New Policy at some COE Parks in Kansas

trailertraveler · August 7, 2022

In planning our annual trip West, I visited the reservation sites for several COE campgrounds in Kansas that we like. Some have converted the first come first serve sites to reservations with a 4 day window. I think I am going to like this concept as I can plan four days ahead a lot easier than 6 months while still being assured that we will have a nice spot to stay.

2gypsies · August 7, 2022

That is a very good way of doing it.

Kirk W · August 8, 2022

14 hours ago, trailertraveler said:

Some have converted the first come first serve sites to reservations with a 4 day window.

I wonder if all of the COE parks will go that way? Where you found 2 like that it must be at least that COE District wide. When you get there, ask to see what they know about the chage and share it with us, if you would be so kind.

trailertraveler · August 8, 2022

6 hours ago, Kirk W said:

I wonder if all of the COE parks will go that way? Where you found 2 like that it must be at least that COE District wide. When you get there, ask to see what they know about the chage and share it with us, if you would be so kind.

I looked a little more and found that Marion and Council Grove have gone to this system. Some campgrounds have all sites on the reservation system. There are some campgrounds that seem to still not take reservations as there is no reservation link on the Corps Gateway website. One campground (Riverside at Kanopolis Lake) did not have a reservation link on the Corps Gateway website but appears to take reservations. Some campgrounds appear to still have some First come First Serve sites (these sites are marked FF on the availability calendar with a note that you must show up in person to see if they are available). Some campgrounds appear to have a window of 1-4 days that a reservation must be made in advance of a stay (the reservation calendar is marked FF for a number of days and then either A or R to indicate availability or reserved).

2gypsies · August 8, 2022

,,,, all those variations. They sure work on making it confusing!

trailertraveler · August 21, 2022

On 8/8/2022 at 8:48 AM, Kirk W said:

When you get there, ask to see what they know about the chage and share it with us, if you would be so kind.

We stayed two nights on a weekend and did not see a single employee. The campground was about one quarter full. Gate house was closed the entire time. There were notices posted on bulletin boards that said the change to all reservations was due to a lack of interest in gate attendant positions. Same day online reservations need to be made for what appear to be vacant sites.

Kirk W · August 21, 2022

10 hours ago, trailertraveler said:

There were notices posted on bulletin boards that said the change to all reservations was due to a lack of interest in gate attendant positions.

That is interesting and perhaps I'll do some looking around here to see if the gates are staffed. Those are paid, bid positions and they used to be difficult to get in many areas. When we volunteered with the COE at Council Grove Lake we left early because they really didn't seem to know how to use volunteers and wanted me to haul paint, ladders, and associated equipment around to job sites in our new CR-V and while they had several carpentry projects that they wanted me to do, they wouldn't allow me in the shop with the tools unless an employee went with me so that didn't happen. They did have gate attendents at some campgrounds but there were some like where we stayed that just had an iron-ranger.

In sharp contrast was our experience volunteering with the COE at Lavon Lake near Dallas. They actually had several pickups that could be used by the volunteers as needed and were very easy to work for/with. Returning volunteers were given a set of keys to the shops, and to the day-room where the motor pool keys were kept and a borad to sign keys out and to list where you went to work with it as well as the workordrs for different jobs. We spent time with them off and on for 6 years and from what I observed, the other COE lakes operated pretty much the same way with their volunteers. The gate attendent jobs here were all filled but we havn't been out there since Covid.