Santa Fe Trail

Photo · USACE

Not publishedStatus

ReservableAccess

33Sites

102 ftMax rig

The place

Santa Fe Trail Campground is located on the 3,310-acre Council Grove Lake in the green expanses of eastern Kansas. Recreation Boating is a popular pastime at the lake, and a boat ramp is located in the campground for visitors' convenience. The lake is known for its fishing opportunities, with crappie and catfish being the most abundant. Council Grove was also the first lake in Kansas to receive stocking of Saugeye. Hunters will find populations of quail, prairie chicken, wild turkey and deer on the nearly 2,700 acres of hunting lands surrounding the lake. Keep reading

Hiking trails wind along the lake shore and into the forest. Pioneer Nature Trail is known as the most scenic trail, with plenty of wildlife, greenery and wildflowers creating a beautiful background. Council Grove is also a starting point for the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway. This byway travels through the best of the remaining remnants of the Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem in North America. Along the byway and 25 miles south is the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, where visitors can spot colorful wildflowers in the spring and array of autumn colors in the fall. Facilities Santa Fe Trail Campground offers 35 reservable campsites, including one group camping area that can accommodate up to 75 guests. Electric hookups, flush toilets and other modern amenities are provided. The campground has plenty of shade, along with open grassy areas for games and recreation. Natural Features Council Grove Lake sits in the rolling, grassy Flint Hills. The lake was created by a dam built in 1964, and now offers recreational opportunities to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Historically this area is where the Osage Indians signed a treaty to establish the Old Santa Fe Trail. A marker in the town of Council Grove indicates the place where the treaty was signed. Nearby Attractions The town of Council Grove, located about 2 miles southeast of the lake, is a National Historic District, with seven Santa Fe National Historic Trail sites in the community.

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

The sites · 33

Loop	Site	Type	Max rig	Electric
SFET	001	standard electric	56 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	002	standard electric	54 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	003	standard electric	44 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	004	standard electric	50 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	005	standard electric	70 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	006	standard electric	44 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	007	standard electric	57 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	008	standard electric	39 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	009	standard electric	102 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	010	standard electric	47 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	011	standard electric	49 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	012	standard electric	43 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	013	standard electric	49 ft	15/20/30/50
SFET	014	tent only nonelectric	—	—
SFET	015	standard electric	69 ft	15/20/30
SFET	016	standard electric	44 ft	15/20/30
SFET	017	standard electric	50 ft	15/20/30
SFET	018	standard electric	46 ft	20/30/50
SFET	019	standard electric	68 ft	20/30/50
SFET	020	standard electric	67 ft	20/30/50
SFET	021	standard electric	66 ft	20/30/50
SFET	022	standard electric	70 ft	20/30/50
SFET	023	standard electric	70 ft	20/30/50
SFET	024	standard electric	60 ft	20/30/50
SFET	025	standard electric	63 ft	20/30/50
SFET	026	standard electric	72 ft	20/30/50
SFET	027	standard electric	70 ft	20/30/50
SFET	028	standard electric	68 ft	20/30/50
SFET	029	standard electric	78 ft	20/30/50
SFET	030	standard electric	68 ft	20/30/50
SFET	031	standard electric	50 ft	20/30/50
SFET	032	standard electric	55 ft	20/30/50
SFET	S-1	group standard electric	50 ft	20/30/50

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

Booking

183 daysBooking window before arrival

Recreation.gov default: most campsites can be booked six months prior to arrival date. Most campgrounds go on sale at 7am PT / 8am MT / 10am ET, but not always; check the facility Seasons and Fees tab. Some locations also offer shorter supplemental booking windows.

Book on recreation.gov

SRC · Rules verified against recreation.gov · 2026-08-24

Your representative

This campground sits in KS-02. This member’s public-lands record →

SRC · U.S. Census TIGER · MTJP Scorecard