Camping, Hiking & Boating at Clinton Lake, Douglas County, Kansas

Camping, Hiking & Boating at Clinton Lake
Douglas County, Kansas

Clinton Lake's function as a flood disaster control basin provides the surrounding area with benefits far beyond safety - as an undeveloped natural area it is home to nesting bald eagles, flocks of geese and other wildlife. While the watershed is managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, portions of the area are also State Park and town wildlife areas. Clinton Lake provides a water supply to Lawrence, Kansas and will be a popular outdoor recreational resource for almost a million visitors this year.

Boating
Camping
Hiking
Tornado Tips
Use Summary Chart

Authorized by Congress in 1962, Clinton Lake's construction began in 1971 and cost nearly $55 million. A three-year filling schedule was completed in 1980, as the 7000 acre multipurpose pool level was reached, extending the arms of Clinton Lake eight miles up the Wakarusa River Valley. If the lake ever approaches the top of its flood pool, it will extend 13 miles up the valley and cover a total of 12,800 acres, or 20 square miles.

Building the 1 3/4 mile long dam required moving 9,000,000 cubic yards of earth. The dam rises 114 feet above the old stream channel and 85 feet above the valley floor. As a flood control structure, it protects 156 square miles of the Wakarusa Valley, and is part of a system of dams designed to reduce flood crests on the Kansas, Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

In addition to flood control, Clinton Lake provides up to ten million gallons of water a day for the nearby city of Lawrence, Kansas and the University of Kansas. Nearly a million visitors each year come to swim, ski, boat, hike, camp, fish or hunt or enjoy bike or horseback riding in the woods,.

Camping, Hiking & Boating at Clinton Lake, Douglas County, Kansas

Summary of facilities available at Clinton Lake, Douglas County, Kansas

	Clinton State Park	Woodridge	Bloomington	Rockhaven	Outlet	Overlook
Boat Ramp	YES		YES
Boat Rental And Storage	YES
Public Telephone	YES		YES			YES
Gas and Oil	YES
Picnic Facilities	YES		HC*	YES	YES	YES
Restrooms	HC*	HC*	HC*	HC*	HC*	HC*
Water Supply	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Showers	HC*		HC*
Tent Camping Only		YES
Camping	YES		YES	YES
Swimming	YES		HC*
Restaurant or Snack Bar	YES
Trailer Hookups	YES		HC*
Trailer Sanitary Station	YES		YES
Playground Equipment	YES		YES		YES	YES
Hiking Trails	YES	YES		YES		YES
Biking Trails	YES					YES
Horse Trails				YES

HC* = Handicapped facility available

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Booze & Boats
DON'T MIX

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Emergency Telephone Numbers

Douglas County Sheriff	911 or 843-0250
Lawrence Memorial Hospital	749-6100
US Army Corps of Engineers	843-7665

Boating at Clinton Lake

Many boat ramps are available around the lake. Please heed rules and warnings and respect both the weather and wildlife. Also, because of fluctuations in the water level partially or completely submerged hazards may be encountered at any time. Boat operators should operate with extreme caution at all times; last week's clear water may present tree stumps today.

Map of Bloomington Park Campgrounds

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Camping at Clinton Lake

Camping facilities range from primitive (some of the sites at North Shore's Clinton State Park) to fully equipped RV sites at the State Park and Bloomington Park ($16/night); no-hookup sites are $12, with a few available at $10. Camping is permitted at Rockhaven and outlet as well, and Woodridge allows tents only. Please observe the rules, as well as special protected wildlife notices that may be posted at the parks. Online reservations are available for the majority (US Army Corps of Engineers) sites by visiting their site.

Bloomington Park is one of several public use areas managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers at Clinton Lake, Douglas County, Kansas. Cedar Ridge, Walnut, and Hickory are the main campgrounds in this park. There are approximately 400 campsites available on a first-come-first-served basis, and open for camping from April 1 to October 15. All visitors who desire to camp overnight must register at the park attendant station located at the entrance to the camping areas. Shelters and group camp areas are also available, and these may be reserved. Please call the project office at (785) 843-7665 at least 24 hours in advance.

Clinton Lake Camping Regulations

To help make everyone's stay a pleasurable and enjoyable experience, we present the following excerpts from the complete regulations, which can be found in the pamphlet, "Rules and Regulations Governing Public Use of Corps of Engineers Water Resources Development Projects" (EP 1165-2-316)

Camping is allowed at designated sites only and fees will be charged on a family/unit basis. Checkout time is 6:00 pm.
Campsite registration is on a first-come-first-served basis. Reservation of campsites is not permitted.
Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days.
Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.
Please keep a clean campsite during occupancy and upon departure.
Trash bags are available at the park attendant station for registered campers. Please deposit bags in dumpsters.
You may pick up dead timber lying on the ground for firewood, but please do not cut any standing trees or brush.
If you would like to have a ground fire, please pick a site that has a metal fire ring provided. All ground fires must be confined to these fire rings.
All vehicles must remain on roadways. When parking vehicles, keep at least two wheels on the roadway or camp pad.
Report theft, loss, accident, or disturbance to Park Rangers or gate attendants.
Beer kegs and party balls are not allowed in the campgrounds.

Tornado Tips

Always stay informed. Tune in to KLWM AM 1320 (Lawrence) or WIBW AM 580 (Topeka)
In the campground, go to nearest brick shower building or restroom.
In mobile homes or vehicles, leave them and go to a substantial structure. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in the nearest ditch, ravine, or culvert with your hands shielding your head.
If threatening weather approaches while you are out in a boat, put on personal floatation devices, seat passengers on the bottom center of the boat, reduce speed and head bow into waves at a slight angle. Watch for debris as you head for the nearest shore.

A Tornado Watch, Thunderstorm Watch or Severe Storm Watch means that weather conditions are favorable for the development of severe storms. Stay alert and keep informed.
A Tornado Warning means that a possible tornado has been spotted visually or on radar. Stay calm and take shelter right away.
A Thunderstorm or Severe Storm Warning means a storm has been spotted and could be accompanied by high winds, dangerous hail or lightning. Stay calm and take shelter right away. Never seek shelter from a lightning storm under a tree.
Stay calm, enjoy your time here and don't bother coming in order to look for severe weather; some local residents have been disappointed in this pursuit for nearly a century. While there are more tornados here than elsewhere, and more in April, May and June than the rest of the time, they can occur anywhere, anytime, a bit more often than air raids (in the US at any rate.)

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These pages may be printed out for your convenient reference if you wish. Setting your [File menu ->] Page setup ... -> Scaling to about 85% will keep the maps from running into the margins.

Some material is reprinted courtesy of various sources provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

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