Best RV Parks & Resorts near Fishtrap Lake, KY

Chief Logan has a lot of interesting things to see, including an outdoor animal exhibit, a lodge, a pool, a theatre, and a museum all close together.

Our site was full hook up and very level. There was creek nearby and walking paths all over. We went over to the lodge and was able to swim in the pool and hot tub as part of the price of our campsite. There was solar event with super rare aurora light show for this part of the world while we were there.

We discovered this park summer of 2018 and went back 4 times. This park is geographically in the middle of no where and squeezed in between two states (hence interstate park). Even though it’s in God’s country it’s worth the drive. It’s a quaint park with amazing and friendly staff who pride their jobs and park. It had full hookups for RVs and decent campsite for tents. Bathhouses are clean, the campground is quite and restaurant is clean. There is a small water park for families, nice trails, play grounds, shelters, basketball court, small lake and access to some of the best views in Appalachia. This truly is a hidden gem if you can get past the road to get there. But on a side note for that- they are building a new road to access the park and hopefully it’ll be done soon.

Happy camping.

We needed a spot to stay at the last minute and called the owner. We had two Jeeps with roof top tents, and while this is an RV Park, he has a few seasonal sites near the creek open. If the water is high, the sites aren’t available. What a beautiful place! We wished we could stay longer! Great owners—so hospitable! Free firewood and even had metal rings for a fire. 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!

Camping: As far as camping goes there’s a little variety. 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. There is also primitive tent camping on top of the hill, but appeared slightly cramped. In my opinion the best sites are the boat in tent camping sites down the hill by the lake. The sites also run along a gravel rode that can be used to hike in. All sites throughout have fine gravel pad, picnic table, a fire ring and access to numerous bathrooms of which have a compost toilet and running water for the sink. Camp staff will deliver ice or firewood to any site if requested. Extras: The main attraction is the lake of course which is quite clean for swimming, boating or fishing, but can be a little busy at times. There are a few hiking trails near by, but I wouldn’t come here for that. There is a golf course and I did notice, but didn’t get to check out, there is a place called The Cove at Yatesville lake that has a beach for swimming with climbable inflatables in the water, kayak rentals and among other things. Conclusion: A great local place to have fun on a lake, but not somewhere I’d travel an extended distance to see.

Roads in campground are rough in places. Electrical boxes are in rough shape at some sites. 30 amp kept tripping the breaker. WiFi does not work. Several sites have full hookup but sewer hookups need to be repaired and water hookups are far away.

The Breaks are considered the “Grand Canyon of the south”. Great mountaintop views, hiking, geocaching, kayaking, paddle boats, a zip line, and seasonal white water rafting all available. A few miles from the campground you’ll even find river access with a sandy beach for summer fun. A wonderful getaway when you want to be away from it all. Several campground sections to choose from with primitive sites to full hookup with electric, water, and sewer. Dump stations are available also. There are laundry facilities and bathhouses (didn’t use either so not sure on condition), playgrounds, picnic shelters, cabins, and inns. Each campsite had a fire ring and picnic table. Spots are definitely not level, so bring a variety of blocks—you’ll need them. No outside lights at the sites so when it’s dark it’s d-a-r-k. Beautiful campground.

Stayed 3 nights. Nice level, large sites with full hookups. Close to many local attractions in and around Paintsville. Only drawback was lack of any Verizon signal. Understand that AT&T and TMobile had some service.

Stayed 4 nights in section D. Our site was ok. There were a lot better sites to stay though. Staff was helpful and friendly. We had full hookups. Lots of shade.

One of my favorite places to visit, camp, and hike!! Its gorgeous Appalachia with hikes ranging from casual strolls to very difficult. This park offers all of the amenities, full hookup if you want it or primitive tent sites, a nice lodge and restaurant, horseback riding, and zip lines!!! One of the camp hosts, Teddy, was super friendly and helpful with anything we needed. I LOVE The Breaks Park!!!

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 and they are flexible on arrival.

• decent showers and bathrooms
• reasonable prices
• quiet nights (other than woodland animals)
• safe place - no issues with safety or security while we were there
• close to Hatfield McCoy off-road/ATV trails but there are other things to do in the area.

I stayed at Chief Logan for 3-days and 2-nights and didn’t get to do or see everything I wanted to experience at this wonderful WV State Park, so it’s worth an extended stay. 

Chief Logan has 26 level RV camping spots with water and electricity at all sites and a sewer connection at about half of them. The park also has a large open field for group camping or enough space for about 40 to 50 individual tents for those who prefer a more primitive experience. No water or electricity at the primitive campground, but you’re within walking distance of the main bathhouse which was nice and clean during my stay.   Here's a link for an interactive map of the Chief Logan campground where there's cell phone service for both AT&T and Verizon customers.

