Established Camping
Taylor Bay Campground
About
The campground is located at the edge of the Environment Education Waterfowl Refuge on Taylor Bay of Lake Barkley. Called a "back country" campground, it is primarily used by hunters and anglers and features great waterfowl watching. Boats can be tied up at some of the lakefront sites.
The campground has two sections. One section is to the right of campground's entrance and features very shady sites tucked into a heavy stand of mixed hardwood trees stretching up the hillside. The second section is to the left and has more open sites scattered around a loop. These sites are along the shore and have a view of Taylor Bay.
Seasonal camp site leases are available for some sites through an annual, open-to-the-public, lottery. Contact LBL for more information.
Possible day trips are the North and South Welcome Stations, Golden Pond Visitor Center, the Planetarium, Elk and Bison Prairie, Woodlands Nature Station, and The Homeplace.
Reservation Info
Self-Service Campgrounds offer basic amenities including designated campsite pads, picnic tables, grills, fire rings, vault toilets, trash pickup, lake access, and boat ramps.
You pay a nightly per camping unit fee for camping. The Basic/Dispersed Permit cannot be used at Self-Service Campgrounds.
At Self-Service Campgrounds, you choose a site, fill out a provided fee envelope, insert your camping fee into the envelope, and deposit the envelope in the “Iron Ranger” fee tube at the entrance. Please do this within 30 minutes of setting up your camp.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Reservable
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Sewer Hookups
- Water Hookups
- Big Rig Friendly
Amazing!
There are about 25 sites. No reservations, all sites are first come first serve. There are about 8-10 lake front. There is also about 8-10 in the woods. There is a block bathroom. There are fire rings and picnic tables at each site. There is a boat dock. There are no shower houses, no water, and no electricity.
- (5) View All
Great location and price for self service "primitive" campground
Taylor Bay is a self service campground in Land Between the Lakes. All the campsites are first come, first served. There are no amenities except a vault toilet and a boat ramp. The roads leading back to Taylor Bay are all paved, and each site has a fire ring, and is usually compacted gravel. When you arrive, you find your site, stake your claim, and then go back to the "iron ranger" to fill out your camping registration, pay your fees and drop the envelope into the "iron ranger". Generators are allowed, but there are posted quiet times. I have AT&T cell service and could pick up three bars on an android.
The sites are well spaced apart to still offer some privacy. Most of the sites are shaded, but a few in the center have zero shade. If you plan on using the boat ramp, be sure to check the lake levels...the ramp drops abruptly and during low pool, may not be usable. Taylor Bay is located near Hematite Lake (picnicking & hiking), and the Nature Station on the north side of LBL.
- (10) View All
Okay ONLY if it’s not busy!!
We’ve gone when there was nobody (it was fall and pretty cold) and got to tent camp by the water and LOVED it. We went back on a weekend in June and it was awful. Packed, and RVs were loud and honestly rude. No tent only sites and RVs won’t hesitate to park next to a tent rather than by an RV. Bathroom was stocked but rancid and had no water. The site would be great if it were less busy so scope it out before hand.
Location
Taylor Bay Campground is located in Kentucky
Directions
From Canton, KY, take US Rt 68/State Rt 80 west 1.3 miles to Engergy Lake sign. Turn right at sign onto a gravel road (Forest Rt 134) and go 9 miles to a "T" intersection. Turn right onto Forest Rt 135 and go 0.8 miles to Taylor Bay sign. Turn right and go 0.4 miles to campground. Alternative: From Canton, KY, take US Rt 68/State Rt 80 west 5.9 miles west to Grand Rivers/"TheTrace" signs. Turn left at to "The Trace"/ North (State Rt 453) and go 7.1 miles to Taylor Bay sign. Turn irght onto Mulberry Flat Rd (Forest Rt 135) and go 0.4 miles to campground. Note: Last 0.4 miles is paved but rough.
Coordinates
36.89894146999998 N
88.02034028 W