Bloomington West

Woodridge Park has 450 acres for hiking and primitive, walk-in camping. Tent camping is allowed throughout the park and along the 4.5 mile George Latham hiking trail. Campfires are allowed at designated locations only. Drinking water and a vault toilet are available in this park. A horseshoe pit, sand volleyball court, playground, softball field, basketball goal and boat ramp are all provided at the campground. Clinton Lake is the main attraction, offering boating, fishing, canoeing, jet skiing, swimming and countless other water sports, and the lake is well-stocked with crappie, walleye, channel catfish and white bass. Wildlife viewing is also a popular activity, with bald eagles, white-tailed deer, Canada geese and wild turkey in abundance. Four trail systems are located around Clinton Lake, including the North Shore, South Shore, Smokehouse and George Latham Trails. All offer hiking, biking and equestrian opportunities within a 20 minute drive. This spacious group site offers 25 individual sites, four with 20/30 amp electric and water connections, and has a total capacity of 150 guests. A boat ramp is located within a mile of the site, and grills, flush toilets, showers and drinking water provide a comfortable camping experience. Congress authorized Clinton Lake in 1962, and the finished reservoir was filled in 1980; while the dam and reservoir were originally built for flood control, the area has now become a recreational oasis for millions of visitors to enjoy the beautiful green Kansas backdrop. Clinton Lake's beautiful setting of steep bluffs, wooded shoreline and clear water is unequaled among Kansas lakes, and shoreline development has been limited in an effort to preserve as much of the natural setting as possible. Clinton spans 8 miles up the Wakarusa Valley and covers 7,000 surface acres; if the lake ever approaches the top of its flood pool, an additional 5,800 acres will be covered, extending the area to 13 miles along the valley floor. The Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center, on the northwest side of the dam, has displays on the history of the area, the reasons for the dam and local wildlife, and the Clinton Lake Museum in Bloomington East Park covers the history of the region and the Underground Railroad. Lawrence and Topeka are within a 30 minute drive.