Kansas Sate Parks - Two good choices - Montana Owners Club

patodonn · 06-24-2006, 03:08 AM

Stayed at two....both excellent, for different reasons. First was Wilson Lake, between Hays and Salin, just a few miles north of the Interstate. Beautiful lake! Clear, cool water. Good fishing! Sites were nice, many right on the lake shore, adequate space between them. Drawbacks....lots of folks there on the weekend. Lots of jet skis, boats, etc with the weekend family traffic. No "close by" city "stuff" (Wal-Mart, dinner out, that sort of thing). When you are there, you are THERE. No computer modem access or wi-fi. Our Verizon data service wouldn't work with the local cell carriers. Had to go 20 miles to do a load of laundry, and never was able to get "online", even while there (local library was closed).

Next, Toronto SP, close to US 54, 13 miles west of Yeats
Center (Hay Capitol of the World!!). Different lake situation...muddy, bank fishing wasn't good, and the CG wasn't right on the lake shore. The CG was excellent! Big, open spaces, lots of shade, and almost NOBODY THERE except us and the Host, even counting two weekends, one of which was Father's Day. If you want peace and quiet, that's your place.

Same drawbacks re computer access and cell phones, except cell phone service, of any sort, was extremely marginal there. 25 min away, Yeats Center has Frannie's, which serves a full lunch and beverage daily for $1. If you want dessert, home-baked-the-previous-afternoon-pie (about 10 kinds) is another $1. Search the Internet for Yeats Center, KS....she is profiled there in a couple of places. Also, Courtney's, in Toronto (old, tiny town and just a short bike ride from the CG), is amazing. Great pizza place which also serves full course "class act" Italian dinners. You look at the town, and can't believe it is there. You gotta try Courtney's.

We went to Yeats several times and used their library for computer access. They let you use your computer on a high speed modem access.

We were very pleasantly pleased by the KS State CG!

Best Regards,

sreigle · 06-24-2006, 10:51 AM

PJ, we have been to a number of Kansas State Parks and found almost every one of them excellent. We've always had electric and water connections and each has a dump station. By the way, it's Yates Center.

Too bad you didn't have access to a boat while at Wilson Lake. It's a beautiful lake, especially as you move away from the state park. The lake is between cliffs on one end. As you move the other way, on the north you find some very tall red pillars of rock. A lot like hoodoos in Arches, Bryce, and other national parks. The striper fishing (and crappie and largemouth bass) fishing is excellent in Wilson Lake. The water is the clearest in Kansas. What you saw at Toronto is more typical of Kansas lakes as far as lack of water clarity. Too much farmland and soil washing into the lakes. They are the muddiest after a hard rain. Fishing in these lakes is a challenge. Requires a different technique, but can be done. You have to either use live bait or lures that "call" the fish by movement or noise. Flash helps a little but you need more flash than in clear lakes. Trolling works decently, too.

PJ, since you were at Wilson in the north central to northwest part of the state and Toronto in the southeast, I'm curious your route through Kansas, if you don't mind. I'm wondering if you cut south around Salina then east around McPherson or Wichita and thus had a lot of the flatlands or did you go farther east, like to around Topeka, then south and thus have some pretty territory on your drive?

patodonn · 06-24-2006, 06:34 PM

Steve: Re Wilson Lake, it is a beautiful place!! I had good fishing from the bank right at the CG..several smallmouth. Fished two or three times, never got "skunked". I'm strictly a lure fisherman.

From Wilson, we went east on the Interstate to Salina and then headed south on I-135. Cut east prior to Wichita to pick up KS 254 to El Dorado, then US 54 from there.

Bettcha' you didn't know about Courtney's Place in Toronto!!! Make the effort next time you are headed across on US 54. Just turn south at the Lizard Lips Cafe to Toronto, left onto KS 105 in Toronto. Courtney's is on the right, two blocks down (Remember, there are ONLY two blocks in Toronto)

Best..

PJ

Bob & Lee · 07-13-2006, 09:30 AM

we just returned from 5 days at Council Grove lake Ks. It has a lot of trees and shade that some dont it is very nice, had all the kids and 7 grand kids there over the 4th, its where we always went when we lived in white city ks. then went to Taos NM what a great town to visit. and then back home Fountian Co and to work. Only 5 yrs till on the roadd FULL TIME cant wait.

sreigle · 07-13-2006, 04:21 PM

We used to go to Council Grove Lake a couple of times per year. The campgrounds on both sides of the lake are very nice with lots of shade. Good crappie and walleye fishing (on the flats) there, too. Council Grove has a lot of history. The Santa Fe trail went right down the main drag. Custer negotiated an Indian Treaty there. The Post Office Oak and many other historical sites. There's a restaurant (and I think hotel) on the main drag that goes back into the 1800's and mentions a lot of historical names that stayed and ate there. Etc. Outside Council Grove is an area where you can still see the ruts of the Santa Fe trail, although they're getting a bit vague.

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