Our family loves to spend time together in the great outdoors. Our state and county parks offer beautiful sites for tent, cabin and RV camping. We’re fortunate to have several great choices less than an hour away, which really helps with the workload of camping. You’ll find many great opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, including boating, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, stargazing, bird watching, nature journaling and more.
Our Favorite Local Campsites:
We are partial to state and county parks for family camping. We’ve found these sites are the most scenic and family-friendly for making memories with kids. Each site will provide complete information before you go, so you’ll know what to expect when it comes to restrooms, water, firewood, quiet times, parking and facilities.
Lake Jacomo
9200 Beach Rd., Lee's Summit, 816.503.4805, MakeYourDayHere.com
This Lee’s Summit campground site offers both tent and RV camping. Located in Fleming Park on Lake Jacomo, this is a great place to camp for the wide variety of activities you may enjoy. The marina at Lake Jacomo offers pontoon, canoe, pedal boat, fishing boat and kayak rentals. Your family can also enjoy fishing for bass, crappie, catfish, bluegill and walleye. Fleming Park is also home to the Native Hoofed Animal Enclosure where you can see elk and bison; Missouri Town 1855, a historic village where reenactors bring Jackson County history to life; an RC flying field where you may watch hobbyists fly remote-controlled aircraft or fly your own (with permit); and numerous hiking and paved bike trails.
Longview Lake
1499 SW County Park Rd., Lee's Summit, 816.503.4805, MakeYourDayHere.com
Situated on the beautiful Longview Lake, this site offers both tent and RV camping. There are great trails around the lake, including paved trails for biking. You can rent bikes from RideKC at Shelter #14. The marina at Longview Lake offers pontoon and fishing boat rental. Your family can also enjoy fishing for bass, crappie, catfish and walleye.
Watkins Mill State Park
26600 Park Rd. N., Lawson, MO, 816.580.3387, MoStateParks.com
One of the most scenic campgrounds in the region, Watkins Mill State Park is home to 96 campsites, 74 with electric hookups. Families enjoy fishing for bass, crappie, catfish and sunfish in Williams Creek Lake. The park also offers biking, hiking and equestrian trails (bring your own ride). A visit to the park is not complete without touring the Watkins Woolen Mill Historic Site. The site tells the story of 19th century life on the Missouri frontier. The elegant home and three-story woolen mill are the prime attractions on the tour, but the visitors center is also well done, featuring hands-on exhibits explaining life in the 1870s. Watkins Mill is the only 19th century textile mill in the United States with its original machinery still intact. The site hosts many living history events throughout the year as well.
Weston Bend State Park
16600 MO-45, Weston, MO, 816.640.5443, MoStateParks.com
Weston is one of our favorite day trip destinations. The campground offers basic and electric sites. We love picking fruit at the Weston Orchard & Vineyard, visiting the shops on Main Street and exploring the region. The state park is one of the prettiest places to view the Missouri River. This campground is known for amazing views of the Mighty Mo, including the scenic overlook accessible to persons with disabilities. The 3-mile paved bike trail explores the park’s wooded terrain and stops by the old tobacco barn and picnic shelters.
Smithville Lake
816.407.3400, VisitClayMO.com/p/play/camping-at-smithville-lake
Smithville Lake in Clay County is home to two campsites: Camp Branch Campground (17201 Paradesian, Smithville, MO) and Crow’s Creek Campground (4601 Crows Creek Rd., Smithville, MO). You’ll find tent and RV sites for your convenience. Smithville boasts one of the largest lakes in the area at 7,190 acres. You may rent pontoon boats at either of the lake’s two marinas. You may fish for bass, walleye, catfish, crappie or bluegill at this lake. In addition to water sports, families enjoy camping, golfing and exploring hiking, biking and equestrian trails.
Lake Perry
5441 W. Lake Rd., Ozawkie, KS, 785.246.3449, KSOutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Perry
Lake Perry is a scenic campground with electric and primitive tent sites. They also offer four rental cabins if you’d like a roof over your head and don’t own an RV. The campground offers 15 miles of mountain bike trails, 25 miles of horse trails and a 1-mile nature trail. The marina offers pontoon and ski boat rental. Fishing includes catfish, bass and crappie.
El Dorado State Park
618 NE Bluestem Rd., El Dorado, KS, 316.321.7180, KSOutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/El-Dorado
The Flint Hills are one of the most beautiful natural features in the state of Kansas, and El Dorado State Park is one of the prettiest places to experience the Flint Hills. El Dorado is Kansas’ largest state park, a sprawling 4,000 acres along the eastern and western shores of El Dorado Reservoir. The park offers tent and cabin camping; fishing for bass, perch, crappie, walleye and catfish; hiking, biking and equestrian trails; and views of spacious skies.
If you’re looking for more great sites, be sure to visit MoStateParks.com and KSOutdoors.com/State-Parks. Many state parks offer cabins, yurts and lodges for those looking to enjoy the outdoors without the work of a tent or RV.
More Camping Tips:
Food Planning
We frequently pack foil dinners and breakfasts when camping. These premade frozen meals can be heated over the coals, making an easy meal in a hurry. Make your favorite breakfast burrito, wrap it in foil that’s been sprayed with cooking spray, and wrap it once more for a second layer. Freeze it ahead and store in your cooler until cooking time. For dinner, you can use the same foil packet concept to cook your favorite veggies and meat. We love to do a sliced smoked sausage with roasted potatoes and veggies, or a seasoned pork chop with some potatoes and veggies, or barbecue chicken. You’ll find a ton of great foil dinner recipes at CountryLiving.com/food-drinks/g3394/foil-pack-recipes/. The kids also love to roast hot dogs or brats over the fire, and s’mores are a camping must. Most campgrounds sell ice on site to help keep your cooler cold. I’ve found that frozen water bottles and frozen foods keep it cold for a long time. Remember to bring plenty of water and some easy nonperishable healthy snacks for when the munchies strike.
Fire Starting
Most local campgrounds sell firewood on site and many do not permit you to bring in outside wood (they don’t want non-native bugs, pesticides, etc., on site). Most also allow charcoal. We like to make simple fire starters ahead of time, which really help with lighting a campfire. My favorite fire starters use an old Girl Scout technique: Save dryer lint, cardboard egg cartons and some old candles. Melt the candle wax over a double boiler (I use old tin cans to melt the wax over a small skillet with water). While it’s melting, set your egg cartons on a tray or cover your counter in newsprint for spills. Fill each egg carton cavity with a bit of lint or sawdust. Pour the melted wax over the lint. Let the shells cool. Once solid, you can use one egg cavity per fire. These are our favorite fire starters. If you don’t have time to make starters, a bit of dryer lint and crumpled newspaper come in handy.
Kristina Light’s family loves outdoor adventures. They’ve enjoyed everything from tent camping to treehouse glamping over the years and look forward to many more camping memories in the future.