Outdoors
Refuges, lakes and wild areas near Overland Park for wildlife viewing and birdwatching.
Good to know: Early mornings and evenings are best for wildlife; bring binoculars and keep a respectful distance.
12 mi east · US Army Corps of Engineers
Located in Kansas City, Grandview and Lee's Summit, Missouri. Longview, a 930 acre lake provides recreational facilities including camping, 14 picnic shelters, swimming beach, 27 hole golf course, softball fields, 6 miles of paved bicycle…
20 mi southwest · US Army Corps of Engineers
Managed by the Kansas State Park System, Hillsdale offers camping, fishing, boating, hunting, hiking, equestrian trails, and relaxation within 40 minutes of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
21 mi northeast · US Army Corps of Engineers
Blue Springs is a 720 acre lake located in Blue Springs and Lee's Summit Missouri. There are 6 picinic shelters, swimming beach, primitive bicking/hicking trails and marina. Blue Springs is operated Jackson County Parks and Recreation.
Map of 27 places loads as you scroll.
Located in Kansas City, Grandview and Lee's Summit, Missouri. Longview, a 930 acre lake provides recreational facilities including camping, 14 picnic shelters, swimming beach, 27 hole golf course, softball fields, 6 miles of paved bicycle…
Managed by the Kansas State Park System, Hillsdale offers camping, fishing, boating, hunting, hiking, equestrian trails, and relaxation within 40 minutes of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
Blue Springs is a 720 acre lake located in Blue Springs and Lee's Summit Missouri. There are 6 picinic shelters, swimming beach, primitive bicking/hicking trails and marina. Blue Springs is operated Jackson County Parks and Recreation.
Located close to beautiful and historic Lawrence and the University of Kansas, the lake offers camping, boating, fishing, hunting, over 50 miles of hiking, equestrian and mountain bike trails, 18-hole golf course, model airplane airport…
This day-use picnic area, located just north of Clinton Lake in the hills of Kansas, is the perfect spot for a party or family gathering.
Within 30 minutes of downtown Kansas City, this 7,190-acre lake offers city and county operated water-related recreation facilities including a regional visitor center and an 36-hole golf course.
Bloomington East Park includes Cedar Ridge, Hickory/Walnut, and Oak Campgrounds, Ash and Elm Group Camps, and Bloomington Beach Picnic Shelters.
Rockhaven Park is located on the south side of Clinton Lake, west of the Dam on the Rock Creek Arm of the lake.
Located conveniently near the cities of Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City, Perry Lake boasts a wide variety of recreational opportunities.
Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1992 primarily for the preservation and restoration of bottomland hardwood forest.
Located near the Santa Fe Trail, this 4,000-acre lake features scenic beauty as well as an abundance of wildlife. From Topeka, 24 miles South on US 75, 7 miles East on KS 268.
Melvern Lake is situated on the eastern edge of Kansas' Flinthills Region. It draws outdoor enthusiasts from a wide range of disciplines. Melvern Lake covers approximately 7,000 acres of water and 18,000 acres of land open for public use.
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.
Sightseers will enjoy the Flint Hills Wildlife Refuge. Enjoy wandering old Indian grounds.
Established in 1966 as an “overlay project” on an U.S. Corps of Engineers flood control reservoir, Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge's 18,463 acres incorporate a diverse variety of habitat including wetlands, bottomland hardwood…
Located adjacent to the Lake of the Ozarks, Truman features excellent fishing, a regional visitor center and powerplant exhibit area. Rugged hills, scenic bluffs, hardwood forest and prairie offer some of the best scenery in the State.
Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge is located in northwest Missouri, near Mound City.
Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge is managed as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.
A popular lake in the scenic Missouri Ozarks.
The lake was named for the nearby town of Council Grove, the birthplace of the Santa Fe Trail and a National Historic District.
Cool, clear spring waters make this lake the "Gem of the Ozarks."
Kansas' only granite outcrop is located here, at the scene of a short-lived gold rush in 1887.
Situated in the scenic Flint Hills, Tuttle Creek Lake provides 12,500 surface acres of water and 100 miles of shoreline, making it the second largest lake in Kansas.
Tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres of North America, but within a generation most of it had been transformed into farms, cities, and towns. Today less than 4% remains intact, mostly in the Kansas Flint Hills.
The lower Missouri River is the largest free-flowing river in the United States, encompassing nearly 1.5 million acres of bottomland habitat for fish, wildlife and plants, while providing commercial transportation and recreation…
Flowers, birds and game enhance this project in rolling prairie country. The 10,900-acre Fall River Game Management Area is located here.
The Milford Education Center and Fish Hatchery are located below the dam. From Topeka, 65 mi W on I-70, 5 mi N on US77, 2 mi W on K-57 hwy.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Overland Park. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A local activity Short shared by McPeek Adventures.
Watch on YouTube ↗
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A local activity Short shared by Amber Bond Morgan-Travel (Moving with the Morgans).
Watch on YouTube ↗
Longview Lake (US Army Corps of Engineers), about 12 miles east of Overland Park as the crow flies. Next are Hillsdale Lake (20 mi) and Blue Springs Lake (21 mi).
Federal agencies including US Army Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.