Waterside camping in Kansas with campfires
Head to the prairies—and beyond—while camping in Kansas.
- Kansas
Popular camping styles for Kansas
Nearby parks
Explore the area’s public lands.
Waterside camping in Kansas with campfires guide
Overview
While some travelers might be familiar with Kansas from a drive across its main thoroughfare (Interstate 70), taking the time to venture off the highway can pay off in unexpected ways. Along with open expanses and serenity come interesting landscapes and adventures, with divine camping options nearby. Kansas is home to over 10 National Park Service sites and 28 state parks offering family fun, outdoor recreation, historic sites, and more to explore, while private camping areas include open grasslands, lakeside sites, and forested retreats.
Where to go
Eastern Kansas’s Metro Areas and Lakes
Head out from the state’s main population centers, including Topeka and the Kansas City metro, to find gleaming lakes amid the grasslands. Several popular state parks are found in this region, including Clinton Lake State Park, Perry State Park, and Tuttle Creek State Park. Combine your camping adventures with boating, fishing, and biking.
Hills, Prairies, and Cities of Central Kansas
True to its reputation, Kansas is a land of vast prairies. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve protects a tiny remnant of the 170 million acres of prairies that once covered North America, and the Flint Hills provide some of the state’s most dramatic landscapes, with jagged ridges rising from the grasslands. For scenic lakeside camping, the Army Corps of Engineers operates campgrounds on Council Grove Lake and the Marion Reservoir. Eisenhower State Park and El Dorado State Park are welcoming options with grasslands and woodlands. Many private RV parks are also found near Wichita and along Interstate 70.
Western Kansas
Dodge City is practically synonymous with the Wild West. Where outlaws fought on dusty streets now stand a number of museums telling wild tales of Wyatt Earp, cattle drives, and bygone days. To explore the landscapes of the high prairies, head to the Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park and the Cimarron National Grassland, which protects over 100,000 acres. Camping in western Kansas includes a cluster of RV parks near Dodge City and other towns in the region, particularly along Interstate 70. Share the land with a prairie dog colony by camping at Prairie Dog State Park or camp lakeside at Cedar Bluff State Park, which has a unique BMX track. Escape the prairies to find Historic Lake Scott State Park, which is home to deep canyons, woodlands, and towering bluffs.
