From opportunities to enjoy quiet refreshing camping holidays, to full-blown recreational activities, El Dorado Lake is the perfect place for all kinds of pursuits while on RV trips. The lake in this COE park, located on the Walnut River, Kansas, is a tributary of the Arkansas River. This lake park is administered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism.
With about 1,000 campsites available within the park, there are plenty of camping options available to visitors, including primitive/tent campsites, RV sites, and an equestrian campground. Within the campgrounds, a full array of amenities are available too, including a large amphitheater and cabins. The RV campsites within the park are equipped with full, partial, and no hookup options. Flush toilets, showers, dump station, laundry, and playgrounds are some of the facilities you’ll be able to make use of here.
From hiking to mountain biking and horseback riding, the trails in the park offer the chance to enjoy different recreational pursuits. The 12.5 sq. mile lake is also an ideal place for boating and fishing activities. Within the six square mile wildlife area, public lands are available for hunting and wildlife viewing. In summer, visit the beach for a refreshing swim. Even more, you can take your exploration one step further by visiting El Dorado State Park.
El Dorado Lake is located three miles east of El Dorado town in Kansas, along US Highway 54. This park is easy to locate and access by RVs, trailers, and other motorized vehicles. The camping and day-use areas, as well as sites of interest in the park, can be driven to without hassles. Vehicles are only to be driven on maintained roads. RVs and trailers can be rented at El Dorado and Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas.
Parking areas are provided for RVs, trailers, and cars at El Dorado Lake for vacationers and visitors. Moreover, the various camping areas and campgrounds within the park also have parking pads and spaces for motorhomes. Overnight parking is also available.
There are no direct public transportation services to El Dorado Lake.
Bluestem Point is a pet-friendly campground that features primitive and RV camping sites available by reservation. A total of 233 primitive/tent-only campsites are available within the park, in addition to 70 RV campsites with full hookups (electric, water, and sewer hookups), and 197 RV campsites with electric and water hookups only. Some campsites are ADA accessible.
Within this campground, there are various camping areas with facilities such as a marina, dump stations, vault toilets, playground, and picnic shelter. Other facilities include showers, boat ramps, swimming areas, and a Chapel Hill. Parking lots are on hand too.
Maximum RV length within Bluestem Point is 100 feet.
Walnut River, a pet-friendly campground with primitive and RV camping options at El Dorado Lake, is open to reservations and consists of eight primitive/tent-only campsites, 95 RV campsites with full hookups (electric, water, and sewer hookups), and 63 RV campsites with electric and water hookups only. ADA accessible campsites are also available.
At Walnut River, there are various camping areas with facilities such as an amphitheater, playground, vault toilets, laundry, and picnic shelter. Parking lots and a bridge are available too.
Maximum RV length is 85 feet.
Seven developed trails offer various recreational opportunities to campers and visitors at El Dorado Lake. Hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding options are open to all who wish to explore the park. The hiking trails vary in length from 0.5 miles to two miles and offer different levels of difficulty and excitement. On some of the trails, a permit is required to hike, while others are open to all. ADA accessibility is also offered on some trails.
At El Dorado, visitors and campers have 12.5 square miles of water to indulge their boating interests and pleasure. Thanks to the six boat ramps that are located within the surrounding Kansas State Parks, boaters can set out on their adventure on the lake at any of these designated points. And you have nothing to worry about if you don’t have your own boat(s), as the marina in the park provides rentals and supplies. Kansas State Boating Regulations guide boating here.
There are excellent populations of various fish species at El Dorado, such as walleye, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and crappie. In addition, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, white bass, and wiper are also abundant in the lake. As a result, you don’t want to miss out on the exciting angling opportunities available to you on the 12.5 square mile water body in this park. Just in the outlet area below the dam, there is a winter put-and-take trout fishery.
About six square miles of public hunting lands are available within the El Dorado Wildlife Area for all who wish to hunt for game at El Dorado Lake. Within this hunting area, you’ll find white-tailed deer, quail, wild turkey and waterfowl. Rabbits, doves, prairie chicken, and doves are some other game that are commonly found in the area. Hunters are required to possess appropriate licenses and permits to hunt in the park. Moreover, safe hunting practices are required within this park.
With its two developed swim beaches, campers and visitors enjoy refreshing dips in this Army COE park, especially in summer when the heat is at its peak. El Dorado Lake is particularly unique in that Zebra Mussels are found within the lake, and so all campers and visitors are advised to not swim barefooted in the lake. Aquatic footwear is recommended. If you don’t fancy swimming, you may just sit on the sandy beach and take in the view.
As this COE park sits near the southern end of the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway, RV campers and visitors are treated to the sight of rolling, grass-covered hills of the Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem. Also, there’s no shortage of opportunities to enjoy viewing wildlife within the park’s wildlife area. Birds, in particular, are easy to find within the park, with the most commonly sighted ones being songbirds. Turkeys and prairie chickens are seen too.
