Mark S.
Scout
ScoutKoomer Ridge Campground — Daniel Boone National Forest
Very close to hiking and most sites are not level but a beautiful area
Camping near Buckhorn Lake, KY
6 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Buckhorn Lake in eastern Kentucky features several established campgrounds across the Appalachian foothills. Buckhorn Dam Campground offers water and electric hookups with both tent and RV sites, while Trace Branch provides lakeside camping with water access for boaters and anglers. Several campgrounds in the area feature picnic tables, fire rings, and access to hiking trails and fishing opportunities, with most sites providing at least basic amenities like drinking water and trash collection.
Access to some campgrounds requires navigating winding mountain roads that may challenge larger vehicles. "Do not take Pleasant Valley Road into the campgrounds! That road takes you on a single lane road and if you meet another vehicle, someone will have to backup. The road is extremely washed out and huge chunks are gone," cautioned one visitor to Trace Branch. Most campgrounds operate seasonally from early May through late September, with limited or no services available during winter months. Cell service varies throughout the region, with some campgrounds like Trace Branch offering no connectivity, making it ideal for those seeking to disconnect. Campers should check road conditions before arrival, especially after heavy rainfall when mountain roads may wash out.
Waterfront camping ranks highly among visitors to the Buckhorn Lake area, with opportunities for swimming, fishing, and boating. Many sites at Trace Branch back directly to the water, though these tend to fill quickly during peak season. The playground facilities at Buckhorn Dam Campground receive praise from family campers, with one visitor noting it was "hands down the best playground for kids we have seen in a campground." Wildlife viewing opportunities extend beyond the immediate campground areas, with the region known for elk viewing. While bathroom and shower facilities exist at most established campgrounds, their cleanliness and maintenance varies significantly according to visitor reports. The more remote locations offer peaceful settings but require self-sufficiency as amenities and services are limited.
Best Campgrounds near Buckhorn Lake (86)
1. Buckhorn Dam Campground
"Nestled in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, this campground has all the things your family could want to do in nature. Check in was super easy and the staff was great."
"This is a small campground near Buckhorn Lake. It is close to the water for boating and swimming, there is a playground, but for much else you will need to travel outside the area. "
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $14 - $60 / night
2. Trace Branch - Buckhorn Lake
"We took Louis Branch Rd, then turn right on 3425, after you go under the highway bridge take the next left on Kentucky River Bridge. After you cross the bridge turn right on 257/Drywall road."
"RV spots are a little close to your neighbor but it was quiet and peaceful. This is a great spot if you don't mind not having a network connection or Wi-Fi."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $24 - $60 / night
3. Buckhorn Dam Rec Area - Buckhorn Lake
"This is a small campground near Buckhorn Lake. It is close to the water for boating and swimming, there is a playground, but for much else you will need to travel outside the area. "
4. 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."
5 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $12 - $999 / night
5. Koomer Ridge Campground — Daniel Boone National Forest
"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."
"We've some spent time now in Kentucky and Red River Gorge area is one of favorites in this state. The campground is good pretty simple."
Check Availabilityfrom $22 - $40 / night
6. Middle Fork Campground — Natural Bridge State Resort Park
"I would rank the Red River Gorge area as the most beautiful place in the Kentucky. Any time I get the chance to head out this way, I do."
"Pros: clean bath house, convenient to SUP Kentucky/Gorge underground, level sites (smaller though) Cons: traffic noise, no cell service (which is a pro for some)"
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $30 / night
7. Carr Creek State Park Campground
"Small beach area, clear water for swimming, but have quite a few steps to walk down to the lake. Playground equipment was taken down, only had a couple of swings."
"The beach is nice but a lot of steps to get down to it. Overall the campground is clean and staff is extremely helpful. The bathhouses are a bit run down and updated or something."
