Fishtrap Lake sits in the eastern Kentucky mountains at approximately 757 feet elevation, surrounded by forested hills and multiple waterways. The camping season typically runs April through October with summer temperatures averaging 80-90°F during peak months. Fall brings cooler temperatures and colorful foliage while spring offers moderate rainfall and emerging wildflowers across the camping areas.
What to do
Hiking near water: Backwoods Camping & RV Park provides access to multiple water features. "Several cabins, RV spots and grassy tent areas. The staff are very easy to work with - they will sell and chop the wood you need, let you put your tent in any of the open grass areas around the lot," according to visitor J.A.
Creek exploration: Jessie Lea RV Park and Campground offers creek access within walking distance. As Twila B. notes, "Across the bridge is a paved walking trail that follows the creek. Also the town is the home of writer Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of Big Stone Gap!"
Golfing options: Yatesville Lake State Park features an 18-hole golf course alongside its camping facilities. A reviewer mentions, "There is a nice golf course in the park and boating was a popular activity. We had a great picnic on the water too."
Local mining history: Near Portal 31 RV Park, visitors can explore the area's coal mining past. "If you're interested in coal mining, have I got a spot for you. This small park is located across the street from an exhibition coal mine, portal 31," writes Grant M.
What campers like
Waterfront sites: At Riverside Campground, tent campers enjoy direct water access. "My spot was literally on the Shanendoah River. Most of the spots have RVs that folks keep there as their weekend get-away. Tent sites offer electric, have picnic table, a fire ring, and even wood provided for you!" reports Roxy V.
Clean facilities: Paintsville Lake State Park Campground maintains exceptional bathroom facilities according to Kim H.: "The campground has many full hookup sites. I checked out the bath house: it's the cleanest I've ever seen! Laundry facilities are available."
Privacy between sites: Yatesville Lake State Park Campground offers well-spaced campsites. "This is our favorite campground, it's small, quiet, very clean and site are not crammed together," notes Todd C. Another visitor adds, "The campsites are a LONG distance from each other. You won't even hear your neighbors."
Boating accessibility: Carr Creek State Park Campground features direct boat access. A camper reports, "It has a beach with swimming and it was nice. We kayaked on the lake and while it was enjoyable there was a lot of trash in the lake."
What you should know
Train noise concerns: Thunder River Campground sits near railroad tracks. Laura E. advises, "The railroad tracks are very close, so there is occasional train noise." The campground also has limited bathroom facilities: "There is no bath house, just a couple of porta potties surround by a structure with a handwashing station."
Cell service limitations: Throughout the rv campgrounds near Fishtrap Lake, connectivity varies widely. Limited LTE coverage affects most campgrounds, with some offering WiFi to compensate.
Seasonal bathroom conditions: At Carr Creek State Park, bathroom maintenance can be inconsistent: "Bathrooms are cleaned only once in the midmorning. The commodes have a button to flush which is difficult to push. I think young children couldn't push it, so the toilets got nasty and full."
Weekend reservation requirements: Most rv camping options around Fishtrap Lake fill quickly during summer months. Jessie Lea RV Park visitors note, "We needed a spot to stay at the last minute and called the owner."
Tips for camping with families
Beach activities: Carr Creek State Park offers family swimming opportunities. "Great campground with a swimming area" notes Toni A. Another visitor adds, "The beach is nice but a lot of steps to get down to it. Love that the beach wasn't far from our site."
Playground access: Pappy's Creekside Camp provides kid-friendly outdoor activities. "We have been camping at Pappys for 2 yrs now! We always have a great time, the folks out there are so nice and friendly it literally feels like a family reunion everytime!! Kids love the creeks on hot days they have so much fun!!" shares one regular visitor.
Fishing opportunities: Yatesville Lake offers fishing access from campground sites. "A lot of the sites back up against the lake so you have easy access for swimming (and getting poison ivy!)" mentions a regular visitor. Another adds, "The area itself is very pretty and the water is clear with a ton of fish."
Tent site selection: When tent camping with children, consider the terrain carefully. At Paintsville Lake State Park, "The actual tent pad was 11x13 and seemed a bit small but worked fine for us," notes Kelley K. Other campgrounds offer larger grass areas for family-sized tents.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling considerations: Most rv campgrounds at Fishtrap Lake have varying terrain. Chris M. notes at Yatesville Lake: "On top of the hill there is camper sites with full hook ups which is actually quite spacious and spaced out from other sites compared to other campgrounds, but some sites are better than others of course."
Hookup reliability: Check electrical service before setting up at your campsite. At Riverside Campground, RV sites have consistent power access, though one visitor at Portal 31 mentions the campground has "electric hookups and a communal water spout."
Dump station locations: Not all rv campgrounds near Fishtrap Lake offer on-site dump stations. Cathi notes at Yatesville Lake, "One of my favorite Ky state campgrounds. Plenty of space between campsites. Just wish they had sewer hookups..."
RV size limitations: Smaller rigs work best at most campgrounds in the region. At Thunder River Campground, Laura notes, "RV sites have electric, water and sewer," but the campground is "NO big-rig-friendly" according to its listed features.
