Campgrounds and RV parks near Troy, KS

Water recreation drives most trips here. Visitors boat and fish on Big Lake, the state's largest remaining oxbow lake, and watch for migrating waterfowl and wetland bird species that use the shallow lake as a refuge. Bird watchers come to Lewis and Clark to spot geese, great blue herons, eagles, swans, and snowy egrets on the oxbow lake throughout the seasons. At the time of writing, prolonged drought has left the lake at Lewis and Clark State Park dry, so water activities there may be unavailable. Check the park website before planning water-based outings. Day trips into St. Joseph add Pony Express history, museums, and restaurants, while the bluffs and river towns along the Missouri give a change of pace from open prairie.

The main camping window runs mid-spring through late October, though some sites stay open longer. The campground at Big Lake State Park is fully reservable through the Missouri State Parks system, and showers there run mid-April through October. During the off-season, roughly November through mid-April, potable water is available from a frost-free spigot at the dump station rather than at individual sites. Lewis and Clark State Park follows the same Missouri State Parks pattern, with on-season services including water, showers, and a dump station, and off-season potable water available from a frost-free spigot near the dump station entrance. Summer is the busiest stretch. Advance reservations are recommended for weekends and holidays. Spring and fall bring milder days and lighter crowds but also active weather, and Missouri River flooding has closed campgrounds in this area before, so it is worth checking park updates before travel.

Expect a mix of state park simplicity and full-service private parks. The campground at Lewis and Clark State Park has basic, electric, and sewer/electric/water campsites, with level and roomy pads that make it easy to maneuver a large recreational vehicle. Pull-through sites with electric hookups and level pads are available, along with basic tent sites on the edge of the campground. Big Lake's renovated campground offers basic, electric, and sewer/electric/water sites, including 50-amp and 30-amp electric sites, with a dump station and freshwater fill-up on site. A north shower house and restroom serve campground guests. Missouri State Parks limit camping to any 15 days within a 30-consecutive-day period at any one park, and Wi-Fi is not available at Big Lake.