Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area sits on the Cumberland Plateau where elevations range from 700 to 1,700 feet. The area's sandstone formations create natural arches and rock shelters throughout the 125,000-acre recreation area. Winter camping temperatures often drop below freezing at night with occasional snowfall, while summer days regularly exceed 85°F with high humidity.
What to do
Stargazing sessions: Pickett CCC Memorial State Park Campground offers designated astronomy fields for optimal night sky viewing. "Pickett CCC is recognized as a dark sky park. If you're into astronomy or just enjoy looking up at the stars this is the perfect place. The stars can be enjoyed from just about anywhere but a short drive down the road there's an astronomy field," notes Clinton N.
Natural bridge exploration: The recreation area contains several accessible rock formations within short hiking distances. "At the lake there's kayak and canoeing where you actually paddle under a natural bridge. There's a swimming area, geese and fishing. The rock formations are awesome," shares a visitor at Pickett CCC Memorial State Park Campground.
Horseback trails: Bear Creek Horse Camp provides specialized camping for equestrians with direct trail access. "According to the others at the campground, there are a lot of horse camps and facilities in this area, if you do have horses this is an excellent area to explore. Good hiking trails too," explains Dan N. from a visit to Bear Creek Horse Camp.
Rock climbing: The sandstone cliffs and bluffs throughout the area provide numerous climbing routes. "Big South Fork is the perfect place for the outdoor enthusiast. Literally anything you want to do, you can find it here- horseback riding, ATV riding, hiking, biking, rock climbing, kayaking, backpacking, camping, fishing, hunting, swimming," says Nate H.
What campers like
Dark skies for astronomy: The region has minimal light pollution and designated viewing areas. "We were able to see more stars than ever before. They even have a astronomy field for your viewing pleasure," reports Jason from Pickett CCC Memorial State Park Campground.
River access: Many campsites offer direct water access for fishing and paddling. "Great primitive campground that is expanding each time we visit. The quiet relaxing atmosphere of the river speaks to your soul. Peace and quiet with plenty of nature to explore," explains April P. about Clayton Geneva Memorial Campground.
Clean facilities: Bandy Creek Campground maintains high standards for bathrooms and common areas. "Paved spots with lots of shade. Bathrooms are clean. Bathhouse has an outside sink and a water bottle fountain to refill your bottles. Lots of hiking in the surrounding area. Each site has a food storage box," notes Carissa D.
Historical structures: The recreation area contains CCC-built structures from the 1930s. "You can easily feel like your camping in the 50's with all the modern conveniences. The structures in the park were built back in the day, with big rocks and pride in construction," writes Shelly S. about the craftsmanship at some campgrounds.
What you should know
Bear activity: Food storage boxes are provided at many Bandy Creek Campground sites. "Visited here in the middle of January with all the snow and I was hot tent camping. You can only set up your tent on the designated tent pad, luckily we had heavy duty stakes that could get through the ground," explains Matthew H. who camped in the area during winter.
Cell service gaps: Most campgrounds have limited or no connectivity. "We just wanted to enjoy the outdoors with no electronics. Also there isn't any service inside the campgrounds but the front office does have WiFi if you need it," notes Jason about his experience.
Unlevel sites: Many campgrounds in the area require extra equipment for leveling. "The sites were a little short and we couldn't park our tow vehicle in front of our 17' camper. So large campers beware. There are limited parking spots near the shower house," shares Chelsea D.
Site locations vary: Waterfront sites fill quickly during peak season. "We spent three nights mid July. It was hot. Hiked the devils dive overlook trail," reports Retired Wanderers I., indicating how summer heat affects camping comfort at Blue Heron Campground.
Tips for camping with families
Look for playground access: Some campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. "Staff was great - lots of activities for the kids to do through the State Park - Archery (free), Swimming Pool (free), and more free activities, horseback riding ($20pp). Camp host led scavenger hunts, lazer tag, capture the flag, etc in the campground in the evenings," shares Michael R. about Ridgeline Campground.
Choose shaded sites: Summer heat makes shade essential for comfort. "The tent pads were huge, lots of space to play at each site," notes Chelsea D. about the family-friendly layout at some Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area campsites.
Plan for longer hikes: Many trails exceed 2 miles, which may challenge younger children. "The sites are pretty private and mostly wooded. There were acorns everywhere that our littles kept getting ahold of, and most of the trails are much longer than 2 miles, so there wasn't much to do with our two toddlers," cautions a family visitor.
Pack extra water containers: While water is available at most developed campgrounds, the distance to spigots varies. "I would rate these as primitive sites," notes GoWhereYouAreDraw N. about some camping areas, indicating families should prepare for limited amenities.
Tips from RVers
Check site lengths carefully: Many sites have length restrictions under 25 feet. "Stayed in Site 19 - by far the most private site. 19 is actually a double site - two tent pads, two tables. Site is surrounded by forest on three sides. Site 19 is a tent only site," explains Michael R. about Ridgeline Campground.
Bring extension cords: Some electrical hookups are placed far from parking pads. "Also, the water and electric hookup for this site is very far away from the actual site - we had to use a regular 110 extension cord to get the hookup to our van and we couldn't use the water at all because we only had a standard length hose," advises Denise.
Prepare for uneven terrain: Many RV pads require significant leveling. "I had 6" of block height to level side to side! I heard other complaints from other longer tongue pullers as well, regarding the difficulty getting into their sites," shares Mr. H. about camping with a travel trailer.
Reserve early for hookups: Water and electric sites book quickly during peak seasons. "We booked far enough in advance so that we were able to get a campsite with electric and water. The sites are very unlevel, some are set up so that your door faces the road and others are just on top of each other," reports Shana D.
