Ok… It Isn’t Hutch – But It’s Close
Family in town was heading out of town for a break at the lake. They invited us and we are open to what Kansas has to offer… so off we went. For me, this is awesome as I built a van from a SWAT truck for just such an adventure. This will be my wife’s first time traveling in the camper-van.
I was surprised at how close Lake Wilson is to Hutchinson. Within a couple of hours, we were on location and the lake was beautiful. My in-laws had reserved a spot, but I felt it would be best to reserve our own spot. I wanted a spot that would be more flat, as the SWAT truck does not have an auto-leveling jack system. I also wanted to be closer to the water.
This is my only complaint. If the ranger station is closed, good luck figuring out the spot reservation process. The signs direct you to an App, but the mobile service is sketchy and the app refers you back to the ranger station when you select the spot you want. I decided to use the kiosk to pay for the first night of camping, but then I couldn’t pay for a second night… it leaves you in kind of limbo for the following day.
The next day, I went to the ranger station again and workers were on hand. They did a wonderful job of diffusing the confusion from the app and were a pleasure to deal with. We booked our additional day and went back to camp.
The park is wonderful. The water is clean. The other campers in sight were all respectful. This was kind of a dream “glamping” experience. Each site where we stayed in the park, had an electrical outlet and running water… but there were also bathrooms and showers at the entrance to the area we were parked at. Warning… the shower was a bit on the cooler side for me. I was told by my sister-in-law, that she had HOT water in her shower. So this would be a thing I would check for next time, for sure.
Boats are allowed at the lake, and lucky for us… we had one with us. I also brought two bikes. I brought the Cyclocross bike and the Mountain bike. When I chose to go for a ride, I made a brash assumption. I assumed the trails would be flat, unchallenging, and boring… so I took the Cyclocross bike. Bad choice.
Since I don’t believe in a bad time on a bicycle, I am not complaining. I had a blast. But I should have taken the Mountain Bike as there are sections of rock drops and obstacles on the trail that make this a really great place to ride. The truth is I was a bit shocked and surprised at how well the trail system is put together here and it has made me definitely want to return for more fitness-oriented weekends.
The bonus on the ride was wildlife. I had a family of deer jump right in front of me on the trail. That woke me up! Just a short pedal uphill, later, I stopped around a corner kind of face-to-face with a buck.
He looked at me and I looked at him. He wasn’t moving, but I wasn’t feeling like this was a petting zoo either. I took my pictures and moved on.
The trail was well-groomed and I felt safe using it as the signage and the layout was clear. If you stay left at a fork, you extend your ride… and if you go right at a fork, you shorten the ride. With the Cyclocross bike and the rock obstacles, I ended up doing a lot of hike-a-bike, but it was a great preview for future visits.
On the water, my son was fishing with his uncle. At camp, the ladies (Sisters) were having a great visit, outside in a picturesque venue. When I had to do a ZOOM call for work, I drove into Wilson to use the library. Another breath of fresh air. The small library is run by a super friendly and accommodating young lady. Her and her daughter were on hand to welcome us and talk about the town a little.
When I decided to stop at the liquor store on the way back to the lake, I was again assisted by a friendly, welcoming Kansas lady. Conversation revealed that she was just filling in at the store as she usually lives on the lake and runs the bait shop! This was a great trip and super close to home.
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