C
Cynthia L.
Scout
ScoutHolly Bay
Pleasant overnight
We stopped here for an overnight traveling to Charleston, South Carolina. The sites were very nice. Staff very friendly. Very clean. Would recommend
Camping near Bighill, KY
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Campgrounds near Bighill, Kentucky range from primitive tent sites to full-service RV hookups and cabin rentals in the foothills of Appalachia. The area features campgrounds like Renfro Valley KOA, HomeGrown HideAways, and S-Tree Campground offering various accommodation types. Several facilities provide tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals, with options ranging from primitive camping to full-service sites with utilities. The Daniel Boone National Forest surrounds much of the region, with developed camping areas concentrated along main routes and near Berea, approximately 10 miles from Bighill.
Seasonal considerations affect campground operations throughout the area, with most developed sites open year-round but limiting some amenities during winter months. "Nestled in a narrow valley between high ridges of The Knobs, this campground gives the feel of secluded country living with your own trails and creeks to explore," noted one camper about HomeGrown HideAways. Access to many campgrounds requires navigating moderately steep terrain, with some locations reporting significant hills at their entrances. Most campgrounds maintain gravel roads and sites that can become challenging after heavy rainfall. Cell service varies throughout the region, with coverage generally better at established campgrounds near major highways than at more remote forest sites.
The camping options in the Bighill area include both family-friendly amenities and more secluded natural settings. RV campers report satisfaction with the convenience of sites near Interstate 75, especially at Oh! Kentucky RV Park and Walnut Meadow, which serve as good stopover points. Several visitors mentioned that while some campgrounds offer excellent facilities for children, including swimming pools, playgrounds and mini-golf, others provide a more natural experience with hiking trails and creek access. Tent campers particularly appreciate the wooded sites at Turkey Foot and S-Tree campgrounds, making Bighill camping a practical choice for both overnight travelers and those seeking a longer stay. Reviews consistently mention the friendly staff at local campgrounds, though some note that sites can be small and closely spaced, particularly at more developed facilities.
Best Campgrounds near Bighill (101)
1. Oh! Kentucky RV Park & Campground
"Great pull-thru site, we were able to stay connected and seconds away from the freeway. Site 61 is awesome!"
"Very easy to locate just outside Berea,KY. Arrived late, but the information on our camp site was easy to find, and clearly written."
2. Renfro Valley KOA
"Big hill to get up to the KOA. Almost all paths are gravel. If it were totally full it would be tight between many spaces. Overall nice campground good location could drive 30-45 for things to do."
"Campground entrance is a pretty big hill. Signs to direct you to the office, but office can be hard to find. Host drove us to campsite. I have. 33 foot trailer and my sites 22-25 are on a hill."
3. HomeGrown HideAways
"The outhouse was perfectly clean, but there were flush toilets available if you took a little walk. This place is amazing lots of room to take walks and even a good, challenging mile or so hike."
"Nestled in a narrow valley between high ridges of The Knobs, this campground gives the feel of secluded country living with your own trails and creeks to explore."
from $15 - $75 / night
Check Availability4. Turkey Foot Campground
"There’s a privy near the campsites and a creek the runs nearby. All sites have fire rings and lamp post along with picnic tables."
"Beautiful remote location. Great moderate hiking trails. Clean 🚻."
5. Fort Boonesborough State Park Campground
"We really liked this campground and kayaking on the Kentucky River is great. Tons of activities for the kids and even adults."
"Fort Boonesborough SP is near I64 and I75 Between Lexington and Richmond , Ky. The Kentucky River is adjacent. I remember watching Daniel Boone in black and white when I was a kid."
from $41 - $47 / night
Check Availability6. S-Tree Campground
"A very well-developed camping area that caters to the off-road community. There are 2 loops for camping; loop B is still being upgraded."
"They aren't right next to the fireplace shelter, rather just around the corner. Had the place completely to myself on a thursday night/friday morning."
7. Lago Linda Hideaway
"This big campground is a hidden gem near Red River Gorge. The road getting to the campsite is mostly one lane so is you are in an RV, go slow."
"The trail around the lake was very nice, short but hilly so a good morning walk. It rained the first evening which led to some pretty little waterfalls the next day."
from $12 - $999 / night
Check Availability8. NICURA RANCH
from $150 - $300 / night
Check Availability10. Walnut Meadow RV Park
Drive Time
- 41 min from Lexington, KY
- 1 hr 40 min from Louisville, KY
- 1 hr 59 min from Elizabethtown, KY
- 2 hrs 29 min from Morristown, TN
Recent Camping Photos near Bighill, KY
199 Photos of 101 Bighill Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Recent Reviews near Bighill, KY
647 Reviews of 101 Bighill Campgrounds
Sarah J.
GuideOh! Kentucky RV Park & Campground
Nice clean 2 night stop
This is somewhat of a RV parking lot with level gravel sites with electric, sewer, and water. Some lots have trees. Ours did not. Park has pool, clean bathrooms and showers, laundry. People are friendly. The shop has multiple convenience items. They offer propane and have a kerosene tank too. It’s about 30 mins to Lexington. We have a 35’ travel trailer
- KKatlyn H.Guide
Laurel Lake Camping Resort
Beautiful Grounds
The bathrooms are very clean well lit.
- KKatlyn H.Guide
Laurel Lake Camping Resort
Family oriented
The place is full of activities for all of the family. A nice list of amenities including fishing kayaking playgrounds and disc golf.
Luke M.ScoutMiddle Fork Campground — Natural Bridge State Resort Park
Great hiking but the campground is kinda meh
I’m glad we visited this park but I feel like calling it a “resort park” is pushing it. We visited Silver Springs State Park in Florida, and Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia and their amenities were much better.
Pros:
- The trails are beautiful. Natural Bridge, Chimney Rock, Princess Arch, and Grey’s Arch were all wonderful.
- The staff seems nice and willing to help
- There is a restaurant in the park and it has decent prices
Cons:
- The dryer near the bathroom was non-functional. It had a sign-up noting that it didn’t work so I know that staff knew about it. Despite that, it was not repaired during our several day trip.
- The dump station is on the main entrance to the Middle Fork Campground and it is on the right side of the road. This means you have to stop in the middle of the oncoming lane to dump your tanks. It is a really weird layout.
- The bathrooms could used better cleaning. My wife noticed pee stains on one of the toilets and it present for several days on our trip which indicates they weren’t being cleaned very well.
- The
Other thoughts:
- Site B35 is weird because you have back in past several sites to get into it. We have a camper van with a 360 cameras so this isn’t too bad for us, but it would be a pain if you had a larger rig.
Raul C.GuideCummins Ferry RV Park, Campground on the Kentucky River
Beautiful place
Fantastic experience very well maintained lots of activities decent WiFi. Friendly staff great communication. Will comeback 100%
Kate E.ScoutKoomer Ridge Campground — Daniel Boone National Forest
Really nice walk to site!
Our site was down a path about 60 steps from our parking space. The tent site area was rocky. We always use small rug runner next to our air mattress in our tent, which was a must for this site. It rained before we arrived, so we saw where water would pool near the front of the tent pad (this was two steps up from the rest of the campsite) so we set up our ten near the back. Nice big picnic table and fire pit.
Very private site with huge trees. Being August and down in a valley meant very little wind at the site so it was quite muggy as expected. Pit toilets nearby were fine. Wish there would have been a hook for our light at night. Full bathrooms were in the main loop of the campground. They were fine, not the worst we've experienced, but not the best either.
Tons of great hiking nearby (within 20 minutes or so). There was also a nice trail just off the campground near our site.
- Nan N.Guide
Levi Jackson Wilderness State Park Campground
Very clean, beautiful park with lots of amenities
The sites are pretty spacious, varying degrees of level, but the park is well maintained with beautiful flowers, clean bath houses, friendly staff. I'm disappointed we were just doing an overnight here as I would have liked to have gone to the pool and done some hiking. Overall a great experience. I was a little concerned when the youngsters in the park were still running amok at 10:15pm, but then realized quiet hour isn't until 11... and little later than I would have preferred, but they were having fun and things did get quiet around 10:30pm. If you don't want that, I might suggest not picking a site right across from the main playground. I would definitely stay here again. They also have a couple of adorable cottages available too.
Sigrid M.ScoutCummins Ferry RV Park, Campground on the Kentucky River
Very dangerous to access
CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This campground has a very steep incline/decline to get to the campground. The reason you cannot come onto the property before 2 pm is that the road leading to the campground makes it very dangerous for two RV's to pass which the operators don't tell you. Instead they charge you$25 and yell at you if you come to their property before 2 pm. Their email only refers to entering their property not to the road leading to the property. There is no sign on the country road leading to the property so you never know when the reduced street size and incline/decline starts. VERY DANGEROUS!!!!!! I ALSO CONTACTED THE COUNTY AS THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER ALLOWED THIS CAMPGROUND WITHOUT SOME TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO AVOID THAT TWO RV'S PASS EACH OTHER AT ANY TIME.
