Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Bowling Green, KY

Love this campground. It's one of the few in the state where you can camp near the water and keep your kayaks or boat within a quick stroll. It also has welcome shade in almost every sIte which helps during the hot humid days of summer. A beautiful park during the fall with all the changing colors on the numerous trees, too. Barren River Lake is peaceful and serene to camp alongside. Facilities are well kept including bathhouses, park areas, laundry, roads and sites. Pet friendly. Online reservations are convenient. A favorite place just an hour from Bowling Green, KY.

This campground is a favorite spot of ours that is close to home. it is only a 40 minute drive from Bowling Green. it has nice bathroom and shower facilities. Great access to the lake and a variety of shaded campsites. The campground host are always gracious and helpful.

We camp with a teardrop, so every site we have stayed at is spacious and accommodating.

There is access to a boat ramp and a few miles of trails that connect to a picnic area. there is also a playground, volleyball court and ample opportunities to enjoy the lake.

Be sure to check out Paradise Point and The Landing at Port Oliver while you are there!

My brother visits KOA’s all the time for camping. Me, not so much. I have a hard time paying $40 for a tent site when I can camp for free or under $20. 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. My first thought when considering a stay.
I spoke with two of the very friendly and helpful ladies in the office and got a plethora of information. So much so that I’m sure I’ll forget some of it, but here goes;) So first with your fee you recieve (you and all your group) a free game of Minature Golf a day. Next there is wifi and cable available. There is a swimming pool on site and two pay lakes with paddle boats. A dog park and short trail. Depending on the month you visit there are also special incentives to stay an extra night. In May some of your fee is donated to Camp. With a KOA card there are special incentives too and you earn points with every stay. So, all that being said I did purchase a KOA card. Though this is not my favorite type of camping it will come in handy on an upcoming trip and when I camp with my brother ;) I was pleasantly surprised that the interstate noise was mostly not noticiple. There are plenty of trees that help block the noise and offer a lot of shade. We were in a busier site at the end of Abby Dr but it was an easy walk to the two small “lakes“( more like ponds ) and the dog park and showerhouse (with dogwash station) were a short walk away. Not much else to do but a fun enough spot for younger kids. ( no “bears“ to take photos with) and not as many special activities as some other theme campgrounds. This is a nice older campground, worth a night or two visit to get away from the grind for a bit.

While visiting family in Scottsville we were in need of a close by RV park for our 40’ rig. This was the perfect spot for us. With plenty of pull through sites we were able to pick from (since we came early due to forgetting the time change!) The park is very well maintained, the owner was very accommodating and helpful, especially since we had to add an extra night last minute! There is a beautiful pool, playground and basketball court for kids! The place is also pet friendly. There was a cute area inside with a TV, dvds, and books to read or take one and leave one. Also a laundry area inside. Definitely recommend staying here if you’re in the area! It’s also fairly close to Nashville and bowling green!

Beech Bend Campground was a great place for a weekend stop. We had full hookups for $45 per night. The campground had many open spots. The campground was paved and almost every spot had a small grass patch next to it. There were several larger grass spots on the edges of the campground. 

There was a gate attendant 24/7 which was nice. Beech Bend Campground was not too far from Downtown Bowling Green which was convenient to enjoy the city's amenities. 

There was car/drag racing at a separate part of the campground that lasted until 2- 3 a.m. it wasn't too loud where we were(Row 13), but definitely noticeable. $45 is a little expensive for what you get.

Campground Review: Roughly 20 miles from the Bowling Green, Ky I65 exit Baileys Point is a well laid out large campground. A-F site loops boardering Barren River Lake are set mostly in the trees/forest to provide shade and "dampen" noise.

I stayed at D11 and was right on the lake , adjacent to a small swimming area. If I had my kayak along I could have easily parked it at the bottom of the hill like several other campers had in my loop. The sites are close together but not so close that you feel like the neighbors are looking in your windows, lol

Gear Review: As a Dyrt Ranger I receive gear to review while camping. The SHOWERS PASS Crossover Jacket is a great addition to my gear. The bright pink waterproof jacket with reflective "tape", zippered pockets and vents kept me dry while I was packing up in the rain and walking my dogs. I really like the sealed zippers on the front and pockets, the bottom can be drawn tight around your waist to keep the elements out too. The only con that I had was the zippered vents located on the sides of the jacket, under the arm sleeves, let out body heat but my arms were still sweaty.

I wore this jacket previously during a duathlon. During the trail run it was loose enough and moved well with no "raincoat crinkle" noises. During the bike portion it "stayed in place" around my waist and the hood was large enough to use with my helmet with no restrictions while looking around. The bright color and reflective tape make you very visible on the road. I've already suggested this jacket to two friends who also do endurance sports.