Covering 10 square miles of water and about 28 square miles of land area, Melvern Lake is a popular destination for memorable RV camping and recreational pursuits. Located on the eastern edge of the Flinthills Regions in Kansas, this US Army Corps of Engineers is equipped with campgrounds that offer several camping options for visitors.
Popular things to do at Melvern Lake include hiking and biking on nature and scenic trails, boating and swimming in the lake, fishing for walleye, crappie, various bass and catfish species, as well as hunting for a wide variety of game in the wildlife area. Additionally, visitors can take a trip to the nearby Eisenhower State Park and Pomona State Park for more recreational opportunities.
Within the campgrounds in this lake park, campsites are equipped with full hookups and partial hookups, while some others do not have hookups for RVs. ADA accessible sites are also available. Facilities on hand at the campgrounds include playgrounds, boat ramps, docks, fish cleaning stations, and dump stations. Other available amenities include drinking water, flush and vault toilets, and showers.
A trip to Melvern Lake promises to be remarkable for every kind of camper!
Located 90 miles south of Kansas City, along Interstate 35, and 40 miles south of Topeka along US Highway 75, Melvern Lake is easy to drive to in RVs, trailers, and other motorized vehicles. Driving within the park is also easy, but all campers are required to drive only on the park roadways. RV rentals are available at Pomona, just northeast of this lake park.
Parking areas are available for campers and visitors to park their rigs and cars at Melvern Lake. The campgrounds also have parking pads. Parking is only allowed in designated parking spaces. Overnight parking is available.
There are no direct public transportation services to Melvern Lake.
Outlet Park is a COE campground at Melvern Lake that features 150 campsites available by reservations and opens between May and September. There are 89 campsites equipped with full hookup options for RVs (electric, water, and sewer), while 61 campsites have water and electric hookups. Maximum RV length in the park is 75 feet.
Although this campground is not open year-round, anglers can enjoy fishing in the pond located in this campground all year. Other recreational opportunities include boating, hunting, and hiking.
Amenities in this campground include vault and flush toilets, drinking water, showers, and a dump station. Facilities like a boat ramp, fish cleaning station, and an accessible dock are on-site. Quiet hours are from 10 pm to 6 am.
Turkey Point Park is a COE campground with 48 campsites that can accommodate tents and RVs, and are available by reservation. The campground is open between May and September. There are also two group camps in this campground.
34 campsites in this campground have both electric and water hookups, while 14 campsites are not equipped with RV hookups. Amenities include flush and vault toilets, drinking water, showers, and a dump station. You’ll find three playgrounds, fire rings, boat ramp, and a dock in this campground.
Maximum RV length in this campground is 65 feet, and quiet hours are from 10 pm to 6 am.
Arrow Lake Park, an Army COE campground on the south side of Melvern Lake is a scenic campground with 43 campsites available by reservation. The campground is open between May and September. At the central hilltop of this campground is a picnic area that offers beautiful panoramic views of the lake.
19 campsites in Arrow Lake Park are equipped with electric and water hookup options while the remaining campsites do not have RV hookup options. You will, however, find amenities like showers, flush and vault toilets, drinking water, and a dump station in the campground. Other facilities such as a fish cleaning station, boat ramp and dock, and playground are on-site for more recreation.
RV length limit at this campground is 78 feet.
Visitors and campers are offered excellent opportunities to explore the various parts of Melvern Lake on the many trails available in the park. This Army COE park’s trails provide the chance for hikers to learn about the natural resources of the park while enjoying healthy exercise on the trails. At the Outlet Park, campers can hike the three miles of nature trails available with ADA accessible areas. Another trail is the River Bottom Nature Trail that passes through an area that is representative of the river biosphere.
As an RV camper or visitor that enjoys boating, you will be able to explore the large main body of the lake at this US Army COE park. On calm days, water skiing opportunities are available. If you have a sailboat, then you can explore the ten miles of water open to you for maneuvers and escapades. Boat ramp facilities are available at four campgrounds along the shore in the park. Also, boat supplies, mooring facilities, and other amenities can be acquired at the Marina in the park.
Unique fishing opportunities are open to all RV campers and visitors at Melvern Lake who possess appropriate licenses and permits. This is enhanced by the wide variety of game fish that are found in the lake, including channel catfish, walleye, flathead catfish, and crappie. Bass species like black bass, white bass, and smallmouth bass are also available in the lake. Outlet Park River Pond is yet another spot open to fishing. Fishing in this lake park is guided by State Regulations.
Coeur d' Alene Park is a US Army COE campground on the southeast side of Melvern Lake. This campground features 56 campsites available by reservations and opens between May and September. Of the 56 campsites, 7 have electric and water hookups, 26 have electric hookups only, while 22 campsites do not have any hookups. One ADA accessible site has full hookup options for RVs. RV length limit is 100 feet.
Within this campground, a swimming beach, playgrounds, nature trails, picnic shelters and areas, and marina are available. Moreover, a boat ramp with courtesy docks is on site. Amenities such as flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water, and a dump station are available.
Sun Dance Park is a first-come, first-served basis COE campground located at the southwest end of Melvern Lake with 25 gravel camp pads. This campground can accommodate tents and RVs/trailers up to 60 feet long. The campground is a popular catfishing destination.
Potable water, self-pay station, pit toilets, and a picnic area and shelter are available at this campground.
There are many opportunities to hunt for a variety of game on the public lands at Melvern Lake. Wildlife options include quail, deer, turkeys, and rabbits. Squirrels and ducks are other popularly hunted game in the park. If you’re interested in this activity, you may choose the north side of the lake or the south side. Bear in mind that the north side has more wooded areas and blocks of timber, while the south side has more areas of grass as well as smaller woodlots. These habitats host distinctly different wildlife. The wildlife areas are managed by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Three picnic shelters and one pavilion are available for visitors and campers at Melvern Lake. These facilities are available in each of these areas in the park - Coeur d' Alene Picnic Area, the Overlook, and the Outlet Day Use Area. As a result, you get the chance to pick which of the facilities you’d like to visit to enjoy your meal. In addition, there are individual picnic sites throughout the park for use by all. Note that picnic sites are available on first-come, first-come served basis, while the shelters and pavilion are by reservation.
Swimming is a pleasurable activity at this lake park. To enjoy safe swimming in this park’s waters, you should swim at any of the three designated swimming beaches. One of the swimming beaches is located below the dam, while the other two are in the main part of the lake. Plenty of parking options are available at the beaches for RV campers. In addition, restroom facilities are available. You’ll even find volleyball nets for use at the Outlet Beach and Coeur D' Alene beaches.
