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Hillsdale Lake in Kansas



Hillsdale Lake in Kansas is one of the newest recreational areas in the state. Found on the eastern edge of the state, it opened officially in 1994. With activities and facilities for camping, fishing, hunting, boating, swimming, horseback riding, and sightseeing, there is plenty to see and do.

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Facilities include seven boat ramps, 200 designated camping sites, some of which have electrical and water hook ups available, two beach areas, three shower houses that are open during peak season and an equestrian area on Saddle Ridge. Picnic shelters are available, some with electricity. Most campgrounds are self-pay. A special area for flying model airplanes is located just south of the dam.

Trails

Designated trails include an ADA-accessible hiking and biking trail that winds through the Jayhawk and Russel Crites areas of the park. This trail is five miles long and is open all year. The Saddle Ridge trail is 49 miles long and is available for hiking, biking and horseback riding.

This trail winds through the park, offering views of Hillsdale Lake, native plants and wildlife. Horses are permitted in the Saddle Ridge campground.

If you like group trail riding, contact the park to see if any are riding events are scheduled. Many horse associations and clubs schedule rides throughout the year.

People who enjoy plant life can spend time looking at the local flora such as oak, cottonwood, sycamore, walnut, hackberry, elm, ash, hickory and eastern red cedar. Plum, dogwood and sumac are common in this natural mix of woodland, warm and cool season grasses and cropland. The cropland is planted in wheat, corn and sunflowers to attract quail, turkey, deer, doves and other wildlife.

Wildlife

For those who like wildlife, there are 100 acres of wetlands and about 7,000 acres open to hunting. Deer, muskrat, beaver, quail, rabbit, bald eagles, waterfowl, hawks, songbirds and more live all around Hillsdale Lake in Kansas.

Hunting is allowed seasonally with permits on waterfowl, game birds and large and small game. Birdwatchers will find many species of interest to observe. Developed areas of the park are safe zones. The rest of the year, wildlife can be observed and photographed. Wildlife and hunting areas are not ADA compliant.
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Fishing

For anglers, fishing is allowed all over the lake except for around boat ramps and swimming beaches. Hillsdale Lake in Kansas offers 4,580 surface acres of watery recreation. Fishermen can catch bluegill, crappie, flathead and channel catfish, green sunfish, largemouth and white bass and walleye.

Check the park's calendar for fishing tournaments if you like to have a little competition. There are several fishing tournaments that take place on Hillsdale Lake in Kansas every summer. Boating and sailing are popular water sports on the lake, and swimming can safely take place at the designated swimming beaches.

Other annual events include a beagle trial and the annual Hillsdale Watershed Fest. This park is busy year-round, so be sure you check with the park to see if there is anything special happening during your visit.

Hillsdale Lake Info

  • County: Miami
  • Location: Paola, Ks From I-70 take K-7 south and US 169 south to 255th Street. Proceed west (right) on 255th Street for approximately 2.5 miles to Hillsdale Lake Visitor's Center.
  • Surface Acres: 4500
  • Lake Type: Reservoir
  • Current Lake Level: Hillsdale Water Level
  • Recreation Areas: Scott Creek Campground, Rabbit Ridge Campground, Russel Crites Saddle Ridge Campground, Youth / Scout Camp, Sunflower Day Use, Hillsdale Point, Jayhawk Day Use, Marysville Campground Wade Branch
  • Maps: Hillsdale Lake Map KDWP Brochure
  • GPS: N38 39.754 W94 53.422
  • Official Contact Info: 26001 W. 255th St. Paola, KS 66071 Park Office (913) 783-4507 Regional Office (785) 273-6740
    Link to the KDWP Website
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hillsdale Lake Project Office U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 26000 W. 255th St Paola, Ks 66071 Phone 913-783-4366 Fax 913-783-4425
  • Fish Species Present: Channel Catfish, Crappie, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, White Bass, Green Sunfish
  • What to Hunt: Whitetail Deer, Turkey, Quail, Rabbit, Dove, Waterfowl

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Favorite Kansas Lakes

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Clinton Lake  Not rated yet
A great lake to go camping at..not at all busy or crowded, even on the 4th of July!
Water is clean and camping sites are awesome, bathrooms a less than ...





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Nearby Towns to Hillsdale Lake

  • Paola
  • Louisburg
  • Gardner
  • Osawatomie
  • Olathe
  • Ottawa
  • Baldwin City
  • Lenexa
  • Overland Park
  • Kansas City
  • Fort Leavenworth
  • Lansing
  • Leavenworth
  • Wellsville

Reservoirs in Region 2

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