Openings · last 7 days
21
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 21 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-233621
When Santa Fe Trail reopens
Santa Fe Trail's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
293
Openings · last 90 days
609
Weekday pattern
Detected openings by day of week · 90dNo strong weekday pattern is evident in the openings Campsite Sniper has detected: 609 openings spread across the week.
Hour-of-day pattern
First detected by hour · local time · last 90 daysThe largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 00:00 and 07:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 280 of 609 detected openings (46.0%). Hours show when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, in Central Time, not when the change was made upstream.
Lead-time profile
Days before stay date · percentilesHalf of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 4 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 3–4 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.
Highest-churn sites
Most openings · 90d| Site | Openings | Share of all openings |
|---|---|---|
| 016 | 37 | 6.1% |
| 009 | 36 | 5.9% |
| 015 | 36 | 5.9% |
| 012 | 35 | 5.7% |
| 002 | 34 | 5.6% |
Site 016 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 37. One free watch covers every site here.
02 · Availability Outlook · Apr 1 – May 3, 2027 · of 33 monitored sites
Of the 1,089 tracked site-nights (Apr 1 – May 3, 2027): 439 open for online reservation · 56 reserved · 594 not yet released.
Where the open windows are
59.7% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 439 of 1,089 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Apr 1 – May 3, 2027Not open online59.7%
Open site-nights439 / 1,089
Reserved (of online inventory)56 / 495
Weekday openings238
Weekend openings201
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 238 fall on weekdays and 201 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Apr 2027 – May 2027April holds the most room. 401 of 990 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 33 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 018 | 33 |
| 020 | 33 |
| 021 | 33 |
| 025 | 33 |
| 026 | 33 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Tracked window
CoverageCampsite Sniper's data for this facility starts Apr 1, 2027. That is about 150 days after the current snapshot was taken, so dates before Apr 1, 2027 are not covered by what Campsite Sniper tracks here — they are not known to be unavailable. The site-nights shown on this page describe Apr 1, 2027 onwards only. Check Recreation.gov for earlier dates.
Stays and site detail
439 open site-nights across 15 sites at Santa Fe Trail, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 23 2-night, 20 3-night, 18 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Apr 1, 2027 at site 018.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 102 ft. 32 sites take 25 ft, 32 sites take 35 ft, 31 sites take 40 ft. 1 site of 33 has no recorded maximum and is not counted.
All 15 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 018 | 46 ft | Yes | 33 | 33 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +21 more |
| 020 | 67 ft | Yes | 33 | 33 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +21 more |
| 021 | 66 ft | Yes | 33 | 33 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +21 more |
| 025 | 63 ft | Yes | 33 | 33 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +21 more |
| 026 | 72 ft | Yes | 33 | 33 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +21 more |
| 028 | 68 ft | Yes | 33 | 33 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +21 more |
| 030 | 68 ft | Yes | 33 | 33 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +21 more |
| S-1 | 50 ft | Yes | 33 | 33 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +21 more |
| 019 | 68 ft | Yes | 31 | 27 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +19 more |
| 032 | 55 ft | Yes | 31 | 29 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +19 more |
| 022 | 70 ft | Yes | 30 | 16 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +18 more |
| 024 | 60 ft | Yes | 30 | 16 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027 +18 more |
| 031 | 50 ft | Yes | 27 | 12 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 12, 2027, Apr 13, 2027, Apr 14, 2027, Apr 15, 2027 +15 more |
| 027 | 70 ft | Yes | 13 | 11 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 19, 2027 +1 more |
| 029 | 78 ft | Yes | 13 | 11 nights | Apr 1, 2027, Apr 2, 2027, Apr 3, 2027, Apr 4, 2027, Apr 5, 2027, Apr 6, 2027, Apr 7, 2027, Apr 8, 2027, Apr 9, 2027, Apr 10, 2027, Apr 11, 2027, Apr 19, 2027 +1 more |
About Santa Fe Trail
Recreation
Boating is a popular pastime at the lake, and a boat ramp is located in the campground for visitors' convenience.
The lake is known for its fishing opportunities, with crappie and catfish being the most abundant. Council Grove was also the first lake in Kansas to receive stocking of Saugeye.
Hunters will find populations of quail, prairie chicken, wild turkey and deer on the nearly 2,700 acres of hunting lands surrounding the lake.
Hiking trails wind along the lake shore and into the forest. Pioneer Nature Trail is known as the most scenic trail, with plenty of wildlife, greenery and wildflowers creating a beautiful background.
Council Grove is also a starting point for the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway. This byway travels through the best of the remaining remnants of the Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem in North America.
Along the byway and 25 miles south is the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, where visitors can spot colorful wildflowers in the spring and array of autumn colors in the fall.
Facilities
Santa Fe Trail Campground offers 35 reservable campsites, including one group camping area that can accommodate up to 75 guests. Electric hookups, flush toilets and other modern amenities are provided.
The campground has plenty of shade, along with open grassy areas for games and recreation.
Natural Features
Council Grove Lake sits in the rolling, grassy Flint Hills. The lake was created by a dam built in 1964, and now offers recreational opportunities to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
Historically this area is where the Osage Indians signed a treaty to establish the Old Santa Fe Trail. A marker in the town of Council Grove indicates the place where the treaty was signed.
Nearby Attractions
The town of Council Grove, located about 2 miles southeast of the lake, is a National Historic District, with seven Santa Fe National Historic Trail sites in the community.
33 monitored sitesRVs up to 102 ft32 with hookups31 shadedWaterfrontLakefrontPets OKFire pitsMax party 75
Getting there
From I-70, take Highway 177 south for 30 miles. Continue west across the dam road, then right onto City Lake Road. After a mile turn right into the campground entrance.
1026 Lake Rd, Council Grove, KS 66846-9322620-767-5195
BoatingCampingFishingHikingHunting
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-233621 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-233621 · Santa Fe Trail · Council Grove KS12 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Santa Fe Trail?
Reservations for Santa Fe Trail are made through Recreation.gov. 439 of 1,089 tracked site-nights are currently open (40.3%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 609 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Nov 2, 2026 18:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Santa Fe Trail?
Campsite Sniper detected 21 site-date openings at Santa Fe Trail in the last 7 days, 293 over 30 days and 609 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Santa Fe Trail?
20 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Apr 1, 2027 at site 018. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Santa Fe Trail fit a 35-foot RV?
32 of the 33 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 102 ft. 32 of those 33 sites have a recorded maximum length and 1 does not; it is not counted as fitting.
Which month has the most availability at Santa Fe Trail?
April 2027, with 401 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 990.
How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Santa Fe Trail?
Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 4 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 3-4 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.
When is the next open date at Santa Fe Trail?
Campsite Sniper cannot answer that from the current snapshot. The availability data held for Santa Fe Trail begins Apr 1, 2027 — about 150 days after this snapshot was taken, so any earlier dates are outside what Campsite Sniper is tracking here rather than known to be unavailable. Check Recreation.gov for dates before Apr 1, 2027.
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