When you check-in at the park headquarters, make sure you visit the adjoining museum which gives you some background on the local coal industry and the hardy settlers who clashed with the American Indians when this area was still used as their hunting grounds. The gift shop has a variety of souvenirs with their#1 best sellers tied to alleged sightings of “Big Foot,” not Chief Logan… Lol… 

Chief Logan State Park has lots of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. I hiked the Coal Mine Trail with remnants of the coal industry decaying in the forest, then continued on the Wilderness Trail which gives you a nice view of the surrounding mountains. I was super impressed by the maintenance staff when I reported offensive graffiti on the Guyandotte Beauty Trail and a crew hiked into the woods and painted over it before I even had time to show my photos to Superintendent Bruce Collinsworth.

There are a variety of shelters and playgrounds scattered throughout the nearly 4,000 acre forest so you can spread out and enjoy the park without feeling like you’re fighting any crowds. 

I didn’t get to try the Chief Logan swimming pool, but it looked amazing with a giant slide, high dive and kiddie pool. There's also a stocked fishing pond in this park.

There’s a small wildlife center where you can see bears, bobcats and raptors in enclosures for a$2.00 donation. The caretaker helped me get some nice photos of the bears by putting some honey and peanut butter on the fence around their enclosure. You won’t have to pay a dime to see deer. I spotted dozens of does, bucks and fawns during my stay, so keep your eyes peeled because they don’t seem terribly cautious around people or cars. 

I should add that nearly 100 elk have recently been reintroduced in and around Chief Logan State Park. I didn’t see any elk during my visit, but I plan a return trip in the fall when naturalist Lauren Cole offers tours during the mating season. 

I can’t write a Chief Logan State Park review without mentioning the outdoor theater. Actors had just wrapped a sold-out run of “Deadly Divide” about the bloody history of the Hatfields and McCoys and were practicing for the “Lion King, Jr.” Chief Logan also has an entertainment venue called“Pickin’ In The Park,” where you can hear some local bluegrass music on the weekends. 

Chief Logan also has a really nice lodge and some new deluxe cabins about 2-miles from the main portion of this state park. The lodge has a restaurant and conference rooms, plus there’s a modern recreational center nearby which includes a heated indoor swimming pool, weight room, tennis courts, and elevated walking track. Admission to the rec center is free for lodge guests, but campers can also use the facility for$10/day or$32/month for a family of four… Deal! 

So why is such a grandiose state park located in the middle of Lincoln County, WV, where the decline of the coal industry has left many in poverty? Former WV Governor Earl Ray Tomblin is from Lincoln County, so he made sure big bucks where channeled into his home turf, including a nerve jangling connector road that links the main portion of Chief Logan State Park to the lodge and rec center. This road, named “Tomblin Drive,” in his honor, is so steep and curvy it’s closed during the winter months. 

Additional things/do to see nearby: The Coal Heritage Trail, Blair Mountain, Hatfield and McCoy ATV Trails, and the City of Logan.

This small park is located across the street from an exhibition coal mine, portal 31. It is in the former train depots former switch yard. Small, with electric hookups and a communal water spout.

If you want to see the history of coal production in southeast Kentucky, this is the place. If you (like me) are a highpointer, this site is like 4 miles from KY highpoint, Black Mountain. If you want a more “natural” site, check out Kindom Come state park in nearby Cumberland.

A few sites have electric hookup, but not all.  You can tell that at one time there was a playground but it has been removed. Decent bathhouse.

Very peaceful, not at all crowded, small campground. There's only 18 sites and they're spread out. There is electric hookups but not water. There is a dump station too.

Very easy show up put your money in an envelope take the tag put it on the dash of your truck pick a spot $20 not electricity hook ups and it’s a very nice campground no water but it has really clean showers

We made a reservation for two sites next to each other and we’re glad we did since it filled up (August). They have full electricity and hookups at all the sites and some have great lake views. The lake was lots of fun (rented paddle boats from the camp manager, volleyball, some other sports fields) and they have an actual restaurant it’s a great family fun camp site, not so good a choice for wilderness solitude experiences.

I lived in the Dewey Lake-JWSP area with family members, until 2002. Currently, I live about 10-15 minutes away from JWSP and visit the park at least once a month, depending on the weather. If you want to mix up your trip besides going camping or doing any recreational activities: Jenny Wiley Theater, mid June-early August, Outdoor Theater, (kinda like Summer Stock); Theme or special dinners at the Lodge, (mostly on weekends), year round; the community/ state park swimming pool is currently being "refurbished" and will be reopening, (hopefully) in Summer 2019. And, speaking of recreation, you can "hit the links" at the Stone Crest Golf Course, nearby.