27 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $28 / night
8. Whittleton Campground — Natural Bridge State Resort Park
"Located off I-64 in eastern Kentucky, RRG and Natural Bridge offer a wide variety of activities including hiking, camping, backcountry camping, kayak and canoe rentals, and the area has various local"
"Close to the Natural Bridge trail and multiple SUP Kentucky sites."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $30 / night
9. 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 🚻."
10. Gays Creek
Drive Time
- 1 hr 48 min from Lexington, KY
- 2 hrs 31 min from Kingsport, TN
- 2 hrs 42 min from Johnson City, TN
- 2 hrs 55 min from Morristown, TN
Recent Camping Photos near Buckhorn Lake
151 Photos of 86 Buckhorn Lake Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Trace Branch - Buckhorn Lake
Whitaker Farm
Cross Mountain CampgroundC
Carr Creek State Park Campground
Lago Linda Hideaway
Littcarr Campground
Turkey Foot Campground
Turkey Foot Campground
Lota. Rocks- Land of the Arches CampgroundA
Middle Fork Campground — Natural Bridge State Resort Parkn
Kingdom Come State Park CampgroundS
Koomer Ridge Campground — Daniel Boone National Forest
Recent Reviews near Buckhorn Lake
440 Reviews of 86 Buckhorn Lake Campgrounds
- AAndy B.
RangerKoomer Ridge Campground — Daniel Boone National Forest
Sites 36/37
Koomer ridge is very pretty and quiet. Views are great, we didn’t do anything with the camp store so I can’t speak to it, but it’s also close to great hiking.
Pit toilets are…well pit toilets. The set near our sites were cleaner and newer than others.
Juliana J.RangerTurkey Foot Campground
Pretty and Quaint
No service and I wholeheartedly suggest getting here before dark because driving in was like the intro forest version of The Hills Have Eyes. Abandoned houses and even a cemetery at one point. If you’re into it like I am, this was a welcomed, eerie experience. Only complaint is that the site felt a little “lived” in with random items and trash left behind. For the love of Pete, please pack out your stuff. Found a spot with direct water access. There was a picnic table and fire pit. I arrived after dark so did not explore until morning. The river had cool rocks and there was obvious beaver activity. The massive boulders and Tarzan worthy tree vines made for a scenic adventure that was worth the drive for.
- KKathleen M.Scout
Koomer Ridge Campground — Daniel Boone National Forest
Koomer campground
Beautiful and spread out sites. I experienced bad traffic noise … loud trucks all night. Never ending road noise all day. Maybe some other sites further in are different.
Maddie L.
TravelerLago Linda Hideaway
Quiet, Relaxing Hideaway with Great Ownership
This place could not have been more accommodating. There’s a restaurant that serves all 3 meals! Good for all types of campers - excellent tent spots, RV spots, and cabins. Some of the RV spots are difficult to get into but they more than made up for it with everything else. Would stay again for sure!
- DDrew B.
GuideKoomer Ridge Campground — Daniel Boone National Forest
Nice campsite.
Good place to stay. On the noisy side due to distant highway traffic. Facilities clean but the site was a bit on the pricey end for a walk-to basic campsite. Did have some Verizon cell coverage.
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.
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.
Guide to Buckhorn Lake
Buckhorn Lake campsites sit among the Appalachian foothills of eastern Kentucky where the elevation ranges from 750 to 1,000 feet above sea level. The lake spans approximately 1,230 acres with camping options scattered around its 65 miles of shoreline. Weather conditions vary significantly between seasons with summer temperatures averaging 80-90°F and winter lows frequently dipping below freezing.
What to do
Fishing from your site: At Trace Branch - Buckhorn Lake, campers can fish directly from their campsites. "I stayed here for two night and enjoyed my time. RV spots are a little close to your neighbor but it was quiet and peaceful. This is a great spot if you don't mind not having a network connection or Wi-Fi," notes Maze M.
