The best camping near Fort Scott National Historic Site

Lace up your walking shoes when you visit this National Historic Site—and expect lots of uneven ground. Yes, most of the buildings here are reconstructed (after all, the Fort closed in 1853, and the original buildings auctioned in 1885). But the rebuilt buildings are fascinating, giving you a real sense of what life was during the country's westward expansion. Don't miss the Wilson-Goodlander House, one of the few buildings still standing from the 19th century.

You can tour the fort and grounds using an app on your smartphone, which lets you explore at your own pace, or hold out for the guided tour that lets you dive a little deeper into the history (One odd but interesting fact: The soldiers at the fort ate stale bread, because fresh bread was considered bad for you!).

Come back at year-end holidays or during summertime event weekends to view re-enactments of one of the attacks on the fort that made it famous during the "Bleeding Kansas" era, and learn a little more about this site's troubled history from the era of Manifest Destiny and slavery. Soldiers with horses often come in for these events, and kids can sign up to be Trailblazers or Junior Rangers and participate in some cool programs that way. You may even hear some period artillery being shot off — History class was never like this! Stay a little longer — view all nearby options for camping on both public campgrounds and private land by diving deeper into Hipcamp.