Koomer Ridge Campground, located on Cumberland Ranger District in the Red River Gorge, features semi-primitive camping in a tranquil forest setting. The campground provides access to trails in the Red River Gorge. View Koomer Ridge guide & map. The campground amphitheater opens Memorial Day weekend and features a program each Saturday through Labor Day. The programs usually begin at dusk. Check the campground bulletin board or contact the Gladie Visitor Center for more information. Hiking/backpacking trails in the area: Cliff Trail #206 (.5 mile) Koomer Ridge Trail #220 (2.75 miles) Silvermine Arch Trail #225 (1.5 miles) Hidden Arch Trail #208 (1 mile). ACTIVITIES Camping: The Koomer Ridge Campground features semi-primitive camping in a tranquil forest setting. Interpretive Programs: Visitor programs are held on weekends. Recreational Vehicles

Koomer Ridge Campground

Koomer Ridge Campground is the only developed site within the Red River Gorge area. It is located just off Exit 11 on the Bert T Combs Parkway (the highway that runs through the area, which is a beautiful drive itself). Once you get off the highway, stop in at the Shell station there and you can purchase your park passes for being in the Gorge area. The people there are incredibly friendly and are used to all manner of campers and climbers stopping in to get passes there. They also have excellent local knowledge of the area - don't be afraid to just ask!

The campground is just a few miles down the road from there on the left hand side. It is a beautiful area on a hillside and there are many terrain features that make this place feel different from ordinary campground sites. We stayed in the back section which is a bit elevated, almost a plateau area in Site 34\. The sites are not on top of each other and offer better than average privacy compared to many other locations I've been to.

There is running water and pit toilets that were in pretty good shape for what they are (which is just pit toilets).

Overall, this place is in excellent condition, great access to the Red, and quite scenic.

The place to be when visiting the Red

If you want to car camp in Red River Gorge, look no further than Koomer Ridge. The campground has a few trails that connect directly to it, and is a short drive from many other popular trails.

Koomer Ridge has a campground host on site who sells firewood and ice. There are numerous drive-up and a few walk-in sites. Even the drive-up sites felt somewhat separate from neighboring sites. 

The shower house was pretty bare bones and the curtains were past their prime, but it was otherwise clean and functional. Potable water available all over the site. One complaint is that you can hear noise from the road, but I think it might be less noticeable at some of the walk-in sites towards the back. 

Car camping in the Gorge

Great introduction to camping for my husband. The weather was very pleasant. Dog friendly campsite and both camp hosts were friendly and knowledgeable. The bathhouse was near our site and in decent shape for a camping bathroom. Showers, electricity and potable water is available at the bathhouse. The water is heavily chlorinated. We brought our own drinking water, but used the campgrounds for cleaning ourselves and dishes. We also had a water pump near our site.  Best times to visit are early summer before the heat kicks in and fall. Beautiful park. The photos don't do it justice.

Red River Gorge

We love to camp here when we don't want to do primitive camping. The bath house is very nice and so are the trails. And it's right off the road so it's not hard to find at all

Great campground 

Calming, quiet, relaxing, the place to get away from it all. Well maintained campground, clean bath house...except for the bugs :) but you are in the woods

Meditation place

Sites are pretty well secluded. You have pretty good access to areas of The Red as well. 

Friendly hosts and clean sites!

Koomer Ridge campground has a great location for mountain biking (what we went for), hiking, fishing - anything really!  The Daniel Boone Nat Forest is, I think, at its most beautiful in late spring.  Nice campground and some of the nicest people you'll want to meet while camping too!  Lots of friendlies!

Mountain biking Camp out!

I am a regular at Koomer Ridge.  The campsites are spaced out nicely and wooded with plenty of shade.  

Great place to stay

Koomer ridge is a great campground if you don't want to hike to camp, it's kid and dog friendly!

Great

We had a Great time here. We've some spent time now in Kentucky and Red River Gorge area is one of favorites in this state. The campground is good pretty simple. Apparently there are showers which are a huge plus or us but we didnt use them we are staying with friends in a couple days. This camp was super close to some great hiking and a guy working in the park recommended some hikes. The trail heads were close to the campground which was perfect and dog friendly. Probably because the state park is sooooo big. We loved it.

Love Red River Gorge

spacious sites with nice fire pits and picnic tables. Restrooms were clean and well stocked! 

friendly, clean and safe 

Stayed mid-week so it wasn’t crowded. Everyone was spaced out thru the campground and we never heard a sound from the other campers. Hiked the Cliff, Silvermine Arch and Hidden Arch Trails which all start from KRC.
We’ll definitely stay here again!


Peaceful and Quiet 

The main campground has a lot of camp sites very close together with a central restroom with running water. There are two secluded camp sites and a walk in site with no running water at either facility. The camp ground is very clean and well managed. All sites are very close to some sort of hiking trails. It is centrally located to other trails that are about a 15 minute drive away.

Clean and well managed

Great campsite! Sites not to closely packed next to each other. Can find your peace within a well maintained campground! Many trails easily accessible from the campground. The trails within the forest connect very well together and are very well maintained and marked! Can easily make a big loop and see many beautiful arches! Went on a 3 week road trip through this area and this spot was hands down my favorite! So many things to see and do and this campground was a great home base! And the host is so amazing and helpful! 

Best place in the area! 

