Explore One of Kansas’s Clearest, Cleanest Lakes at Cedar Bluff Reservoir

Hidden away in Kansas's beautiful Trego County is a stunning man-made lake known to most as Cedar Bluff Reservoir (though sometimes you can find someone referring to it as "Cedar Bluff Lake," and honestly, that's fine), an idyllic slice of paradise for anyone seeking the beauty of the outdoors in the Sunflower State. Of all 24 of our large, man-made reservoirs in Kansas, this one might just be my personal favorite.

With a surface area of nearly 8,900 acres, this utterly stunning example of our amazing little state is one of my top places to escape when life gets just a little too noisy. Life in Kansas is typically pretty quiet, and our lakes are a perfect demonstration of this. Cedar Bluff Reservoir is clear, clean, and absolutely beautiful - you know, like the rest of the state!

The reservoir is quiet, clean, and still, with all sorts of wildlife-spotting opportunities for anyone who might be interested. The lake is a boater's dream, too, with no less than two boat ramps and a fish-cleaning facility lakeside.

The water is always clear, and with depths of nearly 60 feet, it's easy to see why this lake is among the locals' favorites. That being said, though, it's still Kansas - so this lake sees maybe 250,000 visitors per year (compare that to, say, Yellowstone National Park, which often sees more than 30,000 visitors per day during the busy season). By Kansas standards, that sounds busy - but for the rest of the world, it's just right.

Perhaps best of all, though, is enjoying a nice, quiet stroll around the reservoir while fully immersed in the wonder of Kansas's countryside, with rolling green hills and seemingly endless blue skies overhead.

Kansas is an underrated state, often dismissed as boring, but this couldn't be further from the truth. It's beautiful, with infinite fields of emerald green and thigh-high grasslands that ripple forever in the breeze. Wind turbines churn on the horizon, giving everything an extraordinarily dreamlike feel.

I love this state—enormously—and I think Cedar Bluff is a wonderfully accurate representation of it. The lake is wonderful, yes, but do make time to explore the entire preserve; it is everything that's right with the world... especially the Kansan world (can you tell I love Kansas?).

If you're planning to visit Kansas and need a place to stay, be sure to check out the coolest options from our friends at VRBO. Do you have a favorite lake in Kansas you'd like to tell me about? Let me know in the comments!