Rock Creek (KS)
- Right now
- Nobody has saidNo season, no closure, no bookings to read
- A night
- $16–$24Across the site types the agency prices
- Sites
- 80All of them booked ahead
The place
the agency’s own description · what’s there · 4 notices
In the agency’s own words
Rock Creek Campground is situated on the south end of Perry Lake in the lush Kansas forest. CAMPGROUND GATE POLICY--Park entrance gates will be closed from 10pm-6am Friday/Saturday nights and the entirety of holiday weekends. An exit lane is provided with one way traffic only. No late entrance will be allowed and only Park Staff or Emergency Personnel will be permitted through the gate after 10pm. Keep reading
Recreation
Perry lake has a reputation for being one of the best sailing lakes in the region; however, boaters of all types will enjoy the many opportunities offered here, whether it's sailing, power boating or canoeing. Perry Lake offers excellent fishing: White crappie, flathead catfish, walleye, white bass, channel catfish and sauger are in abundance throughout the lake. In addition to the vast lake, the area has approximately 27,000 acres of public land dedicated to wildlife management: turkey, deer, quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, duck and geese are all found on these federal lands. A scenic road follows the shoreline along the length of the campground, offering sweeping views of the lake.
Facilities
Rock Creek Campground offers 80 spacious campsites. Primitive camping is offered at a-loop in Peninsula, Big Rock, and the walk-in only area-Edwardsville Loop. A large reserveable group picnic shelter and playground make the area ideal for large parties or family functions.
Natural Features
Perry Lake Dam was completed in 1969 to help with flood control for the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Today, the lake boasts 159 miles of shoreline and 12,000 surface acres of water, creating countless recreational activities for visitors, and earning it the nickname "paradise on the plains." The campground is surrounded by the lake on one side and a dense canopy of forest on the other, making it ideal for those wishing to enjoy the best of both environments. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (785) 597-5144.
Nearby Attractions
For hikers, the nearby 29-mile Perry Lake loop trail offers a range of terrain and difficulty from easy, gentle slopes in the south to rugged, varying elevation changes in the north. Perry Lake is a short drive from Lawrence, Topeka, and Kansas City--each offering their own array of unique shopping, dining, and attractions.
What the agency tells you
Perry Lake Basic Campground Rules We need your help to protect the natural resources so that future trips to Perry Lake are as rewarding as today’s. In order to make your camping experience more enjoyable, we ask that you observe the following basic campground rules. 1. Park entrance gates will be closed and locked Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 6am, and Sundays on Holiday weekends. One-way tire spikes allow traffic to exit but not enter. 2. Quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This includes turning off radios and generators at 10:00 p.m. All visitors not staying overnight at the campsite must leave the park by 10:00 p.m. Park gates will be closed Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 6am. One-way exit lane only. 3. All pets must be kept on a 6 foot leash at all times or otherwise restrained (cable/chain). 4. Campsite occupancy/capacities are restricted to the following: • One wheeled unit and 1 tent OR 2 tents maximum per site • 3 vehicles maximum per site • 10 people maximum per site 5. All vehicles must remain on paved or graveled surfaces. Parking vehicles on the grass is prohibited, extra parking is available at restroom facilities. Boat trailers (loaded or unloaded) may be parked on the grass adjacent to your campsite. 6. At the end of your stay please dispose of all trash in the dumpsters located in the park. 7. Vehicles must be operated in accordance with applicable state laws. Only licensed vehicles operated by a licensed driver can be used within a public use area. Park roads are for ingress and egress only. Absolutely No ATV’s, Golf Carts, or other battery operated vehicles can be operated in the park. 8. All waste water (gray and black water) must be disposed of at the sanitary dump stations. 9. Dead and downed wood may be used for firewood, cutting of standing trees, limbs, or bushes is prohibited. Operation of a chainsaw is prohibited, hand tools are allowed. 10. Fires must be confined to fire rings provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 11. Checkout is 4:00 p.m., Please contact our office. 12. Camping is limited to 14 days on a site, campers must vacate the site for 24 hours prior to returning. Campers may move to a different loop in the campground during that time. 13. Camping facilities are for campers only, no day use is allowed within the campgrounds.
