Columbia is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Columbia, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Columbia. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
$20 - $38 / night
"Campground is surrounded by lake. Has a beach for swimming and playgrounds for the kids."
"Easy check in and nice level sites close to the water. The newer section has very few trees for shade. The older section had plenty of shade and nice sites."
$25 - $50 / night
"Mammoth has a campground adjacent to the Visitors Center which is basic except for two sites. There are reservable as well as walk up sites."
"There is a restroom in the campground and a shower house, laundry room, post office and store adjacent. The dump station is next to that facility right outside the front “gate”."
"Has horse camping with covered stalls. Great trails on Green River Lake State Park for hiking, biking & horses. Located close to boat ramps. You’ll be glad you chose Green River Stables!"
$30 - $55 / night
"Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park is right on the Kentucky/ Tennessee boarder and not a short drive from anywhere. It is out in the farmlands, but worth the drive."
"sites: horse sites available. wooded area around campground. semi-private sites. amenities: lake. pool. other attractions: lodge/camping cabins. restaurant. I would go back again."
$35 - $65 / night
"Located very close to Bardstown and a lot of distilleries on the bourbon trail, the campground is great, very small fills up fast."
"My Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground is a small campground, clean, and friendly staff. There is a golf course on site. Plenty to see, including My Old Kentucky Home, the tour was amazing."
$5 / night
"There are about 4 lakeside sites available all with good lake views"
"Cove Creek at Dale Hollow lake in TN is a primitive campsite with lakeside camping. There are water faucets for drinking water and a pit toilet available."
$50 / night
"These sites looked super nice, but many are reserved for group camping and equestrian camping it seemed."
"Nice large camping areas, secluded and quiet, easy access to the trails. Well maintained full hookup for RVs and plenty of room for your horse too."
$10 - $15 / night
"Great for kayaking, fishing, wading, hiking, sightseeing(areas close by to check out), also there are some swimming holes..just have to find them. can camp right by the creek and across the road is a few"
"Love it clean nice people Has water some of the time no electricity sites are well kept has horseshoe pits no stores close by no cell phone service but it does have clean toilets fishing is good"
"There is a short trail near the boat ramp, more for fisher folk then a good hike. It ends at a small inlet. You have a strip of grass to your uphill side to use, otherwise not much privacy."
$15 - $25 / night
"The horse barn is the first building you will see on your left."
LegendWhile visiting Mammoth Cave, we drove through the campgrounds checking them out for family that was going to be traveling here in the next couple of months. These sites looked super nice, but many are reserved for group camping and equestrian camping it seemed. It does seem like some people didn’t have horses too, so there must be regular camping as well. The campground was small, but wooded and seemed to offer some seclusion from others and it was a reprieve from the busy park.
LegendTucked away on the backside of Mammoth Cave NF, Ky, you want to find this Horse Camp.
Not huge and not to small, you can easily bring a small group of friends here for a private horsing around retreat ( pun intended) Direct access to several horse trails in Mammoth Cave. Spend your day riding and then kick back at your site and relax. There is an area in the “back” to park your rig and set up your glamping area. Stalls if your horse likes it fancy. A nice camp store and friendly staff to assist you. We visited while in the area, my favorite thing is the out of the way location! (Check out their page for events too.)
LegendDale Hollow Lake State Resort Park is right on the Kentucky/ Tennessee boarder and not a short drive from anywhere. It is out in the farmlands, but worth the drive.
I drove to it from Cumberland Parkway, a very picturesque drive. The GPS took me right to the entrance no issues like there are with some other parks.
Once there the main areas are very well marked. The camp store has a somewhat useful map that will get you there by road.
My disappointment and frustration was the trails marked on the map. I'm not sure if some spurs are new, not used often or being reclaimed but we would start down a trail that had a trailhead sign and then the trail would just disappear into the weeds or a field with no signage.
The trail to Eagle Point was well used and a good walk to an awesome view.
The Campground is set up in what I call wagon train circles (lol) if your going with a large group it's perfect. People parked their toys and cars in the middle and set up in the sites around the hub.
if your not with a group you will probably have an opportunity to met your neighbor. There is not a lot of shade. There is a pool on site and cute little blue cabins to rent. Newer restrooms and a dumpstation. Tge horse ampground was adjacent to the regular campground.