We have camped several times at the Koomer Ridge Camp ground but it had been at least 10 years since we had and it is almost frozen in time. Great camp ground with simple amenities, water available without having to walk miles and miles. Bathrooms were clean, sites have a nice distance between them so you don’t feel like you are on top of your neighbor campers. Plenty of trees over head so even though it was hot the shade keeps you cool. And this camp ground is close to Red River Gorge and miles of great trails several start at Koomer ridge camp ground. 

Camping 4th of July weekend 

We looked at this campground and the state parks on the area. The sites are wooded, level and drain well. The prices are reasonable and the shower house is clean. The camp host is amiable and helpful. We had a group of 15 people who had a wonderful time. There is a great trail right off the parking lot and you're close to a great many other trails and activities. Rock climbing, canoeing and even kayaking in a cave are just a few of the many activities near here

Best campground in the Red River Gorge area

This site was awesome. Super clean, located right in the center of most of the good trailheads for the red river gorge area. A little on the cramped side if all of the sites are full you will be a little close to other campers, luckily it was not full when I went so that was not an issue. Drinking water and running water near the sites and plenty of restrooms close by. No showers near our site but we didn't stay long enough for that to be an issue. 

Super clean and well kept. 

Loved this campground! Was near the red river gorge, which is such a beautiful area. Also, if you camp here, go check out nada tunnel! This is a must do in my opinion. This campground had very secluded sites, bathrooms and showers! 

Daniel Boone National Forest 

This campground is run by the parks dept so it’s first come first serve, you pay at the pay box in cash or check( $25 for single sites with one car, doubles are available and there is a charge for additional cars). We arrived Thursday morning and had lots of options by Saturday the campground was full. The sites are fairly large and private. They have great gravel bases so the tents stay dry, and are equipped with a picnic table and really nice fire pit. There is water sources for every few sites through out the campground. There are gravity toilets throughout and a bathroom with running water and hot showers towards the entrance. The campground is surrounded with hiking trails that have some great views of the gorges and rock formations you can get to within mins. From your tent just by walking. There is an amphitheater that they host different events at(there was black light moth watching when we were there). The campground is dog friendly and located close to the Mountain Parkway in Sloane, KY. I would definitely recommend this if you are in the Red River Gorge Geological area, also hot up Daniel Boone Coffee for a snack, drink or coffee.

Great campsite located in Daniel Boone national forest, close to Red River 

Stayed 2 nights mid week and campground wasn’t busy. Many nice tent sites and also good level RV sites. Easy access to hiking. Helpful resident manager. Management by Thousand Trails, although the campground is not associated at all with Thousand Trails. No reservations accepted. Self register and pay at the entrance. 

Super! 

You won't find full hookups or fancy bath houses, but what this campground lacks in amenities it makes up in scenic beauty.  The campground has several trails, ranging in length, that let you explore some of the natural beauty of Red River Gorge.  Sites are first come, first serve - which can be a pain…but if you plan for a Thursday / Friday morning arrival you shouldn't have a problem. Sites are well spaced and have major trees.  The majority of campers were in tents, but there are a few sites that would work well for RVs.  Some vault restrooms with a central bath house (showers, flush toilets, etc.) - nothing fancy, but gets the job done. Venture out of the campground and enjoy all Red River Gorge has to offer!

Primitive Campground with Natural Appeal

 A great first experience camping with our pup. He’s a little too cautious with strangers and dogs so having the other campsite at a distance is a huge preference for us. The campsites were nice and well maintained. There was sufficient bathrooms and every time we went in them they were clean. The camp is close to the trail so if you plan to hike all the way up to the arch this is a pretty decent place to start. 

Koomer Ridge Camp

The campsites are great and spaced out nice! Most sites have small pea gravel and are very clean. Bath house is open but no showers are at of March. Three great trails that you can do right from the campgrounds. Miles more within a few minutes drive 

Amazing home base camping! 

We stayed at one of the walk in sites and loved it. We felt like we had the forest to ourselves. Beautiful area with amazing hiking. The 

Amazing area

Really enjoyed how this campground connects to Red River Gorge via a few different trails. Made it easy to go out on a day hike and return back to your site. 

Great Location 

Koomer Ridge is really an excellent campground!  As of April 2023 all sites were first-come, first-serve (no prior reservations permitted).  We camped one night and thoroughly enjoyed it!  No hook-ups but the site was level for a 21" campervan and had a HUGE tent pad, 2 lantern posts, fire ring and picnic table in a spacious site.  Plenty of trees for hammocks, too!  Sites were more than adequately spaced out around the campground and some were quite private.  Multiple trails leave straight out of the campground and head into the Red River Gorge, a nice feature.  Campground is heavily wooded, too, so plenty of shade should be available during the summer months.

  

The shower house is next to Site 14 and was clean though chilly but had hot &amp; cold running water and was modern/updated.  Only ding here was that a couple of the toilets were out of service during our stay - no big deal as the campground was fairly empty and I hope they'll be addressed before summer crowds arrive.

  

The campground is on a ridge - so apart from the sites themselves, there is very little flat ground to be had.  Not a drawback, just an observation.  But the hills make for a lovely setting and beautiful sunsets/sunrises filtering through the trees.  Only criticism is the proximity to the Mountain Parkway nearby; had we been tent camping, the traffic noise would have been a nuisance all night.  But in the campervan it wasn't noticeable, fortunately!  Not enough to cost a star, but worth noting if you're using a tent or soft-sided camper.

  

Red River Gorge is an extraordinary and beautiful place to explore, and Koomer Ridge is an excellent basecamp from which to do so!