Due to the spread of invasive insects like the Emerald Ash Borer, firewood from outside the area is not permitted. Visitors to Perry Lake may only bring and burn firewood originating from Jefferson County, Kansas. For more information please contact the Perry Lake Project Office at 785-597-5144.
Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
Everything else this campground posts · 1
CAMPGROUND GATE POLICY--Park entrance gates will be closed from 10pm-6am. An exit lane is provided with one way traffic only. No late entrance will be allowed and only Park Staff or Emergency Personnel will be permitted through the gate after 10pm.
Tents and rigs
- Sites
- 80 · 10 walk-in
- Hookups
- 59 electric, 60 water
- Longest rig
- 100 ft
- Accessible sites
- None listed
- Pets
- Allowed
- Campfires
- Allowed, barring fire bans
- Shade
- Every site
Facilities
- Drinking water
- Yes
- WATER SPIGOT on 1 of 81 campsite records
- Playground
- Yes
- Stay limit
- 14 nights
- recreation.gov facility rule maxStay
Around the campground
- On the water
- Lake, River, Creek, Beach
- Biking
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Night sky · 52nd darkest of 57 in KS
- Bortle 4
No reading yet, book on recreation.gov
Every site here is reservable, and the record lists none held back for anyone who drives up.
No availability snapshot inside the last 36 hours, so this page draws nothing rather than ageing a reading into fiction.
Watch for a cancellation
Full? Watch it.
One email when a night opens, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We read recreation.gov once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time a site in your window is free for the nights you asked for.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
Tell me when the season opens
Watch for the season to open
One email when the season goes on sale, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We check once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time the agency has that season on sale.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.
Every line of the receipt · 15
What you actually pay
Derived by CAMPANAC: the agency’s published rates for this season, $16–$24 a night, plus one $8 recreation.gov reservation fee for the booking. A weekend here means Friday and Saturday night, booked once. Optional charges (an extra vehicle, a second tent, a dump-station fee) are listed separately and aren’t in this total.
Who keeps the booking fee
The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →
How we know this receipt · 5
rules read Sep 9, 2026 · rates Oct 1, 2026 · How we know all this
The sites
81 records · which ones have room · the site map
The sites, ranked
from 80 mapped sitesAll 81 records
Toilet distances are OpenStreetMap’s, measured for 81 of the 81 sites listed. A site with no reading is unknown, never far.
The price is derived by CAMPANAC, not published per site: the per-night rate this campground publishes for each site’s own site type. 79 of the 81 sites listed carry one, and a site whose type has no published rate sits out of the price rather than being called free.
Measured shade is NLCD Tree Canopy Cover 2024 (USDA Forest Service / MRLC) read at the site’s own coordinate, 27% canopy or more, and only for the sites the agency gave no Shade value. It never changes the agency’s own shaded count beside it.
