Army Corps of Engineers · Melvern Lake · Melvern, KS

Outlet(Melvern)

Outlet Campground is situated below the Melvern Lake Dam on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills of Kansas. Visitors enjoy the area's wide range of recreational activities, including boating, fishing, hiking and hunting.

More like this: electric hookups in Kansas · full hookups in Kansas · reservable in Kansas · big rigs in Kansas · pets allowed in Kansas · group sites in Kansas

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Outlet(Melvern)Outlet(Melvern)Outlet(Melvern)Outlet(Melvern)
Photos courtesy of Melvern, Melvern Lake USACE · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric137
group shelter electric2
Host/management13
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 80 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

139 sites in 5 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
001A-LOElectricBack-in60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
002A-LOElectricBack-in60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
003A-LOElectricBack-in60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
004A-LOElectricBack-in60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
005A-LOElectricBack-in60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
009A-LOElectricPull-through60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
010A-LOElectricPull-through60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
017A-LOElectricPull-through60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
018A-LOElectricPull-through60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes
019A-LOElectricPull-through60PavedPartial50 ampYes / –8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 04:00 PM, checkout 04:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, water, sewer
Max vehicle length80 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesMelvern Lake enforces the national no-show policy. If you do not check in with the park attendant within 24 hours of your reservation check-in time, you will be listed as a no-show, your site will be released and you will be charged $20 plus the first night's fee.
AccessibilitySite 079 is listed accessible

This large campground offers 140 family sites, many of which have full hookups for electric, water and sewer. Two group day-use picnic shelters with electrical hookups are available as well. Several family picnic sites can be used on a first come, first served basis. Amenities include flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station. A boat ramp, accessible dock and fish cleaning station are located on-site. Younger campers love the park's swimming beach, playground and stocked fishing pond, which is open year-round. Laundry facilities are no longer available to all campers.photographyoptions.net/images/melvern/tour.html)

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Outlet(Melvern)30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.90 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.46 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.57 inches of precipitationApril: 3.58 inches of precipitationMay: 5.80 inches of precipitationJune: 4.85 inches of precipitationJuly: 4.53 inches of precipitationAugust: 3.84 inches of precipitationSeptember: 4.08 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.96 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.11 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.40 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.6°F averageFebruary: 35.2°F averageMarch: 45.1°F averageApril: 55.1°F averageMay: 65.2°F averageJune: 74.9°F averageJuly: 79.5°F averageAugust: 78.1°F averageSeptember: 69.8°F averageOctober: 57.9°F averageNovember: 45.2°F averageDecember: 34.7°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Melvern Lake, 1 mile from the campground at 1,094 feet, station USC00145210 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 38 inches a year.

Getting there

From US-75, take the Melvern exit. Turn west onto Melvern Lake Parkway and continue 1/4 mile to the cut-off road, then another 1/4-mile west to River Pond Parkway and follow into the campground.

Nearest townMelvern, Kansas
Coordinates38.5137° N, 95.7062° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗under 0.1 mi
Outdoor gearOutdoor Gear & Knives ↗8.1 mi
RV sales & serviceCentral RV ↗26.4 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Melvern Lake Campgrounds - Outlet - Drone Flyover - Aerial Overview - Kansas

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The Flint Hills represent America's last expanse of intact tallgrass prairie, made up of big bluestem, switchgrass and Indian grass. The rolling hills on the south side of the lake are wooded, and the campground has scattered trees and limited shade.

Recreation

Melvern Lake impounds nearly 7,000 acres of water on the upper reaches of the Marais des Cygnes River Valley. Boating and swimming are popular activities on the lake. Anglers will find walleye, crappie, channel and flathead catfish, as well as black, striped, white and smallmouth bass. The 18,000 acres of land surrounding Melvern Lake provide plentiful hiking and hunting opportunities. Several trails wind around the lake, including the 4-mile Tallgrass Heritage Trail, which begins in the campground. Hunters may find deer, quail, turkeys, ducks, rabbits and squirrels throughout the area.

Guidebooks for Kansas and camping across the country

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Kansas Trail Guide
    Jonathan M. Conard and Kristin M. Conard, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Frommer's Exploring America by RV
    Harry Basch and Shirley Slater, 2012
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Outlet(Melvern)?

Sites at Outlet(Melvern) are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Outlet(Melvern)?

Melvern Lake enforces the national no-show policy. If you do not check in with the park attendant within 24 hours of your reservation check-in time, you will be listed as a no-show, your site will be released and you will be charged $20 plus the first night's fee.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Outlet(Melvern)?

Check-in 04:00 PM, checkout 04:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Outlet(Melvern) have?

152 sites, including 137 standard sites with power and 2 group shelter electric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Outlet(Melvern)?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Outlet(Melvern) have hookups?

Yes, electric, water, and sewer hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Outlet(Melvern)?

Amenities include flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Outlet(Melvern)?

Yes, pets are allowed at Outlet(Melvern). Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Outlet(Melvern)?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Outlet(Melvern)?

Site 079 is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Outlet(Melvern)?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Outlet(Melvern)?

Melvern Lake impounds nearly 7,000 acres of water on the upper reaches of the Marais des Cygnes River Valley. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation