Farrington Park (Windsor)

I rode from Clinton to Windsor the evening of 6/13. I arrived in town about 8:20 and wanted to get my tent set up at Farrington Park before it got dark and get some dinner before the Subway shop closed. Several people were fishing on the near side of the lake and I did not see the designated camping area (never did find it for sure), so I pitched my tent on the far side of the lake near a shelter house and bathrooms, beyond a gate with a sign stating that the gate was closed after 10pm. While not exactly secluded, this looked like a very quiet spot with the added benefit of no vehicle traffic (I would not be locked in - I could easily ride around the locked gate if i needed to leave).
While back in town getting a sandwich, I spoke with a sheriff's officer and told him where I was camped and asked who I should pay for camping. He replied that he did not think there was a charge for tent camping, but that I may need to move my tent from behind the gate that would be locked. He added that he had no problem with where I was camped, but he could not speak for the night officer. I decided to stay where I was, but be ready to cheerfully agree to move if told to do so. Shortly before ten a man in a pickup arrived to lock the gate and bathrooms. He was a councilman and park board member, worked for W-K Chevrolet, and I think he said his name was John. He said there was no charge for tent camping and that I was fine where I was, if anybody asked to tell them he said it was okay. He also left the mens bathroom unlocked for me. He said they were happy to have Katy Trail users visit Windsor and camp in the park and he invited me to come back and watch the cardboard boat races across the lake on July 4th. My only complaint about Windsor was the backyard dogs barking during the night. Farrington Park is beautiful and everyone I spoke with was freindly. I plan to make a small donation to park board and would camp there again.

Thank you for your comment on the camping. We will be going in that direction over the weekend and were planning on camping there.

My daughter and I stayed at the Farrington Park in Windsor last Sept. when we biked the trail. There was a house to the right of the lake as you rode up from the trail (you had to go up a hill and then down) who took money for camping, so I assumed it cost to camp. It wasn't much, $10 maybe, but there were no bathrooms where she directed us except for a porta-potty. It was a nice grassy area, but would have been nice to have known about the above place and that it really didn't cost. We found out the next morning that we could just continue on down the street (gravel) we were on, hit the Sonic, and then a short distance to the trail. The way we came the night before was longer. That happened a lot - especially at Booneville - go there to read our saga on that.