Camping Out for Adventure
Missouri and Kansas have a multitude of camping opportunities in their state parks. They offer a variety from primitive camping sites to deluxe accommodations with nearly all the comforts of home. Some even have yurts to camp in. Whether you are a frequent or occasional camper, consider some of these parks for a getaway. Most places take reservations and include campsite descriptions.
To peruse the 25 state parks in Kansas, visit kdwpt.state.ks.us/State-Parks. My favorites include Eisenhower State Park near Osage City, Hillsdale State Park in Paola and Kanopolis State Park in Marquette.
Nearly all Kansas state parks offer primitive and utility campsites, but Eisenhower State Park has five cabins, four of which are modern, and two yurts. Yurts are permanently standing round tents outfitted like cabins. Eisenhower State Park also offers a sand volleyball court, 18-hole disc golf course, kayak/canoe rentals and a 19-target walk-through archery trail.
Hillsdale State Park has primitive and utility campsites. Its unique recreational offerings include a shooting range and a model airplane flying area.
Kanopolis State Park is the first state park in the system. It has a multitude of primitive and utility sites, as well as six deluxe cabins that are named after famous Kansas residents, such as Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. In addition to the plethora of standard recreational opportunities, Kanapolis is the only state park in Kansas with horse rental and guided trail rides. Nearby is Mushroom Rock State Park, a day use-only park named for the unique rock formations found there.
Missouri has 43 state parks and historic sites that offer camping; visit mostateparks.com to see them all. Each park or site preserves a unique natural or historical location. Parks to consider include Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Kaiser, Meramec State Park in Sullivan and Johnson Shut-Ins in Middle Brook.
Nearly all Missouri state parks and historic sites offer primitive, basic and various utility-accessible sites. In addition, many state parks have a variety of single, duplex and four-plex cabins to enjoy. Two parks feature yurts in their camping offerings: Lake of the Ozarks State Park and Pomme de Terre State Park.
Lake of the Ozarks State Park preserves a section of the popular lake that has remained undeveloped. Among its recreational opportunities are watercraft rentals, tours of Ozark Caverns, and rock climbing and rappelling are allowed in certain months. Meramec State Park www.meramecpark.com has basic and utility campsites, group tent areas and cabins. This park is worth visiting for the accessibility it provides for floating the Meramec River, and it offers canoe rentals and for tours of Fisher Cave. Nearby Onondoga Cave in Onondoga State Park is worth the short drive from Meramec. My favorite part of the cave is the Lily Pad Room. Johnson Shut-Ins State Park is a popular camping park because of the unique gorges, slides and potholes in the Black River bed. Nearby is Elephant Rock State Park, a day use-only park, featuring enormous round boulders resembling elephants.
Heather Shields is a lifelong lover of nature and a local science teacher.