Best Tent Camping near Fishtrap Lake, KY

We have been to this campground numerous times. The people and the place bring us back. There are mostly RV's here but we tent camp and there are plenty of spots available. There are about 8-10 sites that are right behind the pool and more sites down a short hill all along the river. This campground accommodates tents, pop ups and RV's comfortably. There is a small pool, but very clean and nice. The showers / restrooms are close by and nice. There is a store to purchase extras and firewood. Great family place to camp. The 5 mph speed limit is strictly enforced! The river is perfect! It's not too deep so the kids can play in it. Fairly easily accessed from many areas at the campground. Tent sites behind the pool have water and electric. If you go on any holiday, there are usually holiday related activities for the whole family. October was great for costumes, trick or treating, fall activities and parties! Many sites were decorated. Summer at this campground had plenty of water activities fun for all ages.

Most campground reviews are from the RV crowd.  This is from the tent camper perspective, particularly motorcycle tent camping.  The roads/lanes in the park are paved, but otherwise where you would ride are lousy for motorcycles.  The "gravel" parking lot from the road to the office and in the RV/electric loop is more like rocks, and you stand a good chance of dropping your bike.  Park your bike on the asphalt drive and walk up to the office.  In addition, the tent parking spots are sloped upwards with some very slick crushed rock and are challenging for a motorcycle.  The office closes at 5 (4 on Sunday and probably Saturday) and there is no campground map posted to see where the tent camping area is. They have copies of the campground map in the office and I suggested they put one on the outside of the office door so people arriving after they close have a map to view.   The tent camping (primitive) is off a paved lane a lot further down the hill past the office.  The sign for the lane says primitive.  Straight up at the top of the hill for that lane is site 6 which is somewhat acceptable for motorcycle parking although you are not going to get good enough of a cell signal there to use any internet apps. You might get one bar to make calls or text.   At the top of that hill, take a left and go up a steep hill to the shower house and where sites 1 &2 are at.  At sites 1&2 and outside the shower house you can get a good enough signal (2 bars) to use internet apps.  The campground does have an open wifi, but it doesn't reach to the tent camping sites.  They should add some directional antennas to extend to that area.  Sites 1&2 are best for motorcycles if you can reserve one of them.  2 has a wide enough turn around that you could easily park a group of motorcycles there.  When you check in you are assigned a 4 digit code to unlock the shower house doors.  If you arrive after hours you'll have to ask another camper if they'll share their code with you like we had to.  Don't bother trying to call the campground number after hours to check in or ask for a code because you'll just their voicemail.  Bring a hammer or find a rock to hammer your tent stakes in because the ground where you would want to pitch a tent is mostly rock.  Being primitive there is no electric at the tent sites.  There is an outlet by the sink in the shower house if you need to charge your phone.  There aren't any external outlets at the shower house.  There is a spigot outside the shower house, but I did not open it to make sure it worked.  We got our water using the shower house sink.  The rate as of July 2024 is $10.50 PER TENT per night.  There is no discount for only using one site with several tents.  We (four bikes with 4 tents) stayed there four nights.  We would have left after the first night, but had paid for all four nights and also didn't want to have to pack everything up to look for a different campground.

Tent camped here a few weeks ago. Been on several day trips to the park. I love the trails, the waterpark and the views. Camp site is nice, but could use some work and an update.

This park is so beautiful in autumn! Even if a person comes for a picnic only a couple of hours they will enjoy the scenery. The hike-in tent sites are nice. I did expect a bit more privacy from a walk-in site but it was not busy when we were there, so it wasn’t a great issue. If it was busy, that may have impacted our experience greatly! There is a nice dock area if you have a boat otherwise there isn’t a whole lot to do (no hiking or anything like that). But an okay place to escape for a bit :) (the photo posted by another reviewer is a great view of the tent sites!)

Absolutely beautiful park. Nice sized campsites. Perfect for tent camping. Good white water rafting w/dam openings daily

Trails: Needs better signage on trail, especially as trails merge. Very steep switchbacks and difficