflower Campground) has full utilities (50-amp, electricity, sewer) throughout the campground but there are also a few sites within the other parks that have 50 amp and those campgrounds are Pintail Point, Crappie Cove, Scott Creek, and Quail Run.

Saddle Ridge is a campground that is strictly for equestrian RV campers only. The campground contains 22 Water and Electric campsites and 12 Primitive Campsite. Additionally, it has 32 miles of horseback riding trails.

Rabbit Ridge is one of the largest primitive (no utilities) camping areas at Hillsdale Lake. There are 30 campsites available with a fire ring and picnic table on each campsite.

 

Entertainment at Hillsdale State Park

Hillsdale State Park is known for having lots of entertainment available within the park while RV Camping. There is an Archery area, a Shooting Range, bird watching opportunities, and lots of water activities including fishing, boating, and swimming as well. Additionally, there are trails to hike, and you can enjoy horseback riding on the trails too. However, the most noteworthy entertainment available is of course RV Camping at the Hillsdale State Park!

 

Day Use Areas

There are 2 separate Day Use Areas at Hillsdale Lake: the Sunflower Day Use and the Youth and Scout Area Day Use.

The Sunflower Day Use Area is where the Archery area is located.

 

Shooting Range

The Hillsdale Shooting Range and Training Facility is located 26719 Toe Rd. just outside of the State Park area to the east. Learn more about this awesome shooting range HERE.

Trails at Hillsdale State Park

Hillsdale Trails

The Hillsdale Trails are hiking and biking trails. They are open year-round and are approximately 5 miles long. Camping is available very close to the trails, making them very easy to find. The trail goes all around throughout the Jayhawk and Russel crites areas. The trails are ADA accessible as well! We know this to be a fact as we have explored quite a few times over the years through some of the trail along the Scott Creek Campground. It really is a beautiful trail!

Saddle Ridge Trails

The Saddle Ridge Trails are also open year-round with camping nearby. These trails are mostly for Horseback riding; however, they are open for walking and mountain bike riding as well. This trail is a lengthy 49-mile-long trail! There are 4 loops of trail: the NW Blue Trail, the SE Red Trail, the SW Red Trail, and the Outlet Blue Loop.

There is also the Hillsdale Bluebird Trail that you must read about as well as the Nature Trail. See all that information below under Wildlife at Hillsdale State Park.

 

Boating at Hillsdale Lake

Water activities are a must if you have a boat or jet ski you bring along with you to Hillsdale State Park! This is not a huge lake but there is plenty of room to share for all water activities. There are many canoes, kayaks, rafts, and paddle boards seen on this lake as well!

I will say that this lake is known as a “stumpy lake” meaning there are many stumps throughout this lake in the more secluded areas of water but out in the open, it’s a beautiful lake to water ski on and jet ski as well! I’ve done both and loved it! You can find out much more information from the awesome website for the Hillsdale Lake Jayhawk Marina!

 

Wildlife at Hillsdale State Park

We saw many birds during so many of our stays at Hillsdale State Park! This is the first place while RV Camping that we really started to take “Bird Watching” with us as an activity while RV Camping because there were so many varieties!

Hillsdale Bluebird Trail

Hillsdale Bluebird Trail, a Blue Bird Habitat was established as an Eagle Scout Project by Michael Williamson, Boy Scout Troop 105 from Paola, Kansas. You can read about this Eastern Bluebird Habitat HERE.

 

Hidden Spring Nature Trail

The Hidden Spring Nature Trail is a 1.5-mile trail that starts at the Visitors Center (located at the northeastern side of the Dam). Make sure you check out the “Birding Area” directly behind the Visitors Center. You can find Sparrows, Juncos, Woodpeckers, Finches, Titmouse, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Chickadees. All the beautiful, traditional birds of Northeast Kansas.

 

Wildlife at Your Campsite

You can see many of these birds as well as other such as the Bluebird right from your campsites at most times. There are large flocks of Geese that do their daily flyovers right over the campsites and often you will see very large flocks of gulls flying overhead. Many Hawks are seen over all the campgrounds. We even saw a Bald Eagle soaring in the sky above us at Hillsdale Lake! These are some of our favorite things to see at this lake. This is also where we saw our very first Western Meadowlark (the Kansas State Bird)!

 

Other Wildlife

Other wildlife at Hillsdale State Park includes Fox Squirrels (although usually only in the treed campsites) and White-Tailed Deer throughout the area. Rattlesnakes and Copperheads are also known to show themselves in this area (although in the more treed campgrounds, and not usually in campsites) however we have had a few large black snakes join our camping fun!

 

Fishing

Hillsdale Lake is also known for being a great fishing lake. You can fish along the entire 51-acres of shoreline! Learn more about fishing at Hillsdale Lake HERE!

 

Dining Nearby Hillsdale State Park

Because we explore Hillsdale Lake quite often, we do tend to travel around a bit more in this area. We love to grab take-out from a few nearby restaurants in Spring Hill and Paola. First, our favorite BBQ place is K&M Bar-B-Q in Spring Hill, Kansas. Next, if you’re looking for an awesome Grill, you might want to try BB’s Grill in Spring Hill, they have just about anything you could be craving from a grill. Finally, if you’re in the mood for Mexican Food, you must try El Potro Mexican Café in Paola, KS! Yum! Makes my mouth water just thinking about their food!

 

If you have time for some small-town shopping, there are a few places nearby! There are 2 farm stores we love to visit. The first is in Gardner, KS (North of Hillsdale Lake) and is called Orcheln Farm & Home. The people who work at this store are amazingly friendly and so are the people who shop there! Just a nice small town home feel to shopping. The second farm store we suggest visiting is in the other direction, south, in Paola, KS and is called Family Center Farm & Home. They both have such fun outdoor products available.

RV Camping at Hillsdale State Park is absolutely one of, if not, our #1 favorite RV Camping State Park in Kansas! There’s so much to do and such great people to visit with at the campgrounds within Hillsdale State Park. Stop by! I promise you will LOVE this State Park!

 

 

RV Camping at Wilson State Park in Kansas

Location

Wilson State Park is located in Sylvan Grove in Northwest Kansas.

 

A Little Bit of History

Wilson State Park was established in 1966. The park consists of 945 acres. It is listed in the Top 100 Best Lakes by Bassmaster.

 

RV Camping at Wilson State Park

RV Camping is available at Wilson Park. There are many campgrounds available around the Wilson Reservoir. These campgrounds include primitive, day use, and full-service sites. There are 3 dump stations available for RV Camping as well as frost-free hydrants in specific areas for winter RV Camping.

 

Entertainment

There are many things to do to keep you entertained while visiting this popular State Park.

 

Boating on Wilson Lake

Boating is very popular at Wilson Lake. There are 2 boat ramps, but the Boat Ramp in the Hell Creek Area is best to use if you have a larger boat. Both boat ramps are easily accessible for loading and unloading passengers.

 

Lake Wilson Marina

Additionally, there is a full-service marina located at the Hell Creek Area of Wilson State Park.

 

Knotheads Bait and Tackle Shop

This Bait & Tackle shop is located off highway 232 and carries many fishing supplies as well as camping supplies. They also provide kayak, canoe and paddle-boat rentals.

 

Trails

There are 2 walking/hiking trails available at Wilson State Park: the Dakota Trail and the Cedar Trail. The Dakota Trail provides a great view of the Kansas Prairie and the lake. The Cedar Trail is a handicap accessible, 1-mile-long trail that has an asphalt surface.

Additionally, there is a 7.5-mile Mountain Bike Trail, the Switchgrass Bike Trail.

 

Wildlife

Because of Wilson State Park’s location in the scenic Smoky Hills of North Central Kansas, it’s no surprise that the wildlife view is amazing. During your visit you may see Quail, Turkey, Pheasant, Doves, and Deer. There are also many songbirds that make up the wildlife at this beautiful park.

 

Dining Nearby

Home Town Café, Backstreet Bakery, and Fly Boy Brewery & Eats are just a few restaurants nearby in Sylvan Grove, KS.

 

 

Kanopolis State Park in Kansas

Location

Kanopolis State Park is located in Marquette, Kansas; 33 miles southwest of Salina in Ellsworth County.

 

A Little Bit of History About Kanopolis State Park

Kanopolis State Park began construction in 1940 and wasn’t completed until 1948. Kanopolis State Park was the very first State Park in Kansas. This 3500-acre park is split into two sections, one north and one south of the dam. Additionally, there are two federal parks. The northwestern point of this state park’s wildlife area is known Faris Caves that were carved by early pioneers and were where they once lived. They were also used as a school and milk house. As mentioned in our Mushroom Rock article, Kanopolis State Park also manages Mushroom Rock State Park.

 

RV Camping at Kanopolis State Park

There are two campgrounds available to stay at in Kanopolis State Park. First, the Langley Point Campground has Accessible RV Camping, reservable Sites, and many of the sites have water, sewer, and electric available. Additionally, there is Primitive Camping Available at the Langley Point Campground. Second, the Horsethief Campground also has Accessible RV Camping, reservable sites, and water and electricity available.

