Melvern is the Topeka area’s water-sports lake, and Osage County doesn’t undersell it – locals call this corner of Kansas the “Water Sports Capital” of the state. Set in the rolling Tallgrass Prairie about half an hour southwest of Topeka, Melvern is a deep, clean reservoir – 95 feet at the dam – wrapped by Eisenhower State Park and a ring of Corps of Engineers parks, with nearly 7,000 acres of water and more than 17,000 acres of public land around it. It’s a genuinely well-rounded lake: good walleye and crappie fishing, ten miles of sailing water, disc golf, yurts, and some of the easiest big-lake access from the capital.
This guide covers all of Melvern – the fishing, Eisenhower State Park and the Corps campgrounds, the water sports, the trails and the wildlife area. It’s part of our growing Kansas Lakes Database.
- Melvern Lake at a glance
- The lake named for a president
- Fishing Melvern Lake
- Is Melvern Lake safe to swim? Blue-green algae
- Water sports, sailing and the marina
- Camping: Eisenhower State Park and the Corps parks
- Disc golf, trails and the wildlife area
- Getting there and what’s nearby
- Know before you go
- Frequently asked questions
- How big and how deep is Melvern Lake?
- What fish can you catch at Melvern Lake?
- Can you camp at Melvern Lake?
- Why is it called Eisenhower State Park?
- Is there a disc golf course at Melvern Lake?
- Is Melvern Lake good for sailing?
- Where is Melvern Lake?
Melvern Lake at a glance
- Size: ~6,930 acres in the Tallgrass Prairie of Osage County
- Maximum depth: about 95 feet near the dam – one of the deeper Kansas reservoirs; pool elevation around 1,033 feet
- Location: Osage County, near Melvern and Lyndon; about 30 minutes southwest of Topeka off I-35 (the Kansas Turnpike)
- Built: dam on the Marais des Cygnes River, completed in 1970 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Top fish: walleye, crappie, sauger, white bass, channel catfish
- Anchored by: Eisenhower State Park, named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower
The lake named for a president
Kansas claims Dwight D. Eisenhower as its own – he grew up in Abilene, a couple of hours west – so it’s fitting that the state park on Melvern’s north shore carries his name. The lake itself was built for a more practical reason: the Marais des Cygnes River is notorious for flooding, and after the catastrophic Great Flood of 1951 the Corps of Engineers dammed it here, finishing the reservoir in 1970. The result is a deep, dependable lake in a part of Kansas that doesn’t have many – and a state park that ranks among the most popular in the system.
Fishing Melvern Lake
Melvern’s depth and clean water make it a solid fishery, with walleye and crappie leading the way and a good supporting cast of sauger, white bass and channel catfish. The many coves and the water near the dam – all within a couple of miles of the main boat ramps – give anglers plenty to work.
- Walleye & sauger: fish the points, the dam and the river channel at low light.
- Crappie: work brush and timber in the coves, best in spring.
- White bass: chase surface-feeding schools in open water in summer.
- Catfish: the flats and the upper arm produce channel cats; there’s also a fly-fishing pond in the state park.
Anglers 16 to 74 need a Kansas fishing license; check the latest KDWP fishing report and limits before you go.
Is Melvern Lake safe to swim? Blue-green algae
Melvern has a swim beach and is a popular summer lake, but like other fertile Kansas reservoirs it can get blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms in warm weather. KDHE posts Watch and Warning advisories; during a Watch, boating and fishing are fine but avoid swimming near visible scum, and during a Warning keep children and dogs out of the water. Check the current KDHE advisory before you swim.
Water sports, sailing and the marina
This is where Melvern shines. With a big, open main body and around ten miles of sailing water, it’s a favorite for sailing, water-skiing and boating – hence the local “Water Sports Capital” billing. Two nine-lane boat ramps keep launches moving, there’s a marina below the dam, and kayak, canoe and dock rentals are available at the state park. On a calm morning it’s flat enough to ski; on a breezy afternoon the sailors take over.
Camping: Eisenhower State Park and the Corps parks
Eisenhower State Park, on roughly 1,785 acres along the north shore, is the main base: 163 utility campsites (water/electric and full-hookup), four modern cabins, two yurts, a swim beach and a long list of amenities. Around the lake the Corps of Engineers runs several more parks:
- Outlet Park – a large, full-service campground below the dam by the river pond, with around 140 sites and full hookups.
- Arrow Rock – a quieter park on the south side with about 43 sites.
- Coeur d’Alene, Turkey Point and Sun Dance – additional Corps areas with camping and lake access.
Reserve state-park sites through the Kansas State Parks system and Corps sites on Recreation.gov, and remember the state-park vehicle permit.
Disc golf, trails and the wildlife area
Eisenhower State Park is unusually loaded for land recreation: an 18-hole disc golf course, an archery trail, a fly-fishing pond, sand volleyball, horseshoe pits and playgrounds. For hikers, the Tallgrass Heritage Trail runs about 4¼ miles between the Coeur d’Alene and Arrow Rock areas through prairie, timber and shoreline, and the shorter River Pond Trail loops the outlet pond below the dam. Surrounding it all is a roughly 10,000-acre wildlife area open to hunting in season – check KDWP regulations before you go.
Getting there and what’s nearby
Melvern is one of the most convenient lakes to the state capital – about 30 minutes southwest of Topeka right off I-35, and an easy reach from Emporia and the Kansas City metro. Tie it to a little history while you’re in the region: Eisenhower’s hometown of Abilene, with the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, is a scenic drive west across the Flint Hills.
Know before you go
- State park permit: a Kansas state-park vehicle permit is required for Eisenhower State Park (daily or annual).
- Fishing license: anglers 16-74 need a Kansas fishing license.
- Algae: check the current KDHE blue-green algae advisory before swimming, and avoid visible scum.
- Water level: as a flood-control reservoir Melvern rises and falls – check current conditions before launching.
Frequently asked questions
How big and how deep is Melvern Lake?
About 6,930 acres in Osage County, and unusually deep for Kansas – roughly 95 feet near the dam.
What fish can you catch at Melvern Lake?
Walleye and crappie are the headliners, along with sauger, white bass and channel catfish. The state park also has a fly-fishing pond.
Can you camp at Melvern Lake?
Yes. Eisenhower State Park has 163 utility campsites, four cabins and two yurts, and the Corps of Engineers runs Outlet Park (about 140 sites), Arrow Rock, Coeur d’Alene, Turkey Point and Sun Dance.
Why is it called Eisenhower State Park?
The state park on Melvern Lake is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who grew up in Abilene, Kansas.
Is there a disc golf course at Melvern Lake?
Yes – Eisenhower State Park has an 18-hole disc golf course, plus an archery trail, a fly-fishing pond and other recreation.
Is Melvern Lake good for sailing?
Yes – with a big open body and about ten miles of sailing water, Melvern is one of the better sailing and water-sports lakes in eastern Kansas.
Where is Melvern Lake?
In Osage County, about 30 minutes southwest of Topeka off I-35, near the towns of Melvern and Lyndon.
Related: explore more of the largest lakes in Kansas – including Perry Lake, Clinton Lake and Milford Lake – or head back to the Kansas Lakes Database.
