Army Corps of Engineers · Clinton Lake · Lawrence, KS

Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area

Rockhaven Park is located on the south side of Clinton Lake, west of the Dam on the Rock Creek Arm of the lake. Rockhaven Park is the trailhead for the South Shore Trails (equestrian and hiking trails on the south side of the lake) and is the only place where equestrians can camp overnight with their horses and mules.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian AreaRockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian AreaRockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian AreaRockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area
Photos courtesy of Jared W, USACE · Recreation.gov

Site mix

equestrian electric12
Equestrian7
Standard, no hookups5
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 75 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

24 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerPeople / vehiclesFires
1EquestrianBack-in64GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
2EquestrianBack-in70GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
3EquestrianBack-in75GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
4EquestrianBack-in75GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
5StandardBack-in45GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
6StandardBack-in50GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
7StandardBack-in65GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
8StandardBack-in52GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
9StandardBack-in59GravelPartialNo8 / 2Yes
10EquestrianBack-in59GravelPartialNo8 / 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 06:00 PM, checkout 05:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric
Max vehicle length75 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Rockhaven Park offers overnight camping for equestrian and non-equestrian campers. There are 24 campsites, 12 which have electrical service (13E-24E). A total of 19 campsites (#1-#4) and (#10-#24) include equestrian accommodations. All of the sites must be reserved through the Reservation Service. There will be no collections in the campground, all payments will be made through the reservation service. If a camper arrives without a reservation, she/he will need to contact the reservation service, ensure availability, then pay immediately with a credit card over the phone. Reservations can be made, up to six months in advance, over telephone or internet. Rockhaven Park amenities include a waterborne four stall shower/restroom building, a two stall vault toilet, horseshoe pits, picnic shelter, playground, manure bunkers, several corrals, hitching posts and trail access. There are several water hydrants located throughout the campground.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.84 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.28 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.03 inches of precipitationApril: 3.94 inches of precipitationMay: 5.01 inches of precipitationJune: 5.55 inches of precipitationJuly: 3.84 inches of precipitationAugust: 4.57 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.99 inches of precipitationOctober: 3.25 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.94 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.50 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 28.2°F averageFebruary: 33.0°F averageMarch: 43.6°F averageApril: 53.9°F averageMay: 63.7°F averageJune: 73.2°F averageJuly: 77.9°F averageAugust: 76.5°F averageSeptember: 68.1°F averageOctober: 55.8°F averageNovember: 43.3°F averageDecember: 32.8°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Clinton Lake, 4 miles from the campground at 980 feet, station USC00141612 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 38 inches a year.

Getting there

From 23rd St (Clinton Parkway) in Lawrence, KS, go south on 59 Highway (Iowa St.), approximately 2 1/3 miles. Turn onto westbound Douglas County 458, drive for about 8 1/2 miles, turn north (right) on E 700 road, about 3/4 of a mile to the Rockhaven Park entrance.

Nearest townLawrence, Kansas
Coordinates38.8913° N, 95.3755° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗3.2 mi
Outdoor gearGreat Blue Heron ↗9.2 mi
RV sales & serviceCentral RV ↗20 mi

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

Explore

Video

Video of Rockhaven Park Equestrian Campground, KS from Juliana H.

Worth a stop

The Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center, located on the northwest side of the dam, has several informative displays covering topics such as the history of the area, reasons for the dam and the wildlife in the area. The Clinton Lake Museum, located within the Bloomington East Park, has information on the history of the region and the Underground Railroad. The cities of Lawrence and Topeka are within a 30 minute drive.

Natural features

Congress authorized Clinton Lake in 1962, and the finished reservoir was filled in 1980. While the Dam and Reservoir were originally built for flood control, the area has now become a recreational oasis for millions of visitors to enjoy the beautiful green Kansas backdrop. Clinton Lake's beautiful setting of steep bluffs, wooded shoreline and clean water is unequaled among Kansas lakes. Shoreline development has been limited in an effort to preserve as much of the natural setting as possible.

Recreation

Rockhaven Park, first of all, is an equestrian friendly campground. This is Clinton Lake's only campground that allows overnight camping with horses and mules but is open to all campers. There is a "day use only" parking lot for those who come to ride or hike for the day, but not stay overnight. Access to the South Shore Trails is located in Rockhaven Park. The main trailhead is on the north side of the campground, which is a short walk or ride from a campsite or the day use parking lot. In addition to campsites, Rockhaven offers a free first-come, first-serve group shelter, perfect for familiy gatherings and events Bloomington Beach is a short drive away located in Bloomington East Park. Bloomington Beach requires a day use fee, for non-campers, between May 1 and September 30. Bloomington East offers 4 sets of boat ramps with courtesy docks. Launching a Boat requires a day use fee, for non-campers, between April 1 and November 30. Rockhaven has horshoe pits and a playground within the campground.

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 Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

Sites at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

Check-in 06:00 PM, checkout 05:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area have?

24 sites, including 12 equestrian electric, 7 equestrian sites, and 5 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

The longest site here provides 75 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area have hookups?

Yes, electric hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

Rockhaven Park amenities include a waterborne four stall shower/restroom building, a two stall vault toilet, horseshoe pits, picnic shelter, playground, manure bunkers, several corrals, hitching posts and trail access.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

Yes, pets are allowed at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

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

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

Rockhaven Park, first of all, is an equestrian friendly campground. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area?

Lawrence, Kansas. The Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center, located on the northwest side of the dam, has several informative displays covering topics such as the history of the area, reasons for the dam and the wildlife in the area.

Source: Getting there

What if Rockhaven Park Campground And Equestrian Area is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Bloomington East (1.1 mi), Bloomington West (2.6 mi), and Rock Creek (16.4 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby