We took a trip to Cedar Bluff State Park last month in August. It was a nice chance to explore western Kansas and stay at a cabin.
For anyone who has driven through western Kansas, they know it’s endless fields and prairies. We were skeptical as to were these limestone bluffs, cedar trees, and reservoir might be. As it turns out, it was a little ways off the Smoky Valley Scenic Byway, which is named for its hazy blue appearance at dawn and dusk. After following some country gravel, the campsites and reservoir appear seemingly out of nowhere.
When we pulled up to the cabin, the front side was very unassuming. It seemed like a small, rustic cabin indeed.
It’s not until you walk around the back side that the charming amenities appear. There was a spacious deck with a pergola and a beautiful view of the lake. Tall prairie wilderness and brush surrounded the cabin. There was a cute firepit and a pump for water.
A bunny rabbit lived in the tall grass near the deck. We saw it everyday, hopping around and nibbling on grass. There was a lot of wildlife in the park. We saw a whitetail deer, quail, orioles, and a redtail hawk, and heard coyotes howling.
The door had a number padlock, so there was no key to pick up or keep. Inside of the cabin was wood and stone walls and polished concrete floor with some other surprising details. There was a large table with benches in the main sitting area and wide windows, giving a beautiful view to the outside.
Cedar Bluff State Park had several cabins to choose from, including some with running water and a stove. We had a “rustic” cabin so it did not have those luxuries, but we did get a small kitchenette area with a mini-fridge and microwave, plus an air conditioning unit.
Some loving craftsmanship went into the cabin. Notice the carvings in the tabletop covered with resin. The bedroom had full-sized bunk beds with log frames and a handcarved gun rack. This cabin also came with a murphy bed hidden in the wall by the two sitting chairs.
Our cabin was named The Upland. It was pheasant themed.
The next morning we enjoyed a view of the lake from the deck and cooked breakfast burritos and coffee. Ian used the charcoal grill and outside water pump to get our meal going.
Our main activity was fishing. We recently got into the hobby and were excited to try our new rigs, lures, and other techniques. This was also our first time fishing outside of town. So the fresh environment was nice. We weren’t sure what kind of fish to expect in this area.
The park had a fishing dock set up for visitors. You can fish anywhere around the lake, but after some exploring we discovered that the dock was the best place for shore fishing. The fish didn’t hang around other areas of the shore.
We think it’s because of the hot weather. Fish dive deeper into the lake to stay cool. It would have been great to have a boat to really get out there.
Still, the fishing dock at dusk was very beautiful. My phone camera is full of sunset photos. There were also a lot of sunken trees around the dock, which is interesting. Maybe it happened when the dam and reservoir were created.
We saw bigger fish jumping out of the water throughout the evening, but they didn’t come near the docks for us. After talking to another couple who were fishing, it seemed like only bluegill lived around the dock area.
Ian caught several bluegill.
The park also had nature trails and a beach area. We didn’t take our phones to the beach, so we don’t have photos, but it was a decent size for swimming and fairly clean.
The nature trails meandered through the northern part of the park by the cabins. There were a lot of bugs, wildflowers, and neat clouds.
Ian made a wildflower bouquet for me. He must have a hidden talent for this.
It stormed one of the nights we stayed. Ian captured neat lightning photos using a long exposure app on his phone.
In all, we liked Cedar Bluff State Park. The park had good campsites and facilities. Everything was well-maintained and clean. There is plenty to do for families, including fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, and camping. There are bathroom and shower facilities, playgrounds, and even a random bmx bike course.
I think my favorite part of the trip was seeing the milky way at night. The sky was so dark out there, all the stars came out. We stayed during the Perseid meteor shower, so we saw a few shooting stars, too. It was a fun, small getaway.
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