Is Prairie Lake Campground first-come first-served or reservation?

Prairie Lake Campground accepts online reservations. We recommend booking in advance, especially during peak season (typically summer weekends). Use campsite alerts to get notified when spots become available.

Can I see photos of campsites at Prairie Lake Campground before I book?

Yes! Prairie Lake Campground has 6 campsite photos on Outdoorithm, contributed by campers who've stayed there. Browse real photos of individual sites to see what to expect before you reserve. You can also add your own photos after your trip to help the next family plan theirs.

Are there showers at Prairie Lake Campground?

Yes, Prairie Lake Campground has shower facilities available for campers. Check the amenities section for details on hours and any fees.

Can I have a campfire at Prairie Lake Campground?

Fire policies at Prairie Lake Campground: Follow state park rules, including requirements to use approved or local firewood to prevent spread of pests.. Always check current fire restrictions before your trip, as conditions change seasonally.

How many campsites does Prairie Lake Campground have?

Prairie Lake Campground has 34 campsites. Sites vary in size, privacy, and amenities. Check availability online to find the best site for your needs.

Are dogs allowed at Prairie Lake Campground?

Pets are not allowed at Prairie Lake Campground. This policy helps protect local wildlife and other campers. Consider nearby pet-friendly campgrounds if traveling with animals.

What amenities are available at Prairie Lake Campground?

Prairie Lake Campground offers: Restrooms, Showers, Potable Water, Dump Station, Electrical Hookups. See our detailed campground page for the full list of facilities and features.

What activities can I do at Prairie Lake Campground?

Popular activities at Prairie Lake Campground include Hiking, Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Wildlife Viewing. The surrounding area offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities for all skill levels.

Prairie Lake Campground

4.05

70 reviews

336 50th Ave, Jasper, MN

Summer Destination

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

34 campsites

Season

Year-round

Cell

No Service

Pets

No Pets

ElectricShowers

Book on Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — State Parks and Recreation Areas Official Website

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

34 campsites

Season

Year-round

Cell

No Service

Pets

No Pets

ElectricShowers

Book on Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — State Parks and Recreation Areas Official Website

Prairie Lake Campground

No fees available

Campsite Fees

Minnesota state parks require a vehicle permit for park access; campsite fees vary and are set by the Minnesota DNR.

No paid fee categories listed.

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Minnesota State Parks

Provider

888-646-6367, 651-296-6157

I manage this campground

Plan a trip to Prairie Lake Campground

Compare with similar sites, watch availability, and build a packing list — Camp Sage handles all of it.

Campground Map

336 50th Ave, Jasper, MN

No map location available

Nearby places

Pipestone — about 7 miles north

Weather at Prairie Lake Campground

Best Time to Camp at Prairie Lake Campground

Plan your visit from late spring through early fall to experience the best of Prairie Lake's swimming, paddling, and camping opportunities. Late summer brings a special magic when the prairie grasses deepen to amber and gold, and wildflowers reach their vivid peak. While the park welcomes visitors year-round for picnicking and wildlife watching, most campers prefer the warmth and long daylight hours of the summer season.

Best

Summer(Jun-Aug)

4.0 / 5

Late spring–early fall best; summer temps 70–85°F and water activities prime.

Planning Tips

About Prairie Lake Campground

Tucked into Minnesota's Coteau des Prairies highlands, Prairie Lake Campground at Split Rock Creek State Park offers a peaceful retreat where rolling prairie meets sparkling water. This intimate campground wraps around historic Split Rock Lake, delivering shaded lakeside sites, a sandy beach, and easy trails—all in a setting that feels worlds away from the everyday.

Drive‑in campsites (many with electric hookups) around Split Rock Lake plus a separate tent‑only group camp with vault toilets and water; a mix of shaded and lakeside sites is available.

Historical Significance

Split Rock Lake was formed when a WPA-era dam was built in 1938, creating the largest lake in this prairie region. The park is regionally associated with nearby cultural sites such as Pipestone National Monument (about seven miles north).

Weather and SeasonsPlan your visit from late spring through early fall to experience the best of Prairie Lake's swimming, paddling, and camping opportunities. Late summer brings a special magic when the prairie grasses deepen to amber and gold, and wildflowers reach their vivid peak. While the park welcomes visitors year-round for picnicking and wildlife watching, most campers prefer the warmth and long daylight hours of the summer season.

Natural Features and ScenerySplit Rock Lake, born from a 1938 dam on Split Rock Creek, forms the heart of this scenic landscape where native prairie grasses ripple in the breeze and wildflowers paint the hillsides. Your campsite might nestle beneath sheltering trees near the water's edge or perch on higher ground with sweeping views across the lake and prairie beyond. Keep your eyes open for the park's residents: waterfowl gliding across the lake, the distinctive song of meadowlarks drifting over the grasslands, and beavers busy at work along the shoreline, along with fox squirrels, woodpeckers, and other prairie wildlife.

Geological RegionCoteau des Prairies highlands (rolling prairie and native grasslands)

Scenic ViewsScenic prairie and lake views, including elevated views from the dam and lakeside picnic and beach areas.

