Pomona State Park

Booked a month in advance. Arrived on a Thursday and found our names on three campsites. We unpacked and settled into what we thought was the next 4 days. Friday we found we were double booked and went to the front station. We were forced to move our campsite over into a site with no tree's for shade. When I asked if we could be compensated and moved to a different location, I was told no, and I could take it up with the Park Ranger. Paid for the campsite, arrived and paid for 2 cars to enter the park. $130 total. Campsite was not managed and the picnic tables were rotten. Two parents and 8 kids and this was a pretty poor experience. First and last time at this Pomona. @Kansas Wildlife do better. Train your people.

We have spent a great deal of time at this park. We love it and think it is the best state park in Kansas! If you are needing to "get away from it all," this is the place to go. In the Burning Heart campground the sites are large so you have no close neighbors. If you are wanting by the water then the Kansa campground is the place to be. Many of the sites have great shade, sewers and 50 amp breakers. There are some beautiful places for primitive camping. On the holiday weekends there are activities. Come enjoy the outdoors--camping and trails to explore--and while you are there sit down to read a book around the fire.

At Pomona State Park in central east Kansas. I had meant to stay here two nights (I think because they required it--some state park systems like to book both weekend nights, not just one). But I will leave after just one night, tonight. It's nice enough but in the middle of nowhere. Unless you have a big speed boat or are an avid angler there is really nothing to do out here. There's nothing historical, and a little to no interpretation is done on the flora or fauna. The site I booked was way out in the park and only one other person was staying there. The shower house looked forlorn and dirty so I rebooked another site. This site, "Kansa" is near the marina and a nice laundry house. The shower house is OK but is poorly designed without hooks or benches for people to put their stuff. Like Lake Scott State Park, the hot water system is "on demand" meaning that if at least three showers are running the hot water will not come on. There is a sign on the shower house door that says "To get hot water, turn on 3 or 4 showers and wait two minutes." I did that and hot warm water. When I turned off the other three showers, the water gradually got colder and colder and colder. I rebooked to one new site but it was filled with Osage Oranges and thorns from last year. My dog couldn't walk to and from the road without getting thorns in one or more paw. A high intensity light came on nearby while it clouded up and made a very loud humming noise. My neighbors a few sites away burned small amounts of trash three or four times and the awful plastic fumes kept blowing over to my site. No campground host I could talk to. I moved to another site, but noted all of the sites where are not graded and not level. I suppose as I drive west I will simply run out of trees....that's makes me sad. This park is right where the trees start getting short. With the grass the short trees, parts of the park reminded me of a cemetery in West Texas. Just not my cup of tea.

Greta, thats funny. Pomona, and indeed all of NE Kansas is a paradise compared to Lubbock but you find lots of inconvenience? The grounds are immaculate, tons of shade (your not used to that in TX) its green, and well run. Your at a campground on a lake, you need entertainment? Middle of nowhere, ok- a half hr from the capital, easy drive to KC, 5 miles from the county seat, surrounded by mid size towns like Ottawa and Emporia. Lots more to do in W. Texas Im sure- if you are a coyote...Ive been there many times.See, this is the problems with reviews, unrealistic travelers with limited experience opining about what a place lacks instead of seeing its beauty. Im from Santa Fe, I have been to the campground, and I find it excellent. Go and find out for yourself.

We were pleased with our stay. The Park was well maintained and freshly mowed...and there is a LOT to mow around there. There are plenty of sites that are heavily treed and several with views and access to the lake. It is surprising there aren't more commercial places in the immediate area. We had to drive about 15 miles for some groceries. The flying bugs were pretty heavy-gnat like bugs. Not sure if that is just timing or there are always a lot of bugs. I would be very interested if anyone knows about it. We would go here again.