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Camping near Barren River Lake

707 Reviews

Barren River Lake in Kentucky encompasses several established campgrounds offering varying levels of amenities and lake access. Bailey's Point serves as one of the primary camping destinations with electric hookups and waterfront sites for tents, RVs, and some glamping options. Additional developed camping areas include The Narrows Campground and Barren River Tailwater, both offering electric and water hookups. The Barren River Lake State Resort Park Campground provides cabin accommodations alongside traditional campsites, making it suitable for families seeking more comfortable lodging options while maintaining proximity to outdoor recreation.

Seasonal considerations affect campsite availability throughout the region, with most campgrounds operating from April through October or November. "This is a great campground if you don't need full hookup on Barren River. Has water, 50 AMP & dump station," noted one visitor about Bailey's Point. The campgrounds feature varying levels of shade, with many sites positioned to take advantage of lake views and water access. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for summer weekends and holiday periods when waterfront sites fill quickly. Most campgrounds in the area provide basic amenities such as toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings, though not all offer showers or sewer hookups for RVs.

Waterfront access represents the defining feature across many of the region's campgrounds. According to reviews, campers particularly value sites with direct lake views and easy boat access. "You can park your boat right by your camp spot. There are parking lots for your trailers. I love walking a few feet to the beach, and my boat," shared one camper about Bailey's Point. The Narrows receives praise for its proximity to both the lake and marina facilities. Campers report that while sites can be close together during busy periods, the lake scenery and recreational opportunities more than compensate. Bath facilities across most campgrounds are generally described as clean and well-maintained, though amenities vary by location. Many visitors note the family-friendly atmosphere and relatively peaceful environment, even during peak season.

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Best Camping Sites Near Barren River Lake (95)

    1. Baileys Point

    34 Reviews
    Lucas, KY
    0 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 622-6959

    $22 - $50 / night

    "Waterfront on Barren River Lake. Can’t beat it. Clean showers and restrooms"

    "We love that our boat can be moored into a cove very near site. Always beautiful views of Barren River Lake."

    2. Mammoth Cave Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

    137 Reviews
    Mammoth Cave, KY
    21 miles
    +1 (270) 758-2424

    $25 - $50 / night

    "This campground is a walking distance to the visitors center. It's a well established campground and geared towards folks visiting mammoth caves."

    "green river, which was enjoyed by all, and we appreciated avoiding the main entrance besieged by spring break campers!"

    3. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave

    34 Reviews
    Park City, KY
    13 miles
    Website

    "Close proximity to Mammoth Cave. Don’t miss the Amish bakery/cafe nearby!"

    "The older sites are more established with shade but most are gravel and not as easy to access while walking or biking. Karst beach is so nice with the wibit (extra cost but worth it)."

    4. Barren River Lake State Resort Park Campground

    18 Reviews
    Lucas, KY
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 646-2151

    $25 - $34 / night

    "Being able to park your boat within walking distance of your camper, load up and go when you please, we loved that!
    The park was clean and the neighborhood of the campground was very friendly!"

    "right next to barren river state park lodge and marina. convenient to several stores and the towns of glasgow , scottsville, and bowling green, ky with excellent fishing and boating and viewing of wildlife"

    5. The Narrows

    12 Reviews
    Lucas, KY
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 646-3094

    $34 - $50 / night

    "Very nice view of Barren River lake too. I did not use it but there is a nice sand beach for swimming. Camphost is very nice."

    "The Narrows Recreation Area is off Ky 31E outside Glasgow, Ky. This is Redneck farm country at its best. Surprisingly I saw no signs for mud bogs though there were plenty of tractors and corn."

    6. Barren River Tailwater

    10 Reviews
    Lucas, KY
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 622-7732

    $16 - $50 / night

    "Tailwater Campground below Barren River Lake Dam is picture perfect maintained. You would think you just missed the tractor mowing."

    "Barren River Tailwater is below Barren River Lake and Dam. There are several recreation areas in this vicinity so a lot to choose from."

    7. Singing Hills RV Park And Campground

    20 Reviews
    Park City, KY
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 773-3789

    "This campground is located near the entrance of Mammoth Cave National Park. It is a great place for a day or two of relaxation before getting back on the highway."

    "Our site was right next to the catch and release pond. We had a little bridge that crossed the creek from our main site to an additional space where our fire ring was."

    8. Thousand Trails Diamond Caverns RV & Golf Resort

    14 Reviews
    Park City, KY
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "This park is located on the entrance road to Mammoth Caves NP, and it is a spectacular way to stay and enjoy the hiking in the caves!"

    "This is a small campground right near the entrance of Mammoth Cave NP. It was nice being so close with plenty of hiking options. Bathrooms were clean, laundry was fine."

