Campgrounds and RV parks near Pleasanton, KS

Fishing is the main draw. Miami State Fishing Lake includes 101 acres of water bounded by about 150 acres of timbered hillsides and the Marais des Cygnes River, and initial stockings included largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, and black crappie, with a boat ramp, courtesy dock, fourteen earthen piers, and a vault toilet available for lake users. Louisburg Middle Creek State Fishing Lake is just south of Louisburg, with a 281-acre lake stocked with channel catfish, crappie, saugeye, largemouth and white bass, plus a double boat ramp, vault toilet, picnic tables and fire ring on 220 acres of surrounding land. Boating and swimming are popular at the private lakes inside Linn Valley Lakes, which is intended for property owners and their guests. La Cygne Lake, a short drive north, is a well-known warm-water fishery. Day trips run north to the Louisburg Cider Mill, Powell Observatory, and Hillsdale State Park, and further into the Kansas City metro for museums and dining.

Late spring through early fall is the core RV season. May and June bring green landscapes and strong fishing, but they are also the peak months for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in eastern Kansas. Travelers should check daily forecasts and identify storm shelters at their campground on arrival. July and August are hot and humid, with afternoon highs frequently in the upper 80s to low 90s Fahrenheit. Lakes are busiest on summer holiday weekends, so booking hookup sites several weeks ahead is smart. September and October are typically the most comfortable months, with cooler nights, lower humidity, and good fall fishing. Winter is cold and quiet. Many state fishing lake facilities scale back, and some private parks reduce services, though Rutlader Outpost is open year round and Linn Valley Lakes operates through the winter. Snowfall is usually light but ice storms are possible.

This is rural eastern Kansas. Roads into the state fishing lakes are gravel in places, and cell coverage varies by carrier, though reception is generally usable near the main highways and at Rutlader Outpost. Big rigs are accommodated at the private parks, with 50 and 30 amp electric, water and sewer common. Rutlader Outpost features 83 full hookup campsites that are big rig friendly for RVs of up to 60 feet, and 24 of them are pull through accessible. State fishing lake camping is truly primitive: expect vault toilets, no hookups, no showers, and pack-in, pack-out trash. Fires are permitted only in provided metal rings and grills. Severe-weather awareness matters here. Rutlader has a storm shelter on-site, and travelers should plan for heat, humidity, and biting insects in summer.