The Marina and Lodge are at the end of the road and there was a golf course on the way in. Pretty much covers all the bases of outdoor entertainment.
LegendI went to Mammoth Cave National Park the first time as a child with my family in the 70’s. I took my children to Mammoth in the 90’s. And I have lived within 45 minutes of Mammoth for the last 10 years. The only time during the last 10 years I was not at the Park at least monthly was during my deployment and when the government shutdown in 2013.
In all that time I have visited the cave maybe 10 times. Spelunking was the most exhilarating visit. Make sure you check out the tour offerings online https://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/gocavetours.htm well before your visit and reserve a place. If you wait until your visit you will probably have a hard time getting past the cathedral.
All the other visits were spent enjoying all the other things there are to do at Mammoth.
First and foremost is the camping. Mammoth has a campground adjacent to the Visitors Center which is basic except for two sites. There are reservable as well as walk up sites. A store, showerhouse, laundry and post office are co-located at the front of the campground and there are toilet facilities in the campground. I used the access points in the campground to hike some of the trails and walk to the visitors center.
An aspect that I have just recently started exploring are the several dispersed camp sites throughout the park. These are free but you must check in at the Lodge before hiking to them. A good , waterproof map is key.
In addition at Maple Springs on the far side of the Green River Ferry ( yes, there is a cool little two car ferry) is the Maple Springs horse and group site camping area. Nice basic, shaded area with trailheads in the area.
Now that you have found your home for your stay what to do?
Kayaking/watercraft, fishing: several companies work the Green River. If you brought your own craft they will usually meet you at the Green River Ferry parking area and transport you up river for a nominal fee. Check ahead at least a day so they are tracking you and can coordinate.
Hiking, Trail Running, dirtbiking, , horse, Geocaching: My favorite trail run is from the main picnic area to the ferry, with several connectors. Just technical enough to keep you on your toes, definitely not a mountain but the hills and valleys give you good work out.
The Maple Springs Trailhead is the major access point for all things backpacking and horse back riding. It even has a handicap accessible horse “loading” area which is wheelchairs friendly.
If your going to geocache pre-save your coordinates and instructions cause there is no signal in the park. If you visit the restaurant at the lodge they have WiFi but it’s slloooowwwww. When we stay over I always try to do my site surfing first thing in the morning.
If you are dirt biking check your trails, some are limited access.
On our most recent visit we explored the new construction on the ferry trailhead. Pictures included.
Not Mammoth related or affiliated but a few things you may want to try while in the area:
http://www.kentuckywine.com/cave-valley-winery-at-park-mammoth-resort/
Guns and wine, can’t get much more Kentucky then that!
https://dinosaurworld.com/kentucky/
Dogs allowed ;)
http://kentuckydownunder.com/
Educational and fun, who knew!
http://mammothcave-adventures.com/
You will drop some green here but it is a lot of fun!
And there’s more ;) Happy Camping
ScoutSouthern hospitality! Has horse camping with covered stalls. Great trails on Green River Lake State Park for hiking, biking & horses. Located close to boat ramps. You’ll be glad you chose Green River Stables!
LegendLocated very close to Bardstown and a lot of distilleries on the bourbon trail, the campground is great, very small fills up fast. Like most Kentucky state parks be prepared for required extensions to your power and water hoses because with exception of a couple of sites everything is at least 30 to 36' away from your hook up. Beware of site 19 and the site next to the dump station because on the map it looks far away but in reality as you can see in the pictures it is right on top one another and creates congestion on Sunday morning during checkout.
