Best Equestrian Camping near Dunmor, KY

Tucked 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.)

Pennyrile 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)

Pennyrile 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.

We 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!

Ranger Review of Boost Oxygen at Nolin River State Park

Campground Review: Nolin River SP is one of our area favorites. Near Brownsville, Ky and a little off the beaten path. But definitely worth a visit or two.

This is not a huge State Park but it sits on Nolin River Lake and offers plenty of water sports to keep you entertained. The campgrounds were crowded when we visited.

The RV campground sits behind a gated entry and has sites that have direct lake access. Very clean and well maintained, not a lot of shade or privacy though. The primitive/basic area is crowded. The sites are walk in and placed pretty close together under cedar trees. There is a fresh water point and the beach is a short distance away. There are some sites on a small hill lakeside that give an excellent view and have picnic tables.

Obviously the main attraction is the lake, there is a lot of traffic on the lake. I kayak so at times it can be a little stressful when your wondering if that speedboat flying at you over the water sees you. I stayed close to the shoreline and did not attempt to cross the main thoroughfare. There are inlets that are less busy , you will usually see fishermen in those areas and travel is safer.

In addition to the water Kentucky Mountain Bike Assiciation(KYMBA) has built a very nice trail system in the woods. I’ve never hiked the longest loop but the two shorter ones are challenging and fun to hike. Mountain bikers would find them very technical.

On this visit we saw a new privately owned campground being built in front of the park entrance. It will be opening this season , graveled RV sites and a smal basic area for tents.

Product Review: As a Dyrt Ranger I had the opportunity to use and review Boost Oxygen https://www.boostoxygen.com/ last summer. I recently received the smaller version of Boost Oxygen to take with me adventuring. Boost comes in three sizes and the one I reviewed is the mid-size version.

I took Boost along with me on a vigorous hike in humid weather. It was more beneficial due to the humidity then the level of excercise.

Pro: smaller size fit in one of my hydration packs front pockets

Pro: easy to use

Con: filling up those land fills

Pro: it does make recovery faster

Con: for amateur athletes/ sports enthusiasts not really sure it’s cost effective

In conclusion if you are an extreme, high altitudes, low drag kinda adventurer this would be a worthwhile investment into your performance. For me, I can just as easily sit down and take a break, I’m in no hurry;)

First 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!

I visited the Maple Springs Campground in Mammoth Cave National Park for a total of 3 days/2 nights. I chose this site because it was pet friendly. Each site was spacious with room for up to three tents without feeling crowded. The sites were also spaced far enough apart that you never have to interact with your neighbors. Each site has two grated fire pits as well as picnic tables.

The campground offered several facilities such as a communal fire pit and a few privies and water supply stations. Everything was clean and in order while I was there.

Horses are allowed in the campground and you will see a lot of people taking their horses for a few runs around the road through the campsite as a warm up in the early mornings. My dogs did not like the horses at first but they got used to it as the trip went on. Keep this in mind if you plan to bring any four legged friends!

The only downside to the entire trip is that the park is infested with seed ticks and deer ticks. I was pulling ticks off of every inch of me even though I was coated in several layers of hardcore bug spray and my gear had been treated with permethrin. Seriously, the ticks were gnarly.

Overall, this was a great place to stay. I would happily go back if I felt that I had more control over the bug situation. I hope I can learn a little more about tick control and make my way back there soon!