Explore mountain biking trails: The surrounding Daniel Boone National Forest offers numerous trails suitable for mountain bikes. "Koomer Ridge campground has a great location for mountain biking (what we went for), hiking, fishing - anything really! The Daniel Boone Nat Forest is, I think, at its most beautiful in late spring," shares Erin H.
Watch for wildlife: Eastern Kentucky is known for its wildlife viewing opportunities, particularly elk. "This area is the best place to see Elk in the east! This is a small campground near Buckhorn Lake. It is close to the water for boating and swimming, there is a playground, but for much else you will need to travel outside the area," writes Lynn G. about Buckhorn Dam Campground.
What campers like
Quiet, remote camping: For those seeking to disconnect, several campgrounds offer peaceful settings. "This campground is a hidden gem. It's in the hills, far off the beaten path, and half of the campsites are right on the water. In addition to campsites, the park has picnic areas, bathrooms, showers, a playground, and a boat ramp," explains Damon O. about Trace Branch.
Free camping options: Budget-conscious campers appreciate free sites like Turkey Foot Campground. "For a free campsite this was very well maintained. 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," says David M.
Recreation facilities: Many campgrounds offer additional amenities beyond basic camping. "Very nice playground, basketball court, swing, and volleyball court. We got to fish right beside our camper," writes Martha about Buckhorn Dam Campground.
What you should know
Limited connectivity: Cell service is inconsistent throughout the region. "This area looks to be prone to flooding in the spring months when the snows thaw so time your visit accordingly. There is also no cell service here, so be prepared to unplug and unwind," cautions Damon O.
Road access challenges: Some campgrounds have difficult access roads. "Be aware that one of the entrances is blocked off due to a mud slide so make sure to check ahead for directions and updates on road closures," warns David M. about Turkey Foot Campground.
Bathhouse maintenance varies: Facility upkeep can be inconsistent between campgrounds. "The men's bathrooms don't appear to have been cleaned in awhile and weren't cleaned during my week there. Only half of the toilets would flush," reports a camper at Trace Branch.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Middle Fork Campground offers recreation for children. "We stayed here Mothers Day weekend. Had perfect weather and our tent site was by the creek so we could hear running water all night. It was so peaceful! The Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge area is beautiful with great hiking!" shares Mary B.
Swimming options: Multiple locations offer swimming opportunities for children. "The beach is about 100 yds long. Water was clean and clear. It might be a slight challenge walking back up the steps to the parking lot if you're not in good shape," notes Lee D.
Spacious sites: Look for campgrounds with room for kids to play. "This has ranked #1 for campgrounds for our family this season. Nestled in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, this campground has all the things your family could want to do in nature," writes Marissa G.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: Most campgrounds have varying terrain. "We were on site 13 and it was nearly perfectly level from left to right. It had both 30 and 50 amp hookups and water (about 35psi on pressure)," notes Marissa G. about Carr Creek State Park Campground.
Size limitations: Larger rigs may struggle at some campgrounds. "Access to the camp may be tough for larger rigs as theres a few miles of windy, one-lane roads with switchbacks, drop-offs, and the occasional washout," warns Damon O. about Trace Branch.
Hookup availability: Electric and water connections vary by campground. "Campsites have hookups for electric and water, with a dump site nearby. There are also picnic tables and fire rings, with firewood available to purchase," explains a reviewer about facilities at Trace Branch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Buckhorn Lake?
What camping is available near Buckhorn Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, Buckhorn Lake offers a wide range of camping options, with 86 campgrounds and RV parks near Buckhorn Lake and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Buckhorn Lake?
Which is the most popular campground near Buckhorn Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Buckhorn Lake is Buckhorn Dam Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 6 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Buckhorn Lake?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Buckhorn Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Buckhorn Lake.
What parks are near Buckhorn Lake?
What parks are near Buckhorn Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 33 parks near Buckhorn Lake that allow camping, notably Carr Creek Lake and Daniel Boone National Forest.
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