Perry Lake is a reservoir in northeast Kansas, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Located conveniently near the cities of Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City, Perry Lake boasts a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including the 30-mile (48 km) Perry Lake National Recreational Hiking Trail, renowned for its rugged terrain. Day-Use picnic areas are open daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, and while comfortable campsites are available for overnight use, campers need to pre-register via Internet. A stargazer told EarthSky the following: “Very low light pollution. The lakeside parks are mostly away from any security lights.”
Deborah Byrd
View Articles
About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.