    9. Bowling Green KOA

    19 Reviews
    Bowling Green, KY
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 843-1919

    "The Bowling Green KOA, Ky is located on the outskirts of Bowling Green near the I65 and Natcher interchange. You can actually see the back end of the campground from the ramp that connects the two."

    "Had higher expectations for KOA based on other experiences but should have researched to know how close the highway was. Convenient to stores and restaurants. Laundry open 24/7 ($2.50)."

    10. Born Again Camping / Antiques

    8 Reviews
    Glasgow, KY
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (270) 404-5523

    $28 - $110 / night

    "We visited during a time of rain and were unable to enjoy the outside areas the way we wish we could have."

    "They had plenty of outside play to wind down after 7 hours in the car then roasted marshmallows and board games to end the evening. Thank you Peggy for hosting us!"

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Recent Camping Photos near Barren River Lake

187 Photos of 95 Barren River Lake Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Barren River Lake

707 Reviews of 95 Barren River Lake Campgrounds

  • Paulene T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 26, 2025

    Singing Hills RV Park And Campground

    Nice little park just a short drive from I65

    Over night stay. Called to reserve a spot and arrived just before dusk. Had a quick check in, found our spot and had a quick set up for a short overnight stay. Lovely quiet park and great hosts. Would stay here again.

  • David R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 25, 2025

    Holleman's Bend Camping Area

    Nice spot

    This campsite was easy to find, which made arrival stress-free. While the cell service was a bit spotty, it actually helped me disconnect and enjoy the surroundings. Overall, a great site—quiet, scenic, and well worth the visit.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 2, 2025

    Rock Cabin Camping

    Friendly, easygoing, simple camping

    Absolutely love staying here. Quiet, pretty, easy, and the owners and staff are delightful.

  • Michele R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2025

    Morning View Farms

    Weekend getaway

    I could not say enough enough wonderful things about our stay. Our host was amazing, the nature was peaceful, serene, and everything we needed for a relaxing time away from home.

  • dereck R.
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Tree Tops RV Park

    Nice quiet place

    Nice quiet place. Very level. He takes very good care of the lot with gravel. The owner also runs an RV repair so you can get on-site repairs. Very useful. The shower house and bathroom are for emergency use only. Laundry room has a four-digit security code to get in. Most of the people staying here are long-term or semi-long-term. Lots of pipeline inspectors currently. Everyone has really nice rigs. Rate discount rates for 6 months or longer. Everything included except electric. Meters red monthly. Accepts mail delivery and package delivery.

  • J
    Aug. 15, 2025

    Willow Grove Campground

    Very pleased

    This campground is typical Corp of Engineers campground. This place is very well kept. It has a boat ramp small beach area and is surrounded by water on 3 sides. Water is accessible from multiple points, getting down to the water is easy its a decent climb coming back. This site is not shaded especially in the evening. Picnic table could stand to be repaired or replaced but still very usable.

  • Overland 1.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Houchin Ferry Campground — Mammoth Cave National Park

    Very nice remote campground

    This is a very nice and clean campground with about 10 sites. It is part of Mammoth Cave National park. That means I could use my lifetime pass and it only cost $10 per night. Ranger came by twice a day. Very clean port a pottys that are maintained well. Dumpster for trash and each site has a fire ring. Road in is paved and not bad, but has a few hills and is narrow. These sites are listed as "Tent Only" but I got my Dodge van in no problem. In my 3 days here I saw many tents, a small pop up camper, and 2 vans. Anything larger would be a problem I think. Reservation only and pay online. Not much cell signal here, maybe 1 bar on Visible. (Verizon) Decent signal on Starlink mini at site 1. Sites are right along the side of the Green River and the temperature here was a consistent 3 degrees F lower than in town. Lot of shade, not good for solar.

  • Alisha L.
    Aug. 4, 2025

    COE Cordell Hull Lake Salt Lick Creek Campground

    Salt Lick Creek

    Overall, we enjoyed our experience. It's a nice campground. The site was small and we prefer more space and seclusion since we travel with dogs. We stayed in site 94, which was on the water and nicely shaded. There was no cell service. Our camper has a wifi booster so we were able to boost the signal to our phones from the nearby bathhouse that had wifi. The campground is very remote, but it doesn't feel remote because of how busy and open it feels.

  • Beth B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 2, 2025

    Singing Hills RV Park And Campground

    Super nice staff, great location

    Staff is very nice and informative.

    Close to Mammoth National Park…we were lucky to book a tour and it was really good, our teenagers liked it. We also rode Alpine slide across the street near the RV park.

    Campground had small catch and release pond. Lots of nibbles, one catch…sunfish. No laundry here…laundry mat 10 mins away, Wash n Fold? Super clean but expensive with nice machines. No bathroom there! Connected to car wash if you need. Bath house at Campground has everything you need but dated.

    Our site had issues, no fire ring,,,other sites had one, we didn’t ask about getting one…it probably wouldn’t have been a big deal to grab one from another site. Our parking area was level with gravel. Our water hookup was weird…it ended up under our back bumper were we had to crawl under to connect. And we had issue with 50 amp…the plug needs attention…it turned off at 0430 and we switched to 30amp. No big deal with any of it, but all together we will pick a different site next time.

Guide to Barren River Lake

Camping near Barren River Lake, Kentucky, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of options to enjoy nature and make lasting memories.

What to do:

  • Explore Mammoth Cave National Park: Just a short drive from the campgrounds, this park is famous for its stunning caves. One visitor at Mammoth Cave Campground said, "You’re right in the middle of the park, with all it has to offer."
  • Fishing and boating: Barren River Lake is perfect for fishing and boating. A camper at Nolin Lake State Park Campground mentioned, "We could hear a small waterfall behind our campsite, and the kids enjoyed walking along the lake shore."
  • Hiking: There are numerous trails around the lake and in nearby parks. A reviewer from Kentucky Moutardier noted, "Great views at sunset and sunrise," making it a perfect spot for early morning hikes.

What campers like:

  • Clean facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A visitor at Kentucky Nolin Lake State Park Campground said, "The bathhouse was very clean and well maintained."
  • Friendly staff: Many campers rave about the helpfulness of campground staff. One reviewer at Singing Hills Campground shared, "Eldon checked us in and gave us recommendations for restaurants which were outstanding."
  • Spacious sites: Campers enjoy having enough room to spread out. A guest at Baileys Point mentioned, "Our site was huge, with enough space for our RV, truck, dog fence, and fire area."

What you should know:

  • Limited cell service: Many campgrounds have spotty cell reception. A camper at Dog Creek Campground noted, "Limited cell service and no wifi."
  • No sewer hookups at some sites: If you're in an RV, be aware that some campgrounds, like Kentucky Moutardier, do not have sewer hookups. A visitor mentioned, "We didn't have sewer, but made up for it in sheer beauty."
  • Road noise: Some campgrounds are near busy roads, which can be noisy. A camper at Barren River Lake State Resort Park said, "Semi trucks were driving over the rumble strips and other continuous road noise continued throughout the night."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose campgrounds with playgrounds: Kids will love having a place to play. A reviewer at Kentucky Nolin Lake State Park Campground mentioned, "Toddlers enjoyed the playground."
  • Look for family-friendly activities: Campgrounds like Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park offer plenty of activities for kids. One parent said, "There is so much to do, that 5 days doesn’t seem long at all."
  • Plan for easy meals: Having a camp store nearby can make meal prep easier. A visitor at Bowling Green KOA noted, "The campstore has most of what you need."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check site sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A camper at Wax - Nolin River Lake warned, "The road in/out is very narrow, very tight and not easily navigated with a 40' 5th wheel."
  • Look for full hookups: If you need water and electric, choose campgrounds that offer these amenities. A visitor at Kentucky Dog Creek mentioned, "Trailers and RVs get water and up to 50 amp hookups."
  • Be prepared for limited amenities: Some campgrounds may not have all the conveniences. A reviewer at Kentucky Moutardier said, "No showers, but the views are great."

Camping near Barren River Lake, Kentucky, is a fantastic way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot to relax and explore.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is camping available at Barren River Lake State Park?

Yes, camping is available at Barren River Lake State Resort Park Campground. The campground offers multiple access options including drive-in, boat-in, hike-in, and walk-in camping. Facilities include restrooms with toilets, and the campground can accommodate big rigs. Reservations are available, making it convenient to secure your spot in advance. The state park provides a great base for enjoying the recreational opportunities of Barren River Lake while having access to the amenities of a state resort park.

What are the best campgrounds at Barren River Lake?

Baileys Point consistently ranks as one of the best campgrounds at Barren River Lake. Campers praise its waterfront location, clean facilities, and sites that allow boats to be moored in nearby coves. Most sites have electric and water hookups, with many offering incredible lake views. Another top option is The Narrows, which features clean facilities, a sand beach for swimming, and beautiful views of the lake. Both campgrounds provide the perfect combination of scenic beauty, water access, and well-maintained amenities.

What is 'The Slab' at Barren River and can you camp there?

The Slab generally refers to concrete areas below the dam at Barren River Lake. While not a designated camping area itself, nearby Barren River Tailwater and Tailwater Below Dam recreation areas offer camping opportunities. These well-maintained campgrounds are located below the Barren River Lake Dam. The tailwater area is popular for fishing, with visitors often having success catching fish. These recreation areas feature manicured grounds, day-use facilities including pavilions, playgrounds, and picnic areas, along with camping options for those wanting to stay overnight near the dam.

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