Are you planning a trip to Central City with your horse? We've got you covered. Finding a place to camp in Kentucky with your horse is easier than ever. These scenic and easy-to-reach Kentucky campsites are perfect for your horse camping excursion.
The park is situated in the middle of 14,000 plus acres of forest. We have a 56 acre lake with pedal boats and row boats. There are miles of hiking trails that meander through the forest. It is a great place to get back to nature. We also have an 18 hole golf course, tennis and basketball court, and a lodge with a full service dinning room. Equine Camping: Pennyrile Forest offers 8 pull-through campsites specifically designed for horse owners. These sites feature electric, water and sewer hook-ups. Each site has its own corresponding hitching posts for up to four horses, picnic table, lantern hanger & fire ring/grill combo. Horse campers have access to all campground amenities, which include bathhouses, laundry area and playgrounds. A new 1.25 mile horse trail near the campground connects horseback riders to the 40+ miles of horse trails on the adjacent Pennyrile State Forest.
ScoutI stayed here and camped for a bike rally. I think you can only camp during an event. And cost is different from each event. Nice place
Guide
This is such a beautiful park. The rooms are dated but very clean. The views here are breathtaking. Hiking trails, paddle boating, canoeing and kayaking and geocaching.
TravelerNice
ScoutThe Pennyrile state park campground is in need of a makeover. I didn’t see any sites suitable for a tent. I was car camping and slept in my SUV so no tent but I’m glad I didn’t have to rely on the sites being level. There were roots and rocks on all the sites. It is quite and relaxing. Electric and water was adequate. The shower house only had one working shower in the women’s bathroom. The entire thing could use a good cleaning and maintenance.
TravelerThis place was laid out and built by someone who hates RVs. Seriously steep compound slopes, tight 90 degree turns, and hookups 100’ away on the wrong side of the site all make this place horrible for anything but a pop up. I saw at least four people worth reservations leave because they couldn’t get into their site. The bath house has one working shower and it wasn’t very clean. The dump station was 15’ from a site so I totally ruined someone’s peaceful breakfast. The hiking trail was a dead end on an unidentifiable paved road. The beach and boat access are gated until 10am. No early morning paddling for me.
Now the good stuff:
ScoutThis place I can't even begin . I have lived in KY ALOT OF MY LIFE .I HAD NO IDEA THIS EXISTED. AND I STILL HAVE A HARD TIME I FEEL LIKE I HAVE OPENED THE DOORS OF A STORY BOOK AND THERE IT IS THIS PLACE IVE BEEN LOOKING FOR BUT ALWAYS THOUGHT I HAD TO GO FAR AWAY TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS OR .JUST KEEP DREAMING ABOUT IT . BUT ITS VERY WELL KEPT NOT TO CROWDED . NOW IF UR A SWIMMER GET UP AND GET UR SPOT EARLY CUZ IF NOT WELL THAT SHUD BE SELF EXPLANITORY LOL. BUT ITS A GREAT PLACE TO JUST GO RELAX MEET NEW PEOPLE OR NOT SOME LIKE THERE PRIVACY . SOME PLACES U GO DOGS ACTING CRAZY,KIDS EVERYWERE..LOUD MUSIC .OR PEOPLE ITS REALLY A GREAT PLACE .STAFF IS GREAT .CLEAN BATHROOMS .NICE CAMP SITES . NICE HIKING ,SITE SEEING ALL TOGETHER .U WONT WANT TO LEAVE ..I REALLY FELT LIKE I HAD A vacation. HERE IVE BEEN ALOT DIFFERENT PLACED S AND ALOT.I IVE NEEDED A VACATION AFTER CUZ IT JUST STRESSED OUT SITUATION. BUT THIS PLACE IS ON MY FORSURE RETURN FOR MANY YEARS ..THANK U ..FOR GIVEN ME AND MY FAMILY GREAT MEMORIES FOR LIFE..
RangerIf you want a campground that has it all, Pennyrile State Park is where you want to be!
It has a GORGEOUS white sand beach with breathtaking blue water. Crazy to see that in KY!
Explore their caves, kayaking, canoeing, basketball and so much more! They even offer a wrangler campground if you want to bring the horses.
A little pricier than others, but worth it.
ScoutLove this place
LegendGreat place to visit. Is beautiful with a lot of walking trails 10 things to do. In summer for swimming and rental boats paddle boats and some battery powered boats.I was there for a fall photography contest it was a little too soon and theirwas very little color. You can camp in tents or campers you can ride horses or enjoy the lake and many miles of walking trails. They also have hotel rooms and cabins if you care to spend multiple nights the beautiful Park and I highly recommend it to anybody that enjoys outdoor Beauty.This year 2019 makes the fifth year tha I've gone to Pennyroyal for the fall photography contest I've also been there a few springs for the spring photography contest. These photos are not the best cuz I took them from the restaurant through a window screen so you can kind of see it in the in the images I'll try to upload better ones later.
Travelerwe went there for the night as we was driving through. they had a girl in there by herself and it was her first day and she didn't not know how to do stuff in there and all he sites are off and not even. so you have to go and stay where the horses are cause that area is even.
