Big Hill Wildlife Area is located near Parsons, Kansas, and provides about 1,280 acres of public land that is managed for hunting, fishing, trapping, wildlife photography, hiking, and backpack camping.

Big Hill Wildlife Area provides free primitive camping anywhere within the property, but there are no services of any kind available within the wildlife area.

There is nearby pay camping at Cherryvale Park, Mound Valley North, and Mound Valley South, and Timber Hill Park, all managed by the Corps of Engineers.

Contact: 620-331-6820. Brochure

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The Berentz-Dick Wildlife Area is located near Independence, Kansas, and is more commonly known as the "Buffalo Ranch", with 1360 acres of native grass, oak timber and ponds. "Hikers are not restricted to any trails and are encouraged to explore the rolling hills, woodlands and ponds."

Primitive camping is allowed, but is restricted to two parking areas, and no open fires are allowed, due to the large expanses of grassland, though contained gas grills and stoves may be used. Please take all trash with you.

Contact: 620-331-6820. Brochure

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Cedar Bluff Wildlife Area is located near Ellis, Kansas, and provides 9,300-acres of public land surrounding a 4,500-acre reservoir. The Smoky Hill River, which originates in Eastern Colorado, intermittently flows into the reservoir. The area lies in the mixed grass prairie and chalk bluff region, from which the Wildlife Area gets its name.

Cedar Bluff Wildlife Area provides free primitive camping in four designated areas. Vault toilets are provided, but no potable water is available. Land Refuge Areas are closed from September 1st through January 1st.

The adjacent Cedar Bluff State Park provides additional year-round camping opportunities, with more amenities (for a fee).

Contact: Kent Hensley, 785-726-3212. Brochure

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The Cheney Wildlife Area is located near Cheney, Kansas, along the northern shores of Cheney Reservoir. The Reservoir covers 9,537 surface acres with 67 miles of shoreline. The Wildlife Area consists of 5,439 land acres, with a mixture of prairie grasslands, riparian woodlands, an cropland.

It offers free primitive camping at two designated areas. Pit toilets are available, but no other facilities are provided.

In addition to the campsites available at Cheney Wildlife Area, the nearby Cheney State Park provides both improved and primitive camping facilities, for a fee.

Also nearby are the Cheney State Park Trails, which offer three biking trails totaling about 6 miles in length.

Manager: Stuart Schrag, 620-459-6922. Brochure

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Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area is located near Great Bend, Kansas, and consists of nearly 20,000 acres of marshy lowland area populated by a great variety of birds and wildlife. "Cheyenne Bottoms attracts 45 percent of the shorebirds in North America and has been designated a wetlands of international importance."

Tent camping is allowed, but is restricted to a single primitive campground, located a half mile west of the area office. There are restrooms at the office, but no other services are available.

Contact: 620-793-3066. Brochure

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Copan Wildlife Area is located near Caney, Kansas, and provides 2,360 acres for fish and wildlife management, situated along the Little Caney River, just upstream from the 5000-acre Copan Reservoir, located in Oklahoma.

Primitive camping is permitted anywhere within the Wildlife Area, but no other services are available. Please take your trash with you.

Contact: 620-331-6820. Brochure

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Glen Elder Wildlife Area is located near Glen Elder, Kansas, along the shores of Glen Elder Reservoir (Waconda Lake). The Wildlife Area includes nearly 13,200 land acres around the 12,500-acre reservoir. The area features a large diversity of wildlife species, as well as being an important stop for migratory birds, and a winter local for bald and golden eagles.

Glen Elder Wildlife Area provides free primitive camping in six designated around the lake. Vault toilets are provided, but no potable water is available. Campfires are allowed in provided metal rings only.

The nearby Glen Elder State Park provides additional camping opportunities, with more amenities (for a fee).

Contact: Chris Lecuyer, 785-545-3345. Brochure

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Hollister Wildlife Area is located about 8 miles southwest of Fort Scott, Kansas, and provides 2,432 acres of "rolling range and pastureland, interspersed with native woodlands." The wildlife area is named for the ghost town of Hollister, which was located along the railroad, near the center of the property.

Primitive camping is permitted anywhere within the Wildlife Area, but no other services are available. Please take your trash with you.

If you're looking for a slightly less rustic camping experience, Elm Creek Lake is located just west of Hollister Wildlife Area, and offers primitive campsites, with some amenities, for a very modest fee.

Contact: 620-449-2539. Brochure

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Jamestown Wildlife Area is located near Jamestown, Kansas, and includes 4,796 acres "around the shallow marshes of Marsh Creek. Approximately 2,000 acres are wetlands and the remaining 2,700 upland acres are grasslands, cropland, scattered woodlands and tree windbreaks."

