If you’re looking for an RV camping spot set within beautiful scenery that offers amazing opportunities to enjoy recreational activities, look no further than Perry Lake in Kansas. Located a few miles north of Lawrence and Topeka, this Army Corps of Engineers park is the perfect place to enjoy refreshing getaways, relax, and recharge. Just by this lake park is Perry State Park, another site you can visit while on holiday.
At Perry Lake, there are plenty of camping options available to you, including primitive and tent camping, group camping, and of course, RV camping. At least three RV campgrounds are available, all featuring pet-friendly campsites equipped with modern facilities and amenities to make your vacation lovely. Electric, water, and sewer hookups are available, and you can enjoy the use of showers, restrooms, playgrounds, and dump stations. In addition, you’ll find boat ramps with courtesy docks, picnic areas, and reservable day use shelter houses at the campgrounds. A group campground equipped with electric hookups is also available for family recreation.
Activities you can enjoy at Perry Lake include boating on the lake, picnicking in scenic areas, hiking along nature and scenic trails, and moderate to strenuous mountain biking. Equestrians also fancy horseback riding within the park. Wildlife and bird watching is also a favorite pastime for campers and visitors. An 18-hole disc golf course is also on hand within the park. This lake park surely has something for everyone.
Located about 17 miles northeast of Topeka and 20 miles northwest of Lawrence, Perry Lake is easy to access via US Highways 24, 4 and 59 in Kansas. Ferguson road from Percy leads to the park and grants easy accessibility for campers driving their RVs, trailers and cars. RV rental services are available at Perry and Riverfront Park. There are no driving restrictions within this COE park.
Parking areas are provided for RVs, trailers, and cars at Perry Lake for vacationers and visitors. Moreover, the various 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 Perry Lake.
Slough Creek Park, on the east side of Perry Lake, is a COE campground that consists of 210 pet-friendly campsites available between April and October. RV, tent/primitive and group camping opportunities are available within the campground.
There are three campsites equipped with full hookup options in this campground, while 86 campsites have electric and water hookups. Electric hookups only are available in 41 campsites. RVs and trailers longer than 72 feet cannot fit into this campground.
Campground facilities include two boat ramps with courtesy docks, shower houses, dump stations, a picnic area, and a modern playground. Trailhead access is also available. Campground reservations are accepted.
Old Town Park, near the north end of Perry Lake, is a pet-friendly COE campground that features 62 campsites available by reservation between May and September. 33 campsites in the campground are RV sites while the remaining 29 are primitive campsites for tents only. Electric and water hookups are available at the RV campsites and vessels up to 96 feet can be accommodated.
Facilities within this campground include boat ramp with courtesy dock, shower house, dump station, day use shelter house (reservable), and picnic area. A playground is also available. This campground is popular among campers that enjoy peaceful, quiet camping and fishing.
Rock Creek Park, located on the west side of Perry Lake, is a 94-campsite pet-friendly campground available by reservation. Peak season within this Army COE campground is from May to September. This campground offers both RV camping options and primitive camping opportunities. 60 campsites are designated RV sites and are equipped with electric and water hookups. RVs and trailers longer than 100 feet cannot be accommodated.
Campground facilities include shower house, reservable picnic shelter, dump stations, restrooms, and a boat ramp with courtesy dock. A modern playground is also on hand.
Plenty of opportunities to have fun while boating are available for RV campers and visitors who wish to explore the waters in this park. With six dedicated boat ramps located at strategic points around the lake, you can begin your adventure anywhere you choose. Most of the boat ramps are equipped with courtesy docks and restrooms. Moreover, a marina is available in the park, meaning you can easily get supplies for your boating trip and stock up for the adventure.
Bring your best hiking boots to Perry Lake to make the best of your hiking adventure along any of the trails within the park. The 1.75-mile Delaware Marsh Trail offers hikers the opportunity to walk through a wetlands ecosystem and enjoy the view of shorebirds and waterfowl. Delaware Marsh is a low-profile earthen fill levee constructed by the park in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service,. Thunder Ridge Trail, which stretches for 2.5 miles, is yet another scenic trail to hike in the park.
RV campers and visitors that fancy mountain biking love to visit Perry Lake for the competitive and exciting mountain biking opportunities available. The mountain bike trail in this COE park adds up to 15 miles in length and varies in difficulty from moderate to strenuous. So, you should be prepared to have your skills, endurance, and tenacity tested on this route. The trail features lots of hills, tight turns, fast trails, off camber sections, and technical rocky parts. So, gear up and prepare for the challenge!
Want to enjoy a meal alone or share with family, friends or a group while you camp at Perry Lake? Rest assured you are covered, owing to the fact that this Army COE park has dedicated picnic sites and shelters, all adequately equipped to make your experience memorable. At the picnic shelters, you’ll find amenities such as picnic tables, large grills, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts and plenty of space to park up to 30 vehicles. Restrooms and shower houses are also within walking distance.
Horseback riding is a camper’s-favorite at Perry Lake. The Perry Lake Equestrian Trail has two trailheads located at Thompsonville Park and Horse Trail Campground, from which you can kickstart your horseback riding adventure in the park. This trail extends for about 25 miles in a continuous loop through the area, offering you the chance to enjoy views of different parts of the park that you otherwise may not have seen. Moreover, you do not have to be an expert rider to enjoy the activity; average riding skills are sufficient.
Lovers of disc golfing can visit the Longview Disc Golf Course located in Longview Park for a chance to enjoy the activity and have fun. This course features 18 holes that present some of the most challenging disc golf in the whole of Kansas. So, don’t underestimate the challenge, because you may find that it will really test your abilities. You’ll see steep topographic changes along the course, as well as heavily wooded tunnel shots and water hazards. The course is also altered to different configurations, thanks to three different basket placements that each hole has. So, bring your A-game.
