Kanopolis Lake Campgrounds

🏞️ **Introduction / Overview: The Majestic Kanopolis Lake Experience**

For Kansas residents, the name **Kanopolis Lake** is synonymous with premier outdoor recreation. As the first state park in Kansas, the entire area—including the adjacent U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) managed facilities—is steeped in natural beauty and historical significance. The **Kanopolis Lake Campgrounds**, particularly the highly-regarded **Riverside Campground** associated with the provided address, offer a perfect blend of rugged Kansas landscape and essential modern amenities.

Nestled along the scenic Smoky Hill River just downstream from the Kanopolis Lake dam, Riverside Campground provides a beautifully wooded setting where wildlife is abundant. Campers are immersed in a region known for its dramatic Dakota sandstone bluffs, rolling hills, and vast open prairie lands. This is not just a place to park your RV or pitch a tent; it’s a fully featured destination that allows immediate access to some of the best fishing, boating, and trail systems in the entire state. The facility is meticulously managed, ensuring a clean, safe, and family-friendly environment. Whether you seek the tranquility of a riverside fire or the thrill of hiking through rugged canyons, Kanopolis Lake Campgrounds is the essential choice for your Central Kansas outdoor adventure.

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📍 **Location and Accessibility: The Heart of Central Kansas Adventure**

Kanopolis Lake Campgrounds, with the primary USACE office and the Riverside Campground entrance located near **105 Riverside Dr, Marquette, KS 67464, USA**, enjoys an advantageous location in the central part of the state, roughly 30 miles southwest of Salina. This makes it easily accessible for campers driving from all corners of Kansas.

The site is reached via well-maintained highways (such as KS-141 and KS-140) and local paved roads, ensuring a smooth journey for even the largest recreational vehicles. Despite the relative seclusion, the location places you within a short drive of quaint Kansas towns like Marquette and Ellsworth, which provide essential services and historical attractions like the Fort Harker Museum. The campground is situated on the southeast end of the Kanopolis dam, along the wooded banks of the Smoky Hill River. This location grants direct access to the river's popular fishing spots, while the main lake is just minutes away. The proximity to the expansive Kanopolis State Park further enhances accessibility, as it provides a vast network of additional trails and recreational areas immediately adjacent to the USACE camping facilities.

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🛠️ **Services Offered: Comfort and Convenience by the River**

The Kanopolis Lake Campgrounds are designed to provide a high level of essential utility and comfort, catering primarily to the RV community while also offering excellent tent camping options. The services are reliably maintained, reflecting the professionalism of the managing USACE Kansas City District.

• **Utility Hookups:** Dedicated RV sites typically feature electric and water hookups (Partial Serviced Sites), with electric-only sites available in other Kanopolis parks. Specific sites at Riverside Campground are known to offer 30-amp electric service, with some having 50-amp availability.
• **Sanitary Facilities:** Clean, modern bathhouses are centrally located, featuring **flush toilets** and **hot-water showers**, an amenity frequently praised by campers for its maintenance and cleanliness.
• **Waste Management:** A readily accessible **sanitary dump station** is provided within the park area for RV waste disposal.
• **Drinking Water:** Potable water hydrants are available throughout the campground loops.
• **Camp Host and Patrol:** The campgrounds are routinely patrolled by Park Rangers, and a dedicated Camp Host is generally on-site during the peak season (typically May through September) to provide assistance and enforce quiet hours.
• **Reservation System:** Sites can be reserved in advance through the federal reservation system (Recreation.gov), which is highly recommended for weekend and holiday visits.

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🌟 **Features and Highlights: Immersive Outdoor Recreation**

The true draw of the Kanopolis Lake Campgrounds lies in the wealth of unique natural features and recreational opportunities that appeal to every type of outdoor enthusiast in Kansas.

• **Disc Golf Course:** Riverside Campground specifically features a well-regarded **9-hole disc golf course**, providing a fun, accessible activity right within the park grounds.
• **Premier Fishing Access:** The campground offers direct access to the Smoky Hill River, a renowned area for **trout fishing** (seasonal) and other popular species, which is a significant highlight noted by local customers.
• **Extensive Trail System Access:** Campers have immediate proximity to the **Kanopolis State Park** trail network, featuring over 30 miles of trails open for **hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding**. Trails range from easy walks to rugged paths through the scenic Horsethief Canyon.
• **Water Recreation:** Kanopolis Lake provides 3,500 acres for **boating, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing** for walleye, crappie, catfish, and wiper. Multiple boat ramps are available across the various park areas.
• **Campsite Quality:** Sites are typically level with gravel parking spurs, and many are set beneath mature trees, providing essential **shade**—a critical feature for comfortable summer camping, though one review noted, *“Site 11 not so good, no shade,”* which underscores the value of reserving a preferred spot (e.g., Sites 15, 16, 17 are noted as looking *“great”*).
• **Playground and Picnic Areas:** Dedicated children’s play areas and numerous picnic sites ensure family-friendly fun and convenient day-use options.

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📞 **Contact Information: Booking Your Central Kansas Getaway**

For official information, direct inquiries, and to confirm current operating procedures and fees, use the primary contact for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kanopolis Project Office, which manages the Riverside and Venango campgrounds.

Address: 105 Riverside Dr, Marquette, KS 67464, USA

Phone: (785) 546-2294

Mobile Phone: +1 785-546-2294

(Reservations for USACE sites are typically made through the national Recreation.gov platform, and Kansas State Park sites are booked through the KDWP system. It is highly advised to book well in advance, especially for summer and holiday weekends.)

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✅ **What is Worth Choosing Kanopolis Lake Campgrounds?**

Choosing **Kanopolis Lake Campgrounds** is an excellent decision for Kansas locals seeking a high-value, comprehensive outdoor experience that goes beyond basic camping. The primary worth lies in the **dual benefit of a well-maintained Corps of Engineers park combined with the massive adjacent State Park resources.** You receive professional management and reliable amenities (clean baths, established hookups) while gaining immediate access to the Kanopolis State Park’s 30+ miles of hiking and equestrian trails, including the unique geology of Horsethief Canyon.

The customer feedback directly supports this choice: *“Beautiful place to spend the weekend.”* This sentiment, coupled with the observation that the *“Baths clean”* and *“Fishing in river is popular,”* confirms that the core features—sanitation and recreation—are top-notch. The specific advice to look for shaded sites (like 15, 16, 17) shows the value of choosing a site in this picturesque, wooded riverside setting. While the area outside the park may not have much (as one review noted, *“Nothing really in area”*), this is precisely the draw for an outdoor enthusiast—the focus is on **nature, tranquility, and immersive recreation**, not on commercial distractions. The Kanopolis area is a celebrated Kansas legacy, and camping here is choosing to participate in the state’s rich history of outdoor enjoyment.