For those who want to experience Dawson Springs, but still want the creature comforts of home, consider glamping for your trip. The Dyrt lets you enjoy a unique, rustic Dawson Springs experience while glamping. You're sure to find glamping for your Kentucky 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.
This recreation area is part of Barkley Lake
Situated along a peninsula between the lush shorelines of Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake, Canal Campground offers modern camping and provides the ideal setting to enjoy nature at its best with family and friends. Visitors can enjoy a stunning view of the Barkley Dam and boats traveling through the canal from the comfort of their campsite. The campground faces Barkley Lake, and the shore of Kentucky Lake is a brisk one-mile walk across the canal.
From water sports to wildlife viewing to hiking and biking, Canal Campground is the perfect setting for outdoor activities. Eagle nests can be spotted throughout the grounds, and its not unlikely for visitors to encounter deer and other wildlife. A short hiking trail allows campers to enjoy the outdoor scenery at their leisure. Fishing is also a popular pastime, and during warm months bass and catfish are plentiful in both lakes.
Lake Barkley, as part of a dam project at the Cumberland River, spans 134 miles along the Kentucky landscape, offering countless recreational activities to visitors. The canal connects Lake Barley with Kentucky Lake, forming one of the greatest freshwater recreational complexes in the country.
Grand Rivers, a short drive from the campground, has several restaurants and two public marinas.
$256 / night
This recreation area is part of Barkley Lake
Holiday Hills Resort is your premier resort location in western Kentucky. We have lake side lodging units with everything included for your stay. Full kitchen, gas grill, stove, microwave and much more. All you need to bring is your food and clothes. We have a brand new 50,000-gallon swimming pool, 2 playgrounds, a beach, game room and activities throughout the year. We offer water and electric camps sites that can handle anything from a tent to a 36’ camper. Our lake side lodging can fit groups from 4 to 60 people. Call now to book your family get-away
$43 - $999 / night
$10 / night
Guide
A few sites at a boat launch area.
One large site before the main turnaround point and a couple by the water.
Not a ton of space.
4x4 or awd may come in handy leaving the sites (going back up the gravel hill)
Traveler
We stayed here in our tent. The lady who checked us in was exceptionally nice and the campsites were clean quiet and shady. The restrooms were spick and span. We would certainly stay here again.
Guide
Was the only one there $ 20 with Electricity, what a Deal Steve is a great Host Also had free Music….. Cicadas
Traveler
Stayed 2 nights. Nearly empty, but we’ll kept camp. Best sunsets!!! Lake is beautiful. Many many lakeside spots. Lots of room.
Ranger
We called from the road to get an overnight stop - the staff were super nice both on the phone and in person. When we arrived, the lady who checked us in gave me a coupon for the drive-in movie theater that was literally down the road. Normally, when we camp we arrive so late it’s impossible to take advantage of area attractions so we decided to go and can I tell you, it was awesome!!! The theater accommodated our camper and the food (cheese fries especially) at the snack stand was great. As far as the campground, our site was a bit hilly but we had a nice view of the lake and close proximity to the playground. My kids also enjoyed the pool. Solid place to overnight!
Scout
We had so much fun at Energy Lake Campground. We were only able to stay one night but it was the reset we needed. Our pups loved it too! Bathrooms were clean, electricity worked great and the view was STELLAR! Super easy check in and check out.
Guide
Mostly seasonal and permanent with a few spots for weekly and overnight. All sites are level, gravel with concrete patios and fire rings. The staff makes you feel like a friend immediately. Laundry is 1.50 per machine and the showers are large and clean. Interstate 24 is half a mile from this campground and some of the best restaurants in the area are within walking distance.