Free primitive camping is permitted in the designated Campground area on Gamekeeper Marsh, west of the dam. There is a pit toilet, but no other services are available. Camping is only allowed from September 1st through May 1st.

Contact: 785-753-4971. Brochure

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The La Cygne Wildlife Area is located near La Cygne, Kansas, at the north end of La Cygne Reservoir. The area is mostly wooded uplands, with some grass meadows and crop fields.

It offers free primitive camping at two sites. Pit toilets are available, but no other facilities are provided. The nearest services are La Cygne or Linn County Park.

Manager: Phil Buser, 913-352-8941. Brochure

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Logan Wildlife Area is located near Russell Springs, Kansas, and provides 271 acres of public land, along with an (intermittent) 25-acre lake. The majority of the area is rangeland with a mixture of short-grass and mid-grass prairie, though trees such as cottonwood, elm, and willow can be found along the lake shoreline.

Logan Wildlife Area provides free primitive camping in three designated areas along the east and west shores. A vault toilet is provided, but no potable water is available.

Contact: Kent Hensley, 785-726-3212. Brochure

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The Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area is located near Boicourt, Kansas. The area "lies in the floodplain of the Marais des Cygnes River and is unique for its quantity of managed wetlands and bottomland hardwood forest. The primary focus of the area is wetland and waterfowl management."

It offers free primitive camping at two sites. No facilities are provided. The nearest services are La Cygne or Pleasanton.

Manager: Karl Karrow, 913-352-8941. Brochure

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Mined Land Wildlife Area is located near Pittsburg, Kansas, and includes 14,500 acres, with 1,500 acres of water and 13,000 acres of land. This area tells the story of "environmental devastation and successful habitat restoration", and is made up of "rugged country dotted with over 1,000 strip-mine lakes, steep-sided hills and dense vegetation".

Free primitive camping is permitted anywhere on the property except within designated refuge areas. There is a pit toilet, but no other services are available.

Contact: 620-431-0380. Brochure

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Nemaha Wildlife Area is located near Seneca, Kansas, and includes 705 acres. The area was originally known as "Nemaha County State Park", and included a lake, but the state took over the property, drained the lake, and established a wetland.

Free primitive camping is permitted in two designated areas. There is a vault toilet, but no other services are available.

Contact: 785-363-7316. Brochure

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Neosho Wildlife Area is located near St. Paul, Kansas, and is a man-made marsh "designed and managed to furnish a resting and feeding place for migratory waterfowl, and covers 3,246 acres, of which 1,748 acres are water contained in fifteen man-made pools.".

Free primitive camping is permitted in designated areas. There are no services available.

Contact: 620-449-2539. Brochure

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Pratt Sandhills Wildlife Area is located about 13 miles west and 6 miles north of Pratt, Kansas, and consists of 5,715 acres of sandhill prairie with "moderate to steep dune topography".

Camping is permitted in the parking areas only, and there are no services available. Refer to the map (in the brochure) for parking lot locations. " Township roads in the area are loose sand, so good judgement must be used to avoid getting stuck." There are also several miles of trails available within the wildlife area.

Contact: 620-895-6446. Brochure

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Spring River Wildlife Area is located near Galena, Kansas, and "comprises 424 acres on the western edge of the Ozark Plateau, along the Spring River. The area is highly regarded for its Ozarkian characteristics and wildlife diversity."

Free primitive camping is permitted in the area. There are no services available.

Contact: 620-231-3173. Brochure

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Texas Lake Wildlife Area is located about 13 miles west of Pratt, Kansas, and consists of approximately 1200 acres of natural wetland, with 186 acres of marshlands, 963 acres of grassland, 11 acres of timber, and 40 acres of cropland. "Water conditions may vary greatly depending on weather, season, and management objectives."

Camping is permitted in the parking areas only, and there are no services or facilities available. Refer to the map (in the brochure) for parking lot locations.

Contact: 620-895-6446. Brochure

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Webster Wildlife Area is located near Stockton, Kansas, and offers over 1600 surface acres of water, surrounded by over 7600 acres of public wildlife area. Located in the central flyway, Webster Reservoir is a stopping place for many species of waterfowl and shorebirds and offers excellent opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts for hunting, viewing and photography.

Webster Wildlife Area provides free primitive camping in five designated camping areas, and walk-in camping is allowed everywhere except where posted otherwise. Vault toilets are provided, but no potable water is available. Picnic tables are also provided in the campgrounds.

The adjacent Webster State Park provides additional camping opportunities, with more amenities (for a fee).

Contact: Michael Zajic, 785-425-6775. Brochure

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