Notable Camping Spots
- Best for group camping: Watkins Mill Campground’s family sites have paired camping pads with communal spaces.
- Best for big rigs: Watkins Mill Campground has a handful of sites with 50-amp hookups.
- Best for a classic campout: Watkins Mill Campground’s basic campsites are perfect for tent camping.
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
- A handful of sites are open year round. The majority are open April 15 through October 31.
- Reservations are accepted for dates between April 15 through October 31.
- Showers and water are available April 15 through October 31. Potable water is available at a single spigot in the off season.
- Weekend reservations require a two-night stay (Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday).
- Reservations open 12 months in advance. This park may require advanced reservations, especially for holidays and summer weekends.
- This park offers basic and electric sites. Water and sewer are not available at individual sites.
When to Go
Summer is the busiest, with warm weather and visitors enjoying the outdoor activities. Spring is pleasant, with trees budding in May. Fall generally has good weather, and the park’s woodlands are particularly beautiful, with colors peaking in October. While a handful of sites are available in the winter, visitors will find limited services and may encounter freezing temperatures.
Know Before You Go
- This park has a camping gate that locks each evening at 9pm during the regular season and 8pm during the off season. Campers must arrive before the gate locks.
- Bring your bike—or your horse. The park has trails with access for bicycling and horseback riding.
- In the summer, grab a swimming suit and take advantage of the swim beach.
- A boat dock and boat launch are available on Williams Creek Lake.
- Visitors may register for the opportunity to go metal detecting in specified areas of the park, a unique activity only offered at a handful of state parks in Missouri.
Watkins Mill State Park
Explore history and scenery just minutes from the heart of Kansas City.
Watkins Mills State Park is one of those parks that is truly an unexpected gem. VIsitors rave about the 4-mile lake trail that circles the 100-acre lake at the park’s center. Williams Creek Lake provides scenery and recreation, offering fishing, boating, and swimming. Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site is connected to the park, and it tells the story of 19th-century life in Missouri, with a well-preserved home, mill, and other historic sites. If the bustle of the big city becksons, venture into Kansas City to find museums, nightlife, foodie-approved restaurants, and more.
Watkins Mills State Park is one of those parks that is truly an unexpected gem. VIsitors rave about the 4-mile lake trail that circles the 100-acre lake at the park’s center. Williams Creek Lake provides scenery and recreation, offering fishing, boating, and swimming. Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site is connected to the park, and it tells the story of 19th-century life in Missouri, with a well-preserved home, mill, and other historic sites. If the bustle of the big city becksons, venture into Kansas City to find museums, nightlife, foodie-approved restaurants, and more.
Activities in the park
1 campground in Watkins Mill State Park
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Notable Camping Spots
Notable Camping Spots
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
When to Go
Summer is the busiest, with warm weather and visitors enjoying the outdoor activities. Spring is pleasant, with trees budding in May. Fall generally has good weather, and the park’s woodlands are particularly beautiful, with colors peaking in October. While a handful of sites are available in the winter, visitors will find limited services and may encounter freezing temperatures.
Know Before You Go
Public campgrounds (book externally) —