Guide
We usually start camping in November since the campgrounds are usually getting closer to empty. This place was packed with people hunting and fishing. The camp sites are so close together that you can hear the people talking at their campsite next to you even when they are talking at a very calm conversational level. People were letting their kids run wild until about 10pm then you could hear a pin drop it got so quiet. However, by 3 am the place starts hopping. People getting in and out of their cars, doors closing and cars driving off in the gravel, RV doors opening and closing, gravel crunching under foot as people walk to and from the bathroom. Two women stood outside our tent (but at their camp site) at 5am chatting it up and opening and closing and opening and closing the car doors for over half an hour. If you can function on 5 hours of sleep and don't mind hearing everything everyone around you says in clear detail it isn't a bad place. The bathrooms are clean and warm in the winter.
Traveler
This MWR (morale welfare and recreation) campground located just outside of the South Gate of Fort Campbell is a convenient stay if you are visiting or working on fort campbell. It is not up-kept as well as it could be. They will mow the grass near the camping areas often but with bagless mowers that blow cut grass all over your stuff (like your hose and hookups.) the creek and bridges crossing them are falling apart and unsuitable for vehicle traffic. I have stayed near four different Army posts at RV parks and this one ranks the lowest.
GuideBathrooms are nice with code. The cost is low. Easy pull through parking.
Legend
Jake from the Dyrt here! Nine Pines has all the glamping amenities you could want, and then some, its not often you find a place set in nature where you have access to a full pizza oven. Check them out and show them some love from the Dyrt!
Scout
Good spot to car camp or park next to your tent. Bathrooms have vault toilets, but were clean. Nice stargazing.
GuideGreat place to camp. Would have liked to stay longer. With my senior lifetime pass it only costs $5 there was firewood already available to burn.
ScoutWe only stayed one night but staff was very pleasant and sites are reasonable size. There is a nice dog park with disposable bags. Our site overlooks a nice little pond. There is a clean laundry facility and heated restroom and showers. We did not need to use the facilities so I cannot comment on those. Campground is easily accessible from I24. We would definitely stay here again.
GuideStayed 4 nights visiting the area. Close to roads so there is lots of road noise. Clean. Very super friendly helpful staff.
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.
Legend
Prizer Point is where I hostess a (Usually) large-ish group of women campers for a looong weekend of festivities. Our weekend themes have been simple (this year I taught Geocaching) to full blown festival (last year was Pirate's in the Cove). The success of the event weekends is largely due to the amazing staff at Prizer, as they accommodate a lot of last minute pleas for changes and help! The pools were (and usually are not) open when the women and I come to camp on our "week-end" (every September), and the lake was already at winter pool this year, but that makes it quite easy to launch a kayak, or SUP. During this stay we were in the "cove" area where Hurricane creek opens into Lake Barkley, on the original side of the park, where there is only water and electric hook ups. Prizer has a "honey wagon" that comes and pumps your waste water tanks every other day or as needed. (The new lagoon area has full hook up so you don't need the honey wagon.) This side is closer to the larger bath houses, with the community room and swimming pools centrally located. When we were on this side, we hosted a Pirate's Themed weekend, with over 35 women participating. One of our participants couldn't attend, as she lost her battle with illness just a week before the event, and the staff at Prizer "memorialized" her campsite for us during the weekend.
Traveler
Extremely friendly staff. Clean campsites with a great view of the lake. Nice pool as well!
LegendI've stayed at Energy several times, and thought this would be a good time to update the review. Energy Lake is in Land Between the Lakes (LBL) and is ideal for nature viewing, hiking, swimming and hanging out by the camp fire. There are four loops, with A being the newest camping loop, B has been converted to all single room cabins, C & D remain unchanged, but are well kept and maintained. The staff at this campground is AMAZING, and very knowledgeable about LBL and the two small towns on either side of LBL (Aurora and Cadiz). The lake itself is man made, and motorized water craft are not permitted being there is a nature sanctuary in the back creek end of the lake, which makes for great swimming, and my favorite lake to kayak through with all three dogs on board. There are multiple access points to the lake with roads leading to the lake from both sides for launching, or you can paddle across. There are NO WATER or SEWER hookups at any of the sites, and the sites in A & B are compacted gravel, designed for either RV or tent, loop D's sites are all paved and preferred by RV's.