There are also 6 cabins available to rent but they are reservable and go fast. Sometimes even booking out a year in advance!

 

Entertainment

The Kanopolis State Park has many entertainment opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast! There are MANY Trails available with different levels of difficulty. In addition to the Trails, there is also boating and Wildlife viewing available for entertainment.

 

Trails

If you are a “trails person” this is the State Park for you! There are more than 30-miles of trails for you to enjoy at this Kansas State Park! All of the Multi-Use Trails listed below allow for Horse Back Riding, Walking, or Mountain Bike Riding.

 

Alum Creek Trails (2 multi-Use)

There are 2 trails that make up this 8.3-mile loop.

 

Horsetheif Trails (2 multi-use)

The 5.5-mile Horsetheif Canyon Trails connect The Rockin’ K Trails to the Prairie Trails. This is the most difficult trail within the Kanopolis State Park Trails.

 

Prairie Trails (2 multi-use)

This is a 6-mile multi-use trail that connects the Horsetheif Canyon Trails to the Alum Creek Trails. Along this trail you will see a beautiful view of the Red Rocks Canyon.

 

Rockin’ K Trail

The 4.0-mile Rockin’ K Trail connects the Rockin’ K Campground to the Rockwell Campground that additionally connects to the main trail system of Kanopolis State Park.

 

Split Boulder Trail

We love learning about Trails built by Eagle Scouts! This Team-Work Trail was built by an Eagle Scout, Team LATTR, and a Mountain Bike Club! It is a walking and Mountain Bike Riding trail. Additionally, it is considered a training or beginner’s trail made up of 2-miles of friendly trail adventures.

 

Boating on Kanopolis Lake

There are two boat ramps available in the State Park Areas: at Horsetheif and Langley Point. These are used quite frequently in the summer months and are considered to have “heavy” boat traffic. It is a beautiful lake for fishing, water skiing, and boating in general.

 

Additionally, the Kanopolis Tower Harbor Marina is located in the Langley Point Area and is a full-service Marina.

 

Nature Trails and Wildlife Viewing Area

Buffalo Track Canyon Nature Trail

This Nature trail provides you with many wildlife and native plants for viewing. It was named Buffalo Track Canyon because it is just that! The trail follows Bison Creek. This creek was once used to water buffalo and wild horses.

 

Wildlife Viewing Area

0.6 miles of this trail is ADA Accessible, and you know we love that! This Wildlife viewing area is 40-acres of beautiful scenery for birdwatchers, photographers, and any outdoor enthusiast! The accessible part of the trail includes 2 ponds, 5 photo blinds, and an observation deck!

 

Dining Nearby

Unfortunately, there is not a close place to dine unless you want to travel at least 20 miles south into the small town of Marquette, Kansas. However, it’s so much better to cook at the campground while camping! So, make sure you’re prepared to cook at the campground when visiting this State Park! The view is so nice you won’t want to leave anyway!

 

 

Mushroom State Park in Kansas

 Mushroom Rock State Park is a beautiful Kansas State Park to visit any time of year. It is sure to provide eye-catching views and a lot of historical nature to explore.

 

Location

Mushroom Rock State Park is located 20 miles southwest of Salina in North-Central Kansas.

 

A Little Bit of History

Mushroom Rock State Park is the smallest state park in the state of Kansas. Most noteworthy, the park was donated to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks by the Ellsworth County Historical Society and was dedicated on April 25, 1965. It is only 5 acres but the amazing mushroom rock formations you see while visiting is what makes it one of the 8 Wonder of Kansas Geography! These rocks were used as landmark, for example the Native Americans and early Pioneers used them as meeting locations.

 

Why is it named Mushroom State Park?

This state park is named Mushroom Rock above all because the rock formations look like giant mushrooms! According to the KDWPT, the rocks are “the remains of beach sands and sediments of the Cretaceous Period, the interval of geologic time from about 144 to 66 million years ago”.

 

Specifically, there are 3 rock formations with names at this park; first is the Mushroom Rock Formation, second is the Devil’s Oven Formation, and third is the Pulpit Rock Formation. Above all, the largest rock (the Mushroom Rock Formation) measures 27 feet in diameter!

 

This state park is managed by Kanopolis State Park, just 9.2 Miles south of its location.

 

RV Camping

Because this State Park is so small, consequently, there is no camping available at Mushroom State Park. It is suggested you “stay down the road” at Kanopolis State Park for RV Camping. I will say that we were quite taken back by the dirt road that you must travel down to get to this State Park. We were in our Motorhome, and it was a bumpy, dirty drive, however, it was well worth this trip to see these beautiful rock formations!

