|
|
Parsons KS is tucked away in the southeast part of the state and is actually at the edge of the Ozark mountain range that runs through Missouri. The town itself has a population of around 11,000 and focuses a great deal of its tourism on the many lakes and hunting opportunities that are available all within 20 miles of the town.
First you need a base of operations, if you're a real outdoors type person there are five lakes that offer campgrounds ranging from primitive sites to fuel service RV hook-ups. Big Hill Lake offers the most choices and has very reasonable fees for camping. All campsites offer shower facilities and bathrooms. If you like you modern comforts there are three new hotels in town to pick from, the Sleep inn right off of highway 400, the Super 8 and Best Western are located on the old highway 54 in town. Now that you have a place to clean up and rest it's on to the fun.
Fishing is very popular in the area both on lakes and in ponds and strip pits. You can have great success even without owning a boat at many of the smaller lakes and ponds available. To get maps of where to find all these lakes you can visit the state website and go to the wildlife and parks section for maps, up to the minute fishing reports and license information. By far, the most popular place for fishing is Big Hill Reservoir, the clear water makes fishing conditions ideal for large and small mouth bass, crappie, walleye and catfish.
Hunting is the other great pastime in southeast Kansas. Some of the largest whitetail deer in the country are harvested in our area. Land owners are very accommodating on getting you a place to hunt, usually for a small fee. There are also a growing number of guide services that can do all the prep work for you so that you can focus your time on the hunt. There is also plentiful small game such as turkey, rabbits, quail, doves and waterfowl for hunters to enjoy pursuing.
After the hunt you need a place to eat and Parsons has several great choices of restaurants offering steaks, pizza, Chinese, Italian and American favorites. A popular choice is the Kitchen Pass. It is a full service restaurant with a full bar. The menu is mainly American classics, but there is always a daily special. No matter what outdoor activity you want to do, Parsons is a great place to visit. |
