Lovewell State Park

Lovewell State Park is located in the northern part of Kansas near Webber in Jewell County. To reach the park from Mankato, drive 4 miles east, turn north, go 9 miles in that direction, and then head back east for 4 miles. The 1160-acre park is next to the large Lovewell Reservoir, so boating and swimming are two of the main activities there. The park was established in 1967 and provides a full service marina, modern restrooms and showers, a swimming beach and either primitive camping, utility camping or camping cabins. You must purchase a vehicle permit to enter the park. The park’s address is: 2446 250 Road, Webber, KS, 66970, and for Geocaching enthusiasts, the GPS is: N39 54.359 W098 02.545.

Lovewell State Park is an excellent vacation destination for a family or group of people with differing tastes because there are many various activities to enjoy as well as opportunities for peace and quiet. When someone wants to just get away and relax in comfort with a good book, one of the 6 heated cabins makes a perfect campsite. The cabins made of native cedar and cottonwood have central heat and air conditioning for comfort in any kind of weather, and each one can accommodate up to 10 people. The lighting in the cabins is good, and they have plenty of electrical outlets. The cabins do not have refrigerators or microwaves, so bring a portable cook stove and a cooler with ice. You will also need to bring sleeping bags to use on the beds, and the toilet facilities are port-a-potties just outside the cabins. The large rustic tables in the cabins can seat up to 10 people, and there are fire rings and picnic tables to use when you want to eat outside.

Those who like to be active will find many things to do at the park. Hiking, jogging, bird watching, biking and wildlife watching and are just some of the favorite activities at the park. Spend some time on the water with a boat, canoe, or kayak. High bluffs along the south shore help to calm the water by blocking winds in the summertime, so you should have a pleasant ride. Swim for a while, and then enjoy relaxing on the beach. You will find both sunshine and shade at the Southwinds swimming beach. Fish for walleye, channel catfish, flathead catfish or white bass in the 2900-acre reservoir, and clean your catch at one of the lighted fish cleaning stations that have electrical outlets for electric knives.

At the park entrance is a full-service area office with an interpretive center where you can learn about native species, and then enter the wildlife habitat overlook to view it in person. Select some pamphlets containing information about the area to make exploring more interesting. You can purchase park permits, boat registrations, hunting and fishing licenses and big game permits at the office. The Kansas Outdoor Store offers souvenirs, Wildlife and Parks hats and shirts and other miscellaneous items.

Church services take place in a historic limestone school building at the park on Sundays during the summer, and the children will like the playground in the Pioneer day-use area. The area also has a softball diamond, horseshoe pits and a sand volleyball court. West of the marina are two basketball courts, and there are picnic facilities at the day-use areas. When you want to host a picnic for a big gathering, you can reserve a large group shelter.

Several special events take place at Lovewell State Park during the year. There are occasional fishing tournaments, a campfire cookoff, a fishing derby for kids in June, a sand castle contest and fireworks in July and Lovewell Fun Day in August.

One of the unique activities at Lovewell State Park is the Annual Campground Christmas. Each year in August, campers use a Christmas theme to decorate their campsites, and judges award prizes for the best ones. Even those who do not participate in the contest enjoy viewing the decorated campsites.

Everyone who visits Lovewell State Park will find plenty of things to do there any time of the year. It is a nice place to get away for a while and enjoy the out-of-doors. There are freeze proof water hydrants, shower/toilet buildings, vault toilets, trailer dump stations, cabins and campsites with water and electricity, electricity only or with no facilities for those who really like to rough it.