RangerWe have camped twice at this campground. Here's what you should know about our experiences. We tent camped at an improved site, so most RV knowledge on my part is limited. I do know that it is a one lane, paved road coming in (Lincoln School Rd). There is a sign telling you to call before you start down the road with your RV so they can make sure no one else is going to block you. If you are in a vehicle, you do not need to call. When you arrive, most likely, Dave or Rocky (the owners) will greet you with a big smile and a howdy! The horse barn is the first building you will see on your left. You continue on your way and you will see the owners house and then you will see a small shed and a gate arm to the entrance of the campground. There is a call box if no one greeted you on your way in. Someone will either come and collect your payment or they will give you the box code and meet you at your site. All the improved campsites are easily accessed and easy to find. Each improved site has a light post with electric,water, picnic table and fire ring. All the sites are flat and perfect for a tent or RV. The sites are surrounded by a gravel loop, so you can pull straight in and when you leave, pull straight out. The sites are not shaded but the entire property is surrounded by trees of Mammoth Cave National Park. The restrooms/showers are just steps away and easily accessed. All the times we have stayed, the restrooms were well maintained and clean. There is a covered pavilion with seating just outside the restrooms. A perfect place to gather for shade or to get out of the rain. Connected to the pavilion is a room with a tv and is typically used for entertaining. Double J does offer party packages for weddings, parties and meetings. Ice and firewood are available for purchase. There is not a store on sight, but there is a little country store right down the road where you can get gas and snacks. You can bring your own horses and they can stay in the field overnight or in a covered stall with shavings. All the stalls were dry when we were there during a very heavy rainfall. If you don't have your own horse, they have the BEST horses for trail rides! The guide will take you directly into Mammoth Cave National Park. They are the only guided horse trails that authorized to go into the National Park. At only $25 for an hour ride and $35 for a 2 hour ride, it's less expensive than a lot of other places I have been. They also have a 4 hour trail ride available. Since Mammoth Cave National Park is just steps away, you can also easily go hiking without having to drive to a trail head. There is a playground for younger kids to play on. While we were there the owners were fundraising so they could improve it further. Overall, I would and have recommended this place to all my friends who love camping and horses. This campground is maintained by people who love it and it shows! Check their website for weekend events like Derby, ladies getaways, kids day camps and more! You should call in advance for reservations as most of their events book fast and sell out!
LegendMammoth Cave Campground is in the country but centrally located between several nice size cities and right off I65.
No signal once you get in the park except if your lucky at the lodge. We tuned in to WIFI whenever we passed through the Visitors Center/lodge restaurant in the morning.
The campground is primitive, no electric with parking pads, picnic tables and fire rings. There is a restroom in the campground and a shower house, laundry room, post office and store adjacent. The dump station is next to that facility right outside the front “gate”.
There is enough space between camp sites to have some privacy and the trees provide natural noise block and shade. There be critters in the woods so protect your food! You may see deer and turkey, you won’t see the little shit raccoon that runs off with dog toys and any food left out ;)
There are several trail access points directly from the campground. Including two easy trails to the visitors center.
Aside from the obvious, cave tours, there are several other options on how to spend your day and nights.
If your coming for the cave specifically make sure you reserve your preferred cave tour way ahead of time!
If you are coming for the trails, enjoy! There are multiple options. I run the trail near the visitor center year round. It is technical and hilly, not stroller friendly.
The trails on the far side of the Green River ferry have dispersed camping sites and plenty of natural features to discover.
The float down the Green River is enjoyable. If you bring your own water craft several of the companies will drive you to the put in from the ferry parking area for a nominal fee.
Also across the Green River is the Maple Springs group and horse campground, I’m not a horse person but I see plenty of them in the area and they seem to be enjoying the trails and campground.
There is also zip lines in the area, a winery and golfing.
Fast food and Wally World in Brownsville, other touristy attractions one exit up at Cave City. (Ky Down Under and Dinosaur World, plus a Yogi Bear Campground)
We spent the weekend hiking in the rain and avoided Green River, it’s a muddy mess right now.
LegendNice large camping areas, secluded and quiet, easy access to the trails. Well maintained full hookup for RVs and plenty of room for your horse too. There are also several primitive spots you can backpack into, check in with the staff before beginning your adventure.
Horse camping in Kentucky offers a unique blend of scenic trails and equestrian-friendly facilities, making it a perfect getaway for horse enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Columbia, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Columbia, KY is Green River Lake State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Columbia, KY?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Columbia, KY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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