Prairie Dog State Park News

Burn ban is on.  No campfires and no charcoal grills.

Water has been turned off water to the park... bring water with you. All facilities are without water, which includes the fish cleaning station, dump stations, shower houses, primitive cabins, and campsites. There is no place in the park to get water.

NO campfires are allowed currently, but when the burn ban is lifted, campfires are only allowed in designated fire rings, or in your fire pit that has legs and keeps the fire above the ground.  No fires of any kind are allowed in the East Leota campground.

Reservations can be made for utility sites at Kansas State Parks. Here at Prairie Dog State Park, utility sites and most mushroom sites are reservable. No need to reserve a campsite for an arrival date before April 1. After that, you cannot reserve same day on the websites and over the phone. If the current time is before noon, you can reserve a campsite for tomorrow. Otherwise it's 2 days in advance. Non-designated primitive sites are walk-in and not reservable. All campsites are available year-round and electricity is always on.

Cabins can be reserved as far as 364 days in advance, and you can reserve a minimum of 2 days in advance. Modern cabins are on their own well, so they have water all year long.

Did you know ... 

... A self-pay kiosk is available! All sales are final, so take your time and double-check what you are selecting. The kiosk is located at the office, will accept credit and debit cards only, and will allow the purchase of:

  • A daily vehicle permit, only for today, expires 2pm tomorrow;
  • An annual vehicle permit (good until December 31 of this year);
    • The receipt generated by the kiosk will say that it is temporary and will expire in 2 weeks; this only means that the paper is thermal paper and the ink will eventually fade if it's left in the sun; bring the receipt to the park office and you can exchange it for a normal sticker; 
    • Note: the discounted annual and daily vehicle permits (for Kansas residents that are 65+ or are disabled) cannot be purchased at the kiosk;
  • Campsite fees, such as a camping permit, utilities fee, and prime fee ... BUT ... ;
    • Suggest that you use the self-pay table instead, to pay for your campsite; currently it is impossible when using the kiosk, to know which sites are available, and it's difficult, when using the kiosk, to know which fees apply to your desired campsite;

... there are websites available for your use: 

  • campitks.com ... is for vehicle permits, and reserving cabins and campsites; 
  • gooutdoorskansas.com ... is for fishing licenses, boat registrations, and hunting licenses and permits;
  • reserveamerica.com ... is for reserving cabins and campsites;
  • usbr.gov ... is for checking on the water statistics of Sebelius Reservoir, by looking for Norton Dam and/or Keith Sebelius Lake;

... HAB stands for Harmful Algal Bloom, meaning that blue-green algae and/or its toxins have been detected in a water sample for a lake. 

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Also...

Camping is available year-round in the park. As always, any vehicle that is driven within the park must have a vehicle permit. Kansas residents 65 and older, as well as disabled Kansas residents, can get a daily vehicle permit for $3.25. It is $5 for all others, resident or non-resident. The self-pay table is located next to the front door of the office, is always available, and takes check or cash.

Check-in time and check-out time for a campsite is 2 pm. 

For cabins, check-in is after 3 pm, and check-out is before noon. 

More Information

Good news: all cabins and campsites are available year-round with electricity. Our newest campground, Cedar Ridge, has full hookups including sewer. Vault toilets are also available year-round.

Winter office hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, closed Saturday and Sunday. 
   ** A vehicle permit is required for all vehicles to enter the park. The daily permit is good until 2 pm the next day.**

   ** If you have purchased a Parks Passport when you register your vehicle with your county in Kansas, and you need a replacement, it is $2.50 and can be purchased at any State Park office. Proof of your vehicle registration is required. **

There is NO HUNTING ALLOWED in the State Park. Please feel free to contact the office with any questions.

Please click the Make a Reservation button above, or visit campitks.com to make your campsite and cabin reservations online. For fishing licenses, boat registrations, and hunting licenses, go to gooutdoorskansas.com.

Prairie Dog State Park has four cabins available. Cabin reservations can be made for at least 2 days in advance. Call the office or reserve a cabin online. All cabins have heating and air conditioning, a refrigerator and a microwave. Bring your own sleeping items such as sheets, pillows, sleeping bags, and blankets.

Cedar Crest and Cottonwood are primitive cabins, and starting in late April, water is available from an outside faucet for these two cabins. These cabins sleep 8. When the water is turned off in mid- to late-October, these cabins do not have water.

Prairie Dog and Eagle View are modern cabins with running water year-round, fully stocked kitchen areas, and a big bathroom with a shower. These cabins sleep 5-6.

Cabin Renters: Please make sure to contact the park office at (785) 877-2953 within 48 hours of your arrival to obtain your key code. Reminder that you need to bring bed items, such as pillows, blankets, sheets, sleeping bags, etc.

Please remember to always wear your life jacket when you're on the water, it could save your life. 

Questions?

Questions pertaining to the Norton Wildlife Area or hunting should be directed to Luke Winge, Norton Wildlife Area Manager, at (785) 877-2953.

Questions pertaining to fishing should be directed to Mark Shaw, Fisheries Biologist at (785) 342-9525.

Questions for a Conservation Officer should be directed to the Hays Regional Office at (785) 628-8614.

If you have questions pertaining to Prairie Dog State Park, call the Park office at (785) 877-2953.