 

Entertainment at Mushroom State Park

Certainly, this is a very small Kansas State Park, however, it is not one you want to miss! There is plenty to keep your eyes entertained by viewing all the incredible rock formations at Mushroom Rock State Park!

 

Trails at Mushroom State Park

There are two trails at Mushroom State Park: the North and South Trails. Similarly, both trails are walking trails and are open year-round. They are also less than 1 mile each.

The North Trail takes you on a trail to many of the mushroom rock formations, including Pulpit Rock, whereas the South Trail takes you on a trail across a bridge to the largest Mushroom Rock at this State Park. Most importantly to note, you will have to cross the bridge to get to see the largest rock on the property!

Although this state park is listed as ADA Accessible, we are pretty sure that the Pedestrian Bridge should NOT be considered ADA Accessible. In other words, we certainly didn’t cross it with our son who is in a wheelchair.

 

 

RV Camping at Eisenhower State Park in Kansas

RV Camping at Eisenhower State Park in Kansas is one of our favorite Winter spots! We are very excited about trying it in the summer!

 

Location

Eisenhower State Park is located in Osage City, Kansas. Eisenhower State Park is at the northern side of Melven Lake. Furthermore, it is only 30 miles south of the Capital City Topeka, KS!

 

A Little Bit of History About Eisenhower State Park

This 1785-acre State Park was originally called Melvern State Park. Most noteworthy, it was renamed Eisenhower State Park in 1990 to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

 

RV Camping at Eisenhower State Park

First, there are 186 campsites available at this state park. Additionally, 37 of those 186 campsites are sewer, water, and electric sites! Also, primitive camping is available.

Above all, there is a beautiful campground called Westpoint Equestrian that contains 15 equestrian campsites with individual corrals in the upper loop.

We stayed at the Westpoint Equestrian Campground in January. We were down towards the lake in the lower loop in a breathtaking site! Furthermore, I’m don’t think there are any sites that are bad in this area! It certainly was one of, if not, the best campsite views we have had so far in all of our journey’s!

Additionally, there are 4 cabins available for rent as well as 2 primitive yurts and 1 primitive cabin. Something for everyone for sure! This was the first campground that we have visited that had yurts, so it was very educational for us!

 

Entertainment

There’s plenty to keep everyone busy at this state park (if you’re not too busy just admiring the beautiful scenery like we were).

There is a swimming beach and a sand volleyball court. Additionally, there is an 18-hole disc golf course built by The Friends of Eisenhower State Park in July 2010.

Furthermore, there is a 2-mile, 20-target, walk through archery trail called Ike’s Archery Trail.

If fishing is your “thing” there’s a children’s fishing pond, and a fly-fishing pond! This just might be something we will try on our next visit to this beautiful state park!

Last, but not least, there is also a General Store located at the Doud Campground called Ike’s General Store where you can rent kayaks and canoes and check out games.

However, that’s just the start! There are trails, boating, wildlife for viewing, and dining nearby.

 

Trails

In addition to the Archery Trail, there are 3 more trails you must check out while visiting the Eisenhower State Park!

 

Scooter Trail

Ike’s Scooter Trail is a new 1.5-mile trail recently added to Eisenhower State Park. It can be used for walking and mountain bike riding. 50cc and under motorized scooters are allowed on this trail from 10AM-6PM.

 

Five Star Bike Trail

This 5-mile mountain bike and walking trail is open year-round with camping nearby.

 

Horse Trail

There are over 20-miles of horse trails available all year-round at Eisenhower State Park. They are not only for horses, however, they are also available for walking and mountain bike riding.

 

Boating on Melvern Lake at Eisenhower State Park

While visiting Melven Lake and staying at Eisenhower State Park, boating is a must if you have it available. This is a gorgeous lake for water skiing, jet skiing, or just a leisure boat ride. There are two 9-lane boat ramps available for loading and unloading.

 

Wildlife

There is a 10,100-acre Wildlife Area licensed in 1977 by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to the KS Fish and Game commission. The birdwatchers in your family will be thrilled to view all the birds in the area! We are avid birdwatchers ourselves, and we were thrilled to see our very first Pelicans while visiting Eisenhower State Park in January!

 

Dining Nearby

While RV Camping at Eisenhower State Park, we had absolutely NO desire to leave this beautiful place. However, if you are looking for a dining spot, there are plenty of restaurants in the nearby towns of Lebo, Osage City, Melvern, and Reading.