Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Daniel Boone National Forest

Natural Bridge State Park is within Daniel Boone National Forest and Middle Fork is the campground in the State Park. Unless you are a distance hiker you will have to drive to most of the attractions from the campground because they aren’t close. So that’s a pro and a con. The campground is not in the traffic flow but it’s not conveniently located either. My favorite sites are in the back row, shaded and more private. Otherwise it’s a mid size campground that can get a little busy when it’s full. Well maintained. Check out Hoedown Island on Saturday’s , Miguel’s for food and no dogs allowed on the Natural Bridge trails.

Been camping here for more than 40 years, as a kid we loved it, as an adult camping with kids, love it even more. A few of the sites we have stayed in recently are D011, G007, and I008. All were great, plenty of privacy, sites are far enough away that you don't feel right on top of each other but close enough to the amenities (trash, bathroom, etc.) that you don't feel lost in the wilderness!

This portion of Daniel Boone National Forest is peak beauty in the summer, the beautiful mature trees and well maintained sites make camping so much more enjoyable. The camp hosts are always helpful when needed but not overbearing. Amenities are near enough if you forget something, you'd never know staying here that there is a Walmart about 20 minutes away if you forget something important.

Get a site close to the water to bring your canoe/kayak or do some fishing from the shore. This is BY FAR our favorite place in Kentucky to camp. Happy Camping!

Lago Linda near Beattyville, Ky is in the Red River Gorge Area of Daniel Boone National Forest. Lago Linda’s staff is AWESOME, they will go out of their way to accommodate your camping needs. I’ve stayed in the cabins and campground and enjoyed both. The full electric hookups are limited so when you make your reservation make sure you have the site you need for your toys, etc. If your going full dispersed there are lots of sites to pick from. There is a new addition going up in the back with a brand new shower and camping area. On my last visit I discovered the trails within the camp and they are pretty sweet. Excellent for group get togethers check them out!

There are two campgrounds within Natural Bridge State Resort Park—Whittleton and Middlefork. Three friends and I stayed at Middlefork, with a tent site right along the Middlefork Creek. The front part of this campground is RV/hookup, and you have to go over this hill to get to the primitive sites. The bathroom (toilets, showers, sinks) was decently kept (facilities were in the front half of the campground so we had to walk over that hill to get to it). We were able to purchase firewood on the grounds. The sites were pretty well spread out, but if you're looking to hang a hammock, it's not the most ideal spot with the trees tucked away or spread really far apart. We were a short drive from the park/bridge and several other hiking opportunities. The bridge was definitely busy, even at the end of September, but all of the trails we were on otherwise were pretty quiet. You can access some trails in the Daniel Boone National Forest by the Whittleton Campground. Overall, we had a great time, and plan to return!

Stayed at Middle Fork Campground in March 2021, love Daniel Boone National Forest and love the hikes/views at Natural Bridge but the campground is not what we had hoped for. Primitive tent sites are almost right on top of each other with little to no foliage to create privacy. Tent sites are a hike from the restrooms, if you have to go in the middle of the night just hope no one is driving over the ridge from the RV lot, you likely will get surprised! Though the area itself is beautiful, we will not stay at this primitive site again. We have reservations coming up for Whittleton, the other campground across the street, and are eager to see if it is right for us. This is only a short drive for us and a great distance to get away for the weekend. Happy camping!

This campground has it all:)  I picked this campsite as it is further south in the Daniel Boone National Forest so it isn't near the chaos of the climbing that is found further North.  

"Peak Season Rates as listed on website - https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232370?tab=fees

Cabin Electric$75.00 Standard Electric$30.00 Standard Electric Other$41.00 Standard Nonelectric$22.00 Standard Nonelectric Other$27.00 Standard Nonelectric Double Site$33.00

Limit 6 people and 2 vehicles per single campsite; additional vehicles will be charged$8/night; additional campers will be charged$1/night A$5 nightly fee is charged for electric hookups Each cabin has 2 double bunk beds with out mattresses, Please bring your own sleeping bags or other bedding."

We wanted to check out the cabins as they looked so darling.  We couldn't quite tell if the cabins had AC or heat. 

As for the beach, it was a blast and we spent pretty much the whole day there and every day with the heat. At night the beach is sadly closed but if you go up a little more on the road you will find another "beach" spot that isn't closed so you can look at the stars over the lake. 

It is a pain to get back to town in my opinion so make sure you have what you need.