But, as for other recreational activities: there's bike riding, hiking, boating: recreational, travel, kayaking and fishing types. If you want to do any horseback riding, you have to bring your own horse and gear, but contact the JWSP office first on where you can ride your horse. Better yet, you can take about a 30 minute drive from the Lodge to the German Bridge Campground area up Cow Creek, which is also in the Dewey Lake area, Contact the Dewey Lake US Army Corps of Engineers for more details, (in other words, Google it). Plus, there are picnic shelters in different areas of JWSP, some of them right next to Dewey Lake.

Now, as for camping, you have 3 type choices... #1. reserving a cabin near the Lodge, (and Dewey's, the local "watering hole"), kinda like "glamping", but it's rougher. (BTW, this area and the Lodge are the best places for getting a cell phone signal). #2. RV (Recreational Vehicle) Camping. There is a RV camping site not far from where I used to live, but from my personal experience, call the JWSP office at least 2 weeks in advance before the date you plan to use the site to see if there is going to be anything available on the dates you want, before making your reservation. First come, first served! #3. A. There are tent campsites next to Dewey Lake in various areas around the lake accessible by boat only, which are overseen by the Corps of Engineers, contact them or the JWSP office. Best place in my opinion: Campsite near the Dewey Dam/ Spillway Area. B. Other Outdoor Camping: Contact the Corps of Engineers or the Park Ranger's at JWSP. If you want to see some wildlife also, contact the local KY State Fish & Wildlife office that handles JWSP and Dewey Lake.

But there's some stuff I've learned over the years living and camping in this area, that I think you must know, some of this you might have run into on other camping trips at other parks...

1. DO NOT DRINK THE WATER FROM THIS LAKE... AND DON'T SWIM IN IT EITHER!
2. FISH AT YOUR OWN RISK,,, CATCH & RELEASE! (Personally, I'd go to a pay lake).
3. FCC LICENCE 2-WAY EMERGENCY RADIO (I prefer the Motorola ones, (white & red, also has a NOAA Weather Radio and FM Radio), you can get a brand new one for between $40-$60. The FCC Licence is currently $70, the feds do a background check on you, if you get the licence, it lasts 10 years).
4. BEAR MACE - A BIG CAN OF IT! Not only do you have the Black Bears to deal with, you have the Coyotes too!
5. IF YOU ARE AT A LAKESIDE CAMPING SITE, HAVE A LIFE JACKET ON AT ALL TIMES! You might fall into the water by accident or you may have to jump into the lake at night in case of emergency!

And last, but not least...

6. DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE A MOTORBOAT! NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ON THE BOAT! EVERY PERSON ON BOARD MUST BE WEARING A LIFE JACKET! The Fish & Wildlife officers do surprise checks on the recreational boats to see if the rules are being followed... if they aren't following the rules... you may have to pay a fine and/or do some time!

Very scenic place!! We spent 6 nights here, hiked & biked a lot. Off season, so some of the amenities were closed (pool looks awesome). The campground itself isn't really all that great, prepare for some levelling. We lucked out in the B loop, as a small trail (Grassy Overlook trail) took us to see the northern lights one evening. I highly suggest stopping here for a few nights, an under rated area.

This is a privately owned and operated small campground that's been in the family for years. When I say its quiet, there were only 5 others camping there. 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! Cash or check only. No credit cards even accepted. The small local store across the street offers basics. Bathrooms are clean and there is a shower. Stan, the owner is super friendly and comes around to visit campers. Highly recommend!!!!

One of my favorite Ky state campgrounds. Plenty of space between campsites. Just wish they had sewer hookups...

Older campground but quit and peaceful. Not much to do. No WiFi no tv reception. Campsites are set up were the water hookups at in front of your camper. Bring long water hose

Spent the night here passing through. I did make a reservation just in case but there were a couple sites open. Nice, small campground, most sites are back in but there are a few pull through sites. The staff were friendly and the campground seems maintained fairly well. No wifi and Verizon is touchy. Out in the recreation area I had one bar and LTE though the data seemed pretty good. My site was right at the beginning of the campground. Inside my camper I could only get a signal if I put my phone in the window. The signal was good enough to stream and FaceTime but if I took it out of the window I’d lose signal.

The sites are nice and not on top of each other. They are a nice finer type gravel and mostly level. Big patio area with a picnic table and fire pit. Some of the sites at the front will give you a decent view of the lake, site 18 being the best I believe, I was in site 20.

It’s open year round according to the website. Not sure how big rig friendly it is and I couldn’t find any information on the website, I’d call first. I don’t recall seeing any 5th wheel or motor homes back there.

Overall, very nice campground and I would visit again. There is an 1850’s mountain house in the park just prior to the entrance to the campground/recreation area. There is a fee and you’ll have to check the hours. I forgot to take a picture but the song on the gift shop door said certain days by appointment only and I think Friday thru Sunday they were open for a period of time.

Beautiful place. There is a pool (open 11-6, cost $6), mini golf($3), paved courts($4/hr), and more. It’s pricier than what I am used to in Tn, but it has primitive or hookup sites with bath/shower houses.