Lyon State Fishing Lake
Lyon County State Fishing Lake & Wildlife Area is situated on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills region in Kansas. The lake is located 13 miles north of Emporia on Kansas Highway 99 then two miles east on County Road 270. The 135 acre lake is surrounded by 442 acres of state owned public wildlife area. Fourteen hundred acres of native tall grass prairie comprise most of the lake's drainage basin and contribute greatly to its average 66 inches of water clarity. The 441 acre wildlife area is dominated by tall grass native prairie with small wooded draws interspersed. The area includes primitive campgrounds, a boat ramp, fishing piers, a pit toilet and a shelter house. The Clinton Eubank Memorial trail system runs along the southeast side of the lake, ideal for any wildlife viewing.
Manager: Brad Niemann
Phone: 620-699-3372
Lake News
Lake was renovated in 1999 and opened to fishing on January 1st 2005. The swimming area has been closed, no swimming is allowed.
- Off Road Vehicle and Horse use is prohibited.
- Camping is allowed only in designated areas.
- Hunting and Trapping is legal on the area except in the areas designated "no hunting" on the map. All hunters and trappers on Lyon State Fishing Lake & WA are REQUIRED to obtain a free daily hunt permit. PERMITS CAN NOW BE OBTAINED ELECTRONICALLY, TO REGISTER AND BEGIN USING THE ELECTRONIC PERMIT SYSTEM, CLICK HERE. Permits are required only if you are hunting or trapping on the portion of the property open to hunting and trapping that is managed by KDWP as a wildlife area.
- Swimming is prohibited.
- All alcoholic beverages are prohibited
Special Features: The Clinton Eubank Memorial nature trail is available for use. Trail begins and ends in shelter house camping area. Hand laid rock wall and rock pillars along dam road were constructed by the WPA and CCC during construction of the lake.
Here is a complete list of Public Land Regulations or you can download the regulation summary.
The state of Kansas Purchased a total of 581.65 acres in July, 1931, the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps were responsible for much of the construction. Their craftsmanship is still visible in the native limestone guard posts and inlaid rip-rap on the face of the dam and spillway. The limestone shelter house was constructed in 1951. Other improvements at the lake include a concrete boat ramp, boat loading dock, seven rip-rapped fishing piers, three rip-raped islands, two outhouses, a shelter house, picnic tables, and camping sites. The lake was renovated in 2000 to restore a desirable fish population.
- Type of Facility: Iron Ranger
- Location of Facility: N 38.54057 W 096.07572
- Type of Facility: Iron Ranger
- Location of Facility: N 38.54993 W 096.06252
- Type of Facility: Pit Toilet
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: N38 32.507 W96 03.517
- Click for more information
- Type of Facility: Pit Toilets
- This facility is ADA accessible
- Location of Facility: N38 32.507 W96 03.517
- Click for more information
- Type of Facility: Shelter House
- Location of Facility: N38 32.546 W96 03.455
- Click for more information
- Type of Facility: Boat Ramp
- Location of Facility: N38 32.835 W96 03.678
- Click for more information
- Trail Season: Year Round
- Length of Trail: 0.5 mile(s)
- Trail Activities: Walking
- There is camping located near the trail
- Location of Start: N38 32.497 W96 03.552
- Click for more information
This lake is in the tallgrass prairie but much of it is bordered by red cedar, rough-leaved dogwood, smooth sumac, hackberry, and elm. Meadowlarks, mourning doves, Bell's vireos, rufous-sided towhees, and bobwhite quail nest here. In the spring, you can locate booming grounds of the greater prairie chicken by driving along the roads at sunrise and listening carefully for the "cackling" and "cooing" sounds. During migrations the lake attracts ducks and geese and several species of songbirds, including Harris' sparrows, cardinals, robins, and tree sparrows. Long-eared owls sometimes roost in the cedar trees during winter.
In the woodlands, watch for white-tailed deer, fox squirrels, and the nests of eastern wood rats. These large, domed, stick nests built around the base of a tree, or sometimes several feet off the ground, are quite visible. To birders, the area is probably best known as a place to find Smith's longspurs. To find these birds, be prepared for a challenge and walk the mowed hayfields on the south side of the lake. Watch for small flocks of buff-colored birds about the size of sparrows with a white shoulder patch and white outer tail feathers. During summer these birds return to the high arctic to nest.