TravelerWe like this campground for its beauty and it’s size. Pros: Swimming beach very nice Quiet campground Clean facilities Nice size lake with canoe, paddle board rentals Great kid environment Easy access from Interstate Paved sites
Cons: Sites are very sloped. Worst I’ve ever seen. Major drawback to this campground. Beach is free to public so very crowded and some elements are not family friendly. Prices are higher than most campgrounds. Camp site sizes are small and difficult to navigate.
Summary: I’m really surprised that all sites were paved with such bad slopes. If the state would come back in and level the sites then pave this would be a jewel. Also, charge a fee for beach access to control the rowdy’s from taking over the beach.
Overall a beautiful park that is one of my wife’s favorites.
GuidePros Mini golf on site Nice knob showers - not the push button facets Really nice white sand beach Clean campground and bathrooms
Cons Beach is a public beach so really crowded Sites are tight and most are not level Most are not easy to get into. Only one pull thru
GuideThe sites are hard to back in with a camper, we had to buy longer extension cables and a longer water hose, sites are very close together, the activities were good had to pay for them not very much. The miniature golf course was good but a little expensive. The beach was amazing but it’s first come first serve regardless if u camped there. It opens up at 10am. The lodge restaurant was amazing buffet and the banana pudding was amazing as well. They do serve a sandwich called Hot Brown I guess it known in Kentucky was good.
LegendPennyrile Forest State Park was a pleasant surprise, especially compared to the many state parks I visited in my earlier years in North Carolina. However, when you reserve your site make sure you ask about the specific site’s terrain. Site 48, where I was, was sloped with no grass and had just been repaired. There were a lot of grassy sites, and they were much better. When I talked to the campground host, he was very pleasant and explained that you do not have to have a horse to camp in the equestrian sites. Those sites are level pull-through sites. There is a camp store, although it is small and limited, but they do sell firewood. Not only does this state park have a putt putt course, but it also has an 18-hole golf course complete with pro shop. The thing I enjoyed best about his state park is the waterfront. There is a large sandy beach and a place to rent canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats. Also at the beach are picnic tables, grills, a playground, and concessions. From the beach area, you can hike the lake trail, but it is moderate. There is a good view of the lake from the trail, and if you walk to the left before crossing the wooden bridge, you can see a very small waterfall. Even though you have to drive a little from the campground to get to it, there is a swimming pool and a lodge. Other activities include tennis courts and basketball. Staying at the campground, other than the sloping site, was a pleasant experience. It was not crowded and the bathrooms have hot showers, but I would suggest paying the extra$15.00 to get one of the equestrian sites.
TravelerBeautiful area! Really nice swimming beach, hiking trails, and campground. Paved sites, most with plenty of shade. Campground host very nice and people in nearby towns very nice also. Enjoyed talking with the locals. Only reason I don’t give campground a 5 is due to the very sloped sites. Most are very difficult to level up.
ScoutFirst of all, the drive to Dawson Springs is GORGEOUS. Rolling hills, farmland, trees, really gets you in the mood! Upon arrival, the camp store worker was very friendly, gave us a campground map and hiking map and answered all of our questions. We stayed in the regular campground but they also have a campground for people with horses/horse trailers, as the park has horse trails to go on as well! We didn’t swim in the lake, but it did look beautiful and looked to be a nice place to swim and kayak and paddle boat (which they have for rental as well). The hiking trails are gorgeous and vary in length and intensity. The spot that we were at had plenty of room to spread out and relax. One side had the picnic table and fire pit, and the other side was a grassy area with trees where we hung our hammock. It was stunning! We will definitely be back!
ScoutWe stayed at sight #58. We were on the very corner and even though it was close to the road it was beautiful and not super traffic heavy. There was however a streetlight at the corner and it was extremely bright. We were prepared enough though so we put a dark tarp up on the outside of our tent to block it. I do wish we could have seen a better picture of the site before hand it would have made choosing easier. This wasn’t the best spot for a tent, but we made it work :)
LegendPennyrile Forest State Park off Ky69 outside Dawson Springs, Ky. A newer trail Pennyrile Nature Trail is 13.5 mile long hiking trail, from Dawson Springs to the park. There is also a site for the Pennyrile Trail which is a 75 mile driving loop connecting several Kentucky parks.
The park is multi-leveled with the views and some cool rock formations. The beach has some confusing parking signs, but we figured it off. It was busy and had some loud visitors with loud vehicles and loud vehicles. Not surprising considering the neighborhood it is located in.
The campground has some interesting sites all along the roadway. The campground and horse campground are connected. Several of the sites can be challenging due to not being level or being shallow, but they are workable.
I'm not sure if biking would be great due to the hills but it would be challenging. Hiking and backpacking definitely and of course swimming and horseback riding( on your own horse)
ScoutI love this park! Camping, cabins, hiking, horseback, swimming, and even mini golf. There are numerous trails, and a plethora of wildlife. We even saw a bald eagle within 15 minutes drive from the park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Central City, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Central City, KY is Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park with a 4-star rating from 18 reviews.