ScoutI really enjoyed my stay there. I rented their RV which was very nice, clean and everything was working in it. I met one of the owners - wonderful, very pleasant person. There were places to walk around, roads and trails, that one can walk to right out of the campground without driving.
LegendEnergy Lake campground is well planned, the staff are amazing, and with a little planning, the best option for affordable camping that puts you on a small natural preserve lake perfect for kayaking and SUP boarding. Most difficult thing is remembering to fill the fresh water tank (if you are RV'ing) before you set up!! Electricity is on almost every site (there are a couple sites in a few areas that do not have electric & therefor have a reduced rental rate). Each area has "city" water available at hose bibs located in central locations in each area. Some sites have waterfront "views" with trails going down to the lake, others have waterfront walk in availability. You can also drive to the beach (it's got imported sand deposited there every new season!), and there are several areas to launch NONMOTORIZED watercraft. There are restrictions on this lake due to the wildlife refuge and preserve in the back of the lake - no motorized watercraft of any sort. There is camp fire wood, propane and a very small selection of necessities available at the entry gate/check-in. Closest retail store, gas station and alcohol is approximately 10-12 miles from the campground. This campground attracts a lot of tent & car campers as well as small RV's, and there are almost always smaller walk up sites available if the reservation system says there are no available positions. You will want to call before you haul though, because a few of those walk ups are less than 20 feet in length.
AREA B is only cabins... and the cabins are basically one room cabins, with bunks and a queen or full sized bed, with electric and AC. You still have to treck to the bath house for toilet, shower and the hose bib for water. The cabin basically just provides sleeping shelter.
Legend
Campground has been gated and locked for several years, and as the previous reviewer noted, not a great place to stay. There are NO AMENITIES, NO POTABLE WATER and not accessible by vehicle... you either hike or boat in. The campground is still open for dispersed camping, which does require its own permit, purchased either on-line or at one of the visitor centers.
Guide
I stayed here for 1 night in early April at an RV back-in site#81 on the hill. Water and electric were at the site. There was a dump station, trash and recycling near the campground entrance. The views were spectacular- especially the sunset. I would gladly stay here again!
TravelerQuiet campground. Nice shower house. Quick walk to cave in rock or the cave in rock restaurant. Very few campers. Large open grassy areas. Lots of deer…and ticks. Campground host is really nice but the ranger is a pain
Scout
We were very disappointed to find the bicycle trail in unusable condition. It should have been repaved many years ago. The restroom in the C loop had 2 unusable showers and a 3rd with a broken screen so it was filled with bugs. In the toilet side the windows were closed so it was hot and stinky. Campsites here are not cheap so I think hand soap should be included. There are a lot of semipermanent rigs set up; it's probably packed on weekends. We had a small water view site with a cement picnic table where we could watch a family of very bold squirrels. The store had ice cream, firewood and a few essentials. There was reasonable WiFi outside but the area was dirty and never cleaned. Perhaps if we had a boat or jet ski this place would be a better fit but as it was we left early and won't return,
Traveler
Great primitive camping near the water!
ScoutLeaving the paved road with our 27' Airstream, I felt like this road may be a long one way trip! But then it opened to a very nice campground. Very simple, one clean bathroom, one dumpster, no showers, no water, no electric. But we didn't need it or want it. Just an overnight stay in a beautiful location. We chose site 31, at the top of the hill and with a view of the lake and sunset. I would not recommend others to put their 27' Airstream here, as it was quite tight for space. But it has an absolutely astounding view. We listened to the waves splash against the rocks below. It was peaceful and calm. Only one other camper here in March.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Dawson Springs, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Dawson Springs, KY is Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park with a 4-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Dawson Springs, KY?
TheDyrt.com has all 27 glamping camping locations near Dawson Springs, KY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
