Longview Lake — Attraction in Kansas City

Longview lake is a well utilized body of water within 30 minutes of downtown.

If you're looking for paths to ride bikes and/or walk, the west side has some gravel paths along the lake that are impressive! From the marina to the south end as an out and back route is a little over 8 miles and very flat.

There are shelters scattered all around the lake, which can be reserved. This enables you to have the rangers unlock the gates so you and your crew can park right next to them.

If you don't reserve them, and no one else has either, then hauling a picnic in is usually less than a quarter mile walk.

The west side of the lake seems to allow easier access to the shelters than the east.

The east side has access near Longview Community College, near the frank white softball/baseball complex. If you want to see deer, drive from there to the campground during twilight.

In the winter months, the road on the east side and the campground are closed and provide an excellent paved surface for walks and cycling. There's also a holiday display you can drive through at night.

The marina sells almost anything you need and they're very friendly! You can get boat permits for Longview, Jacomo & Blue Springs lake at each of the lakes' marinas. Jacomo has special rules, so beware.

Fishing on longview was difficult for me. Jacomo was way more productive and easier to navigate.

Longview and Blue Springs allow bigger faster boats as well as personal watercraft and it made fishing the main basin trickier in a little boat.

All in all, this is a great lake for...

I truly enjoyed our afternoon at Longview Lake on Sunday, May 13. We spent a few hours swimming in the lake and sunning ourselves on a rocky beach. But as we were leaving we saw two park ranger vehicles blocking the exit to the parking lot. They were handing out tickets to a family that was picnicking along the shore. The tickets were for swimming in the lake. I have never heard of a lake, which is intended for public use, where you could be ticketed for swimming in the water. We had met the family earlier in the day and they could not have been a more pleasant. Just out cooling off during an incredibly hot Mothers Day. The impression my girlfriend and I were left with was this: If you don't have enough money to rent a boat, or pay for access to the beach, you are not welcomed at this PUBLIC lake. The tax payers of this county deserve more than hostility for simply enjoying the waters that belongs...

Terrible lake to go in the summertime. Overcrowded with people that have no business owning, let alone operating a boat. Full of water lice (jet skis) and nobody around here seems to know how to launch or land their boat. Foot and swimming traffic all around the boat ramps with no one monitoring. It’s worse than Blue Springs lake and that’s saying something. I will not be purchasing a Jackson County boat sticker next year. Total waste of money for a terrible, stress...