| EDWA | E001 | walk to | 62 ft | 181 ft | 332 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E002 | walk to | 49 ft | 179 ft | 280 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E003 | walk to | 49 ft | 133 ft | 299 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E004 | walk to | 58 ft | 185 ft | 223 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E005 | walk to | 58 ft | 130 ft | 255 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E006 | walk to | 59 ft | 221 ft | 147 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E007 | walk to | 69 ft | 158 ft | 204 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E008 | walk to | 59 ft | 255 ft | 106 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E009 | walk to | 57 ft | 206 ft | 166 ft | $16 | ||
| EDWA | E010 | walk to | 57 ft | 169 ft | 215 ft | $16 | ||
| PENA | PA01 | standard nonelectric | 30 ft | 149 ft | 191 ft | 1,095 ft | $16 | |
| PENA | PA02 | standard nonelectric | 20 ft | 113 ft | 148 ft | 1,116 ft | $16 | |
| PENA | PA03 | standard nonelectric | 25 ft | 83 ft | 157 ft | 1,201 ft | $16 | |
| PENA | PA04 | standard nonelectric | 28 ft | 109 ft | 140 ft | 887 ft | $16 | |
| PENA | PA05 | standard nonelectric | 39 ft | 109 ft | 188 ft | 994 ft | $16 | |
| PENA | PA06 | standard nonelectric | 50 ft | 83 ft | 227 ft | 1,214 ft | $16 | |
| PENB | PB28 | standard electric | 66 ft | 30 amp | 86 ft | 387 ft | 927 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB29 | standard electric | 50 ft | 50 amp | 32 ft | 295 ft | 926 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB30 | standard electric | 60 ft | 50 amp | 32 ft | 281 ft | 920 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB32 | standard electric | 58 ft | 30 amp | 91 ft | 334 ft | 828 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB33 | standard electric | 52 ft | 50 amp | 37 ft | 297 ft | 880 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB34 | standard electric | 56 ft | 50 amp | 37 ft | 286 ft | 869 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB36 | standard electric | 56 ft | 50 amp | 44 ft | 343 ft | 777 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB37 | standard electric | 56 ft | 50 amp | 44 ft | 344 ft | 750 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB38 | standard electric | 60 ft | 50 amp | 48 ft | 303 ft | 831 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB39 | standard electric | 62 ft | 50 amp | 65 ft | 344 ft | 707 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB40 | standard electric | 62 ft | 50 amp | 51 ft | 300 ft | 800 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB42 | standard electric | 64 ft | 50 amp | 72 ft | 248 ft | 645 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB43 | standard electric | 72 ft | 50 amp | 119 ft | 245 ft | 759 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB44 | standard electric | 68 ft | 50 amp | 72 ft | 177 ft | 638 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB45 | standard electric | 66 ft | 30 amp | 68 ft | 434 ft | 1,246 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB46 | standard electric | 66 ft | 30 amp | 68 ft | 370 ft | 1,291 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB47 | standard electric | 58 ft | 30 amp | 59 ft | 351 ft | 1,301 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB48 | standard electric | 64 ft | 30 amp | 59 ft | 364 ft | 1,301 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB49 | standard electric | 60 ft | 30 amp | 65 ft | 388 ft | 1,191 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB50 | standard electric | 64 ft | 30 amp | 72 ft | 364 ft | 1,269 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB51 | standard electric | 58 ft | 30 amp | 65 ft | 363 ft | 1,173 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB52 | standard electric | 100 ft | 30 amp | 81 ft | 332 ft | 1,146 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB53 | standard electric | 58 ft | 30 amp | 72 ft | 354 ft | 1,234 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB54 | standard electric | 100 ft | 30 amp | 75 ft | 295 ft | 1,104 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB55 | standard electric | 58 ft | 30 amp | 73 ft | 352 ft | 1,174 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB56 | standard electric | 58 ft | 30 amp | 73 ft | 352 ft | 1,112 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB57 | standard electric | 36 ft | 30 amp | 75 ft | 299 ft | 1,089 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB58 | standard electric | 58 ft | 30 amp | 76 ft | 356 ft | 1,045 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB59 | standard electric | 54 ft | 30 amp | 39 ft | 295 ft | 1,061 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB60 | standard electric | 58 ft | 30 amp | 39 ft | 256 ft | 1,023 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENB | PB61 | type not stated | 60 ft | 30 amp | 264 ft | 1,010 ft | ||
| PENB | PB62 | standard electric | 56 ft | 30 amp | 86 ft | 301 ft | 980 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC63 | standard electric | 41 ft | 30 amp | 71 ft | 229 ft | 207 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC64 | standard electric | 52 ft | 30 amp | 71 ft | 302 ft | 187 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC65 | standard electric | 38 ft | 30 amp | 71 ft | 219 ft | 147 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC67 | standard electric | 46 ft | 30 amp | 54 ft | 202 ft | 69 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC69 | standard electric | 36 ft | 30 amp | 71 ft | 281 ft | 119 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC70 | standard electric | 48 ft | 30 amp | 47 ft | 208 ft | 122 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC71 | standard electric | 50 ft | 30 amp | 47 ft | 213 ft | 170 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC72 | standard electric | 42 ft | 30 amp | 66 ft | 278 ft | 187 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC73 | standard electric | 46 ft | 30 amp | 48 ft | 211 ft | 242 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC74 | standard electric | 95 ft | 30 amp | 48 ft | 222 ft | 286 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC75 | standard electric | 42 ft | 30 amp | 69 ft | 282 ft | 252 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC76 | standard electric | 42 ft | 30 amp | 73 ft | 227 ft | 334 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC77 | standard electric | 42 ft | 30 amp | 54 ft | 212 ft | 322 ft | $22–$24 |
| PENC | PC78 | standard electric | 42 ft | 30 amp | 54 ft | 219 ft | 314 ft | $22–$24 |
| RAND | R01 | standard nonelectric | 138 ft | 238 ft | 1,221 ft | $16 | ||
| RAND | R02 | standard nonelectric | 146 ft | 180 ft | 1,129 ft | $16 | ||
| RAND | R03 | standard nonelectric | 138 ft | 264 ft | 1,083 ft | $16 | ||
| RAND | R04 | standard nonelectric | 311 ft | 142 ft | 814 ft | $16 | ||
| RCRE | GS1 | day use | 15 amp | 428 ft | 214 ft | 607 ft | $50 | |
| WHIP | W01 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 103 ft | 212 ft | 431 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W02 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 80 ft | 291 ft | 329 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W03 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 100 ft | 159 ft | 374 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W04 | standard electric | 60 ft | 50 amp | 80 ft | 244 ft | 285 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W05 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 95 ft | 149 ft | 237 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W06 | standard electric | 60 ft | 50 amp | 95 ft | 240 ft | 170 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W07 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 90 ft | 230 ft | 62 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W08 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 90 ft | 187 ft | 49 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W09 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 88 ft | 90 ft | 162 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W10 | standard electric | 60 ft | 50 amp | 80 ft | 182 ft | 121 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W11 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 88 ft | 90 ft | 232 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W12 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 80 ft | 199 ft | 197 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W13 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 119 ft | 152 ft | 334 ft | $22–$24 |
| WHIP | W14 | standard electric | 45 ft | 50 amp | 119 ft | 271 ft | 337 ft | $22–$24 |
The agency files 1 more record here that isn’t a site for the night. It files it as day use. It’s in the table above, marked for what it is, and it isn’t counted as a site.
25 of 81 listed
Getting there
the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions · the phone number
Where it is
Slough Creek1.6 mi
Perry2.5 mi
Longview4.4 mi
Old Town7.2 mi
Bloomington West14 mi
Bloomington Beach15 miFrom Perry, Kansas, take Highway 24 west to KS-237. Continue north for about 3 miles, then turn east on Rock Creek Park Road and follow signs to the campground.
The weather
the next four days · the thirty-year normal
Next four days, and the thirty-year normal
Forecast
NWS forecast for Perry, KS
Typical weather
Typical October night 45°F, day 67°F.
Coldest month of the year: typical January night 18°F, below freezing. Bring a bag rated colder than that, and expect ice in the water bottle.
Daily high and lowDays with 0.10 in or more
A normal is the 1991-2020 average for the month, not a forecast: about half of all Julys are colder than the July line. The seven-day forecast above answers the other question.
The land, and who answers for it
who answers for it
Who answers for this land
Rock Creek (KS) is in Kansas’s 1st congressional district. Its representative, Tracey Mann (R), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: F. See every public-lands vote →