Army Corps of Engineers · Kansas
Outlet(Melvern)
Army Corps of Engineers · Kansas, United States
- Sites
- 152
- Hookups
- 139 electric, 150 with water
- Season
- April 1 to October 30
- Max RV length
- 80 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 981 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile good · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Melvern Lake
- Nearest town
- MELVERN
- Address
- 30442 River Pond Parkway, MELVERN, KS, 66510
- Phone
- 785-549-3318
- Activities
- Biking, Birding, Boating, Camping, Day Use Area, Fishing, Hiking, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Swimming, Water Access
140 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
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. Find a virtual tour of Melvern Lake at http://www.photographyoptions.net/images/melvern/tour.html
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.
Facilities
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. Click Here for a Virtual Tour (http://www.photographyoptions.net/images/melvern/tour.html)
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.
Contact Info
For local information, please call (877) 444-6777 or call (785) 549-3318 for general information.
Fees
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 23° | -14° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 49° | 27° | -15° | 70° | 10 of 11 |
| March | 60° | 40° | 14° | 76° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 72° | 48° | 29° | 91° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 78° | 60° | 44° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 90° | 70° | 51° | 100° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 90° | 72° | 62° | 99° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 87° | 71° | 61° | 104° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 85° | 67° | 51° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 68° | 50° | 28° | 85° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 58° | 41° | 9° | 75° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 47° | 31° | 12° | 71° | 9 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Coeur D'alene · Army Corps of Engineers · 1 mi · 60 sites
- Eisenhower State Park · Kansas State Parks · 2 mi · 163 sites
- Arrow Rock · Army Corps of Engineers · 3 mi · 43 sites
- Turkey Point · Army Corps of Engineers · 5 mi · 49 sites
- Carbolyn Park · Army Corps of Engineers · 11 mi · 26 sites
All public campgrounds in Kansas · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-07-03. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.