Also they seemed to have sewer issues as we could not leave our sewer access open as it stank to much.
Guide to Bighill
Dispersed camping opportunities around Bighill, Kentucky are available within Daniel Boone National Forest, which covers over 708,000 acres of eastern Kentucky terrain. Access points near Bighill range from 800 to 1,300 feet in elevation with moderate temperature variations between seasons. Most primitive camping sites require visitors to follow Leave No Trace principles and position campsites at least 300 feet from water sources.
What to do
**Fishing access: At Lago Linda Hideaway, visitors can fish the on-site lake with proper permits. "Fishing is allowed with a permit in the lake," notes reviewer Heather K., who adds that life jackets are available for campers' use.
Trail exploration: The Turkey Foot Campground provides hiking options for various skill levels. "We stumbled upon the campground here—didn't know there was one! Small campground, less than 20 sites, and it is not a busy campground," shares Sara S., who mentions discovering the trail system as their primary reason for visiting.
Historical sites: Visit Fort Boonesborough State Park for a glimpse into frontier history. "The Fort was VERY cool. If my kids were still at home this would definitely be a field trip location," explains reviewer Shelly S. The park maintains a living history museum featuring recreations of 18th-century structures.
What campers like
Quiet locations: Many campers appreciate Turkey Foot Campground for its peaceful setting. "Beautiful and Quiet. We stayed here for the first time this past weekend. Awesome campsites and extremely well maintained," writes Matt S., noting the campground's remoteness.
Water features: Several campgrounds near Bighill offer water recreation options. "Since it was so warm, we took a dip in the lake. Our site was spacious and pretty, with plenty of room for our two tents and a hammock," reports Lena L. about her experience at Lago Linda Hideaway.
Well-maintained facilities: The best places to camp near Bighill often feature clean amenities. "Bathrooms were clean. Campsite was clean. Campground very well maintained. So peaceful!!" reports Amy K. about S-Tree Campground, adding that Verizon users can expect limited cell service.
What you should know
Road conditions: Many access roads to camping areas near Bighill require careful navigation. "Entrance and exit are a bit steep, just take it slow," advises Tiana K. about Renfro Valley KOA, which sits atop what some reviewers describe as a small mountain.
Weather preparedness: Seasonal rainfall can impact camping experiences. Matt S. warns about Turkey Foot: "The only word of caution I would give is the low water crossing. If a big storm came through you could be stuck in or out."
Limited amenities: Most primitive sites lack common utilities. "This is a free campsite with no electricity available," explains Wayne H. about Turkey Foot Campground. Campers should plan accordingly, bringing sufficient water and supplies.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Fort Boonesborough State Park Campground offers multiple recreation options. "There is miniature golf and a small store on site. There is a walking trail through the woods to Ft Boonesboro (a recreation of the original fort)," describes Crystal H.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas. "Kids enjoyed the pool, Gaga ball, playground, jumping pillow, and passport activities," notes Tiana K. about her family's experience at Renfro Valley KOA.
Site selection: When camping with children, consider location and space. "We have stayed here many times. Very clean campground. The staff is helpful and friendly," reports Karen S. about Oh! Kentucky RV Park, though she wishes they "had a fenced in dog park" for family pets.
Tips from RVers
Navigating steep entrances: Several RV-friendly campgrounds feature challenging access points. "Campground entrance is a pretty big hill. Signs to direct you to the office, but office can be hard to find," notes Brian about Renfro Valley KOA, adding that staff helped guide him to a new site when his 33-foot trailer couldn't level properly.
Pull-through availability: For easier setup, Oh! Kentucky Campground offers convenient sites. "Perfect over night spot on our way down south. Great pull-thru site, we were able to stay connected and seconds away from the freeway. Site 61 is awesome!" shares John.
Year-round options: Many top camping destinations near Bighill maintain services in all seasons. "Great campground in Berea KY. Easy to get to, just off I75 at route 21... Will definitely return. AND - they are open all year!!" reports Craig C. about Oh! Kentucky RV Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Bighill, KY?
What camping is available near Bighill, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, Bighill, KY offers a wide range of camping options, with 101 campgrounds and RV parks near Bighill, KY and 2 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Bighill, KY?
Which is the most popular campground near Bighill, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Bighill, KY is Oh! Kentucky RV Park & Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 8 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Bighill, KY?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Bighill, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Bighill, KY.
What parks are near Bighill, KY?
What parks are near Bighill, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 30 parks near Bighill, KY that allow camping, notably Laurel River Lake and Buckhorn Lake.
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