Best Campsites

Curated by campers, for campers

Reveal picks

Reserving a campsite

Tents

Tents are allowed

RV vehicles

RV vehicles are allowed

Primitive

Primitive camping is allowed

Reservable

Reservations are allowed

Reservation PlatformsMinnesota DNR online reservations (UseDirect) and phone reservations (888-646-6367); see Minnesota DNR camping reservation system.

Total Campsites34 campsites

Best CampsitesLakeside sites and sites with electric hookups are most popular for proximity to water, shade and access to docks/boat launch. Perimeter sites tend to be quieter and more secluded; a separate tent-only group camp is available for larger groups (with vault toilets and water).

Need help booking Prairie Lake Campground?

Reservation tips, booking windows, and free cancellation alerts.

Minnesota State Parks Guide

Booking tips & windows

When to Book

Find your booking window

Cancellation Alerts

Free alerts for this campground

Amenities available

Facilities include flush toilets and vault toilets, hot showers in a bathhouse, potable drinking water, electric hookups at many drive‑in sites, a dump station, picnic tables and lakeside picnic areas/shelters, boat ramp and watercraft rentals, fishing piers and a fish cleaning house, playground and beach area. The group camp has vault toilets, picnic tables and fire rings.

Showers

Potable water

Electricity hookups

Flush toilets

Dump station

Fire rings

I manage this campground

RV details

Activities you can enjoy

Split Rock Creek State Park and Prairie Lake Campground focus on lake-based recreation, short hiking trails across prairie and the dam, family-friendly beach and picnic areas, and wildlife viewing in prairie and lakeshore habitats.

Hiking

Fishing

Swimming

Boating

Wildlife viewing

Planning your trip?Check out our camping packing checklist

Policies & Safety

Hazards & AlertsBiting insects (mosquitoes/flies) are noted by visitors in summer months; cell coverage may be spotty in this rural area. No other specific hazards are cited in the available sources.

No Cell ServiceCell phone service is not available at this campground. Plan accordingly for emergencies and download offline maps before arriving.

No Water HookupsSite-level water hookups are not available. RV campers should fill freshwater tanks before arrival; check the No Potable Water note above if applicable for drinking water.

Trip Planning Tools

Set an AlertGet notified when sites open up Check WeatherHistorical weather data Gear for This TripMatched gear recommendations Packing ListCustomizable checklist

Questions & answers

Researching this campground? Ask anything — other campers and our team will weigh in. No visit required.

Tips from campers

Short heads-ups about the road in, gear quirks, timing, and more. You don't have to have been here to share what you know.

Reviews

From Booking Sources

4.1

70 reviews

Satisfactory

Prairie Lake Campground is satisfactory, placing it in the bottom 60% of campgrounds based on reviews

Generally well‑liked small, quiet prairie-and-lake campground with very clean restrooms and showers, a pleasant beach, boat rentals, fishing piers, and well‑maintained grounds. Many reviewers praise roomy, shaded sites and friendly staff, though experiences with park hosts and enforcement vary.

Review Summaries

Based on 70 reviews

What Campers Love

Very clean restroom and shower facilities; scenic lakeside and prairie views; beach, boat/kayak rentals and accessible fishing pier; well‑maintained trails and grounds; family‑friendly playground and...

Based on 70 reviews

Pro Tips & Recommendations

Reserve sites early for weekends; lakeside sites with electric hookups are popular for proximity to water and shade. Bring insect repellent, follow posted campsite rules, and contact the park by...

Based on 70 reviews

Camper Quotes

“The bathrooms were extremely clean and the showers were hot.” — “Small, quiet state park; campsites are spacious and private.” — “Campground host was inconsistently enforcing rules.”

Based on 70 reviews

Outdoorithm Community

Be the first to review this campground

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Go if

Families after a lake-focused long weekend will find the combo of beach, kayak rentals, and fishing pier hard to beat. Grab a lakeside electric site early, they're shaded, close to the water, and go fast on weekends.

Skip if

No cell service, no camp store, no laundry, and some reviewers have had tense run-ins with camp hosts over rule enforcement, campers who want a loose, low-key vibe may find the atmosphere a little managed.

Campgrounds

Split Rock Creek State Park

Prairie Lake Campground

About Waconda Reservoir (Glen Elder)

Context for the broader area surrounding Prairie Lake Campground, sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.

<A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Glen+Elder+Dam">Glen Elder Dam</a> and Waconda Reservoir, features of the <A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Glen Elder Unit Project">Glen Elder Unit</a>, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, are on the Solomon River directly upstream from Glen Elder, Kansas. Reservoir open 24 hours. Good access roads. Available species include walleye, crappie, white bass, striped bass, and channel and flathead catfish. Irrigation supply reservoir experiencing minor fluctuations. Reservoir peaks at 12,600 water surface acres, 15,307 land acres ans 100 miles of shoreline. Fishing season is year-round. Over 12,000 acres are open to public hunting for deer, waterfowl, and upland game. Special hunts are available by application for youth, disabled, or family groups. <A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/gp-bin/arcweb_waks.pl">Current reservoir levels.</a> Glen Elder State Park, which adjoins Waconda Reservoir, is the site of the Waconda Heritage Village. It features historic Hopewell Church, which contains historical displays.

Directions

Located 1 mile west of Glen Elder, KS. Nearest highway is U.S. 24.