Weekend availability at Santa Fe Trail
Live from Recreation.gov · checked Sep 18, 4:34 AM PT- Fri, Sep 18Open15/33 sites
- Fri, Sep 25Open5/18 sites
- Fri, Oct 2Limited3/15 sites
- Fri, Oct 9Limited2/15 sites
- Fri, Oct 16Limited1/15 sites
- Fri, Oct 23Open5/15 sites
Friday + Saturday nights, sites bookable both nights. Counts come from a rotating sweep and can lag a cancellation by up to a day — alerts watch your exact dates within minutes.
Campsites & amenities
Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.
- Campsites
- 33
- Electric sites
- 32
- Water hookups
- 29
- Sewer hookups
- 2
- Pull-through
- 3
About this campground
Overview Santa Fe Trail Campground is located on the 3,310-acre Council Grove Lake in the green expanses of eastern Kansas.Recreation Boating is a popular pastime at the lake, and a boat ramp is located in the campground for visitors' convenience. The lake is known for its fishing opportunities, with crappie and catfish being the most abundant. Council Grove was also the first lake in Kansas to receive stocking of Saugeye. Hunters will find populations of quail, prairie chicken, wild turkey and deer on the nearly 2,700 acres of hunting lands surrounding the lake. Hiking trails wind along the lake shore and into the forest. Pioneer Nature Trail is known as the most scenic trail, with plenty of wildlife, greenery and wildflowers creating a beautiful background. Council Grove is also a starting point for the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway. This byway travels through the best of the remaining remnants of the Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem in North America. Along the byway and 25 miles south is the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, where visitors can spot colorful wildflowers in the spring and array of autumn colors in the fall.Facilities Santa Fe Trail Campground offers 35 reservable campsites, including one group camping area that can accommodate up to 75 guests. Electric hookups, flush toilets and other modern amenities are provided. The campground has plenty of shade, along with open grassy areas for games and recreation.Natural Features Council Grove Lake sits in the rolling, grassy Flint Hills. The lake was created by a dam built in 1964, and now offers recreational opportunities to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Historically this area is where the Osage Indians signed a treaty to establish the Old Santa Fe Trail. A marker in the town of Council Grove indicates the place where the treaty was signed. Nearby Attractions The town of Council Grove, located about 2 miles southeast of the lake, is a National Historic District, with seven Santa Fe National Historic Trail sites in the community.
Getting there
From I-70, take Highway 177 south for 30 miles. Continue west across the dam road, then right onto City Lake Road. After a mile turn right into the campground entrance.
Activities
- HUNTING
- FISHING
- CAMPING
- BOATING
- HIKING
Nearby federal campgrounds
Never miss an opening at Santa Fe Trail
Popular Kansas campgrounds book out months ahead — but cancellations happen every day. We watch Santa Fe Trail around the clock and alert you the moment a sold-out site reopens for your dates, so you don't have to keep refreshing Recreation.gov.
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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office or on Recreation.gov before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.