Hillsdale is Kansas City’s lake. One of the newest reservoirs in the state – the dam went up in 1982 and the state park opened in 1994 – it sits barely 30 minutes south of the KC metro in the wooded hills of Miami County, which makes it the closest big water for hundreds of thousands of people in Olathe, Overland Park and beyond. At about 4,580 acres with roughly 51 miles of shoreline, it’s a popular largemouth-bass lake with a full marina – but what really sets it apart is the land around it: Hillsdale State Park has one of the biggest equestrian and mountain-bike trail systems in Kansas.
This guide covers all of Hillsdale – the bass fishing, the marina, the huge trail network for horses and bikes, the camping, and the one caveat you should know (it’s an algae-prone lake). It’s part of our growing Kansas Lakes Database.
- Hillsdale Lake at a glance
- Kansas City’s closest big lake
- Fishing Hillsdale Lake
- Is Hillsdale Lake safe to swim? Blue-green algae
- Trails: horses, mountain bikes and hikers
- Boating, the marina and camping
- Getting there and what’s nearby
- Know before you go
- Frequently asked questions
- How big is Hillsdale Lake?
- What fish can you catch at Hillsdale Lake?
- Are there mountain bike and horse trails at Hillsdale?
- Is there a marina at Hillsdale Lake?
- Is Hillsdale Lake safe to swim in?
- Where is Hillsdale Lake?
Hillsdale Lake at a glance
- Size: ~4,580 acres with about 51 miles of shoreline, plus 12,000+ acres of park and wildlife land
- Maximum depth: about 57 feet; surface elevation around 917 feet
- Location: Miami County, near Paola – about 30 miles south of Kansas City
- Built: dam on Big Bull Creek, completed in 1982 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Hillsdale State Park opened 1994)
- Top fish: largemouth bass, crappie, white bass, walleye, channel and flathead catfish, bluegill
- Known for: close-to-KC bass fishing and a big equestrian and mountain-bike trail system
Kansas City’s closest big lake
Most of Kansas’ big reservoirs are an hour or more from anywhere. Hillsdale is the exception. The Corps of Engineers dammed Big Bull Creek in 1982 for flood control, creating a V-shaped reservoir in the rolling oak-hickory country of Miami County, and because it sits so close to the metro it became an instant favorite for KC-area anglers, boaters, campers and trail riders. The lake drains south into the Marais des Cygnes River, and a visitor center at the northeast end of the dam tells the story of the reservoir and the country around it.
Fishing Hillsdale Lake
Hillsdale is best known as a largemouth bass lake – the timbered shoreline and coves grow good numbers of bass, with fish in the four-pound class common enough to keep things interesting – and it rounds out with crappie, white bass, walleye, and channel and flathead catfish, plus plenty of bluegill. The whole 51 miles of shoreline are open to fishing except the developed swim and ramp areas.
- Largemouth bass: work the timbered banks, points and coves – Hillsdale’s cover is made for largemouth.
- Crappie & white bass: find crappie on brush and timber, and chase white-bass schools in open water in summer.
- Walleye: fish the points and dam at low light.
- Catfish: the flats and upper arms produce channels and flatheads.
Anglers 16 to 74 need a Kansas fishing license; check the latest KDWP fishing report and limits before you go.
Is Hillsdale Lake safe to swim? Blue-green algae
Hillsdale has swim beaches and is a busy summer lake, but it’s worth knowing that it runs nutrient-rich (eutrophic) and is on the state’s list of impaired waters – which means it can grow blue-green algae blooms readily in warm weather, and it lands on the KDHE advisory list in some summers. During a Watch, boating and fishing are fine but avoid swimming near visible scum; during a Warning, keep children and dogs out of the water. Check the current KDHE advisory before you swim.
Trails: horses, mountain bikes and hikers
This is Hillsdale’s signature. The Saddle Ridge Equestrian Area has roughly 32 miles of marked horse trails – part of a four-loop system totaling close to 49 miles that winds through heavy woods, grassy meadows and bluffs above the lake – making it one of the premier horseback-riding destinations in Kansas, with its own equestrian campground (shaded sites, pens and hookups). Mountain bikers and hikers share much of that network, and there’s also a 5-mile ADA-accessible hike/bike trail through the Jayhawk and Russel Crites areas and the 1.5-mile Hidden Spring Nature Trail through oak-hickory forest from the visitor center. Few Kansas lakes offer this much trail.
Boating, the marina and camping
The Jayhawk Marina in Hillsdale State Park handles boaters minutes from the metro, and there are public boat ramps at the state park, Antioch and the marina. Hillsdale State Park rounds out the offering with modern and primitive cabins, RV and tent camping, swim beaches, a fish-cleaning station, and even archery and gun ranges. Reserve sites and cabins through the Kansas State Parks system and remember the state-park vehicle permit; the Saddle Ridge equestrian campground is the spot if you’re bringing horses.
Getting there and what’s nearby
Hillsdale’s whole appeal is how close it is: about 30 minutes south of Kansas City and a short hop from Olathe, Overland Park and Spring Hill, near the Miami County seat of Paola. That proximity makes it an easy after-work paddle, a quick weekend camp or a day of trail riding without the long drive most Kansas lakes require.
Know before you go
- State park permit: a Kansas state-park vehicle permit is required for Hillsdale State Park (daily or annual).
- Fishing license: anglers 16-74 need a Kansas fishing license.
- Algae: Hillsdale is nutrient-rich and can bloom – check the current KDHE advisory before swimming and avoid visible scum.
- Trails: the horse/bike trails can be closed when wet to protect them – check conditions before you ride.
- Water level: as a flood-control reservoir Hillsdale rises and falls – check current conditions before launching.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Hillsdale Lake?
About 4,580 acres with roughly 51 miles of shoreline, plus 12,000-plus acres of park and wildlife land, in Miami County about 30 miles south of Kansas City.
What fish can you catch at Hillsdale Lake?
Hillsdale is best known for largemouth bass, along with crappie, white bass, walleye, channel and flathead catfish and bluegill.
Are there mountain bike and horse trails at Hillsdale?
Yes – the Saddle Ridge Equestrian Area has about 32 miles of marked horse trails (a four-loop system near 49 miles total) open to riders, hikers and mountain bikers, plus a 5-mile ADA hike/bike trail and the Hidden Spring Nature Trail.
Is there a marina at Hillsdale Lake?
Yes – the Jayhawk Marina in Hillsdale State Park, with boat ramps also at the state park and Antioch areas.
Is Hillsdale Lake safe to swim in?
Usually, but Hillsdale is nutrient-rich and prone to blue-green algae, so check the current KDHE advisory before you swim, avoid visible scum, and keep kids and dogs out during a Warning.
Where is Hillsdale Lake?
In Miami County in northeast Kansas, near Paola, about 30 minutes south of Kansas City.
Related: explore more of the largest lakes in Kansas – including Melvern Lake, Pomona Lake and Clinton Lake – or head back to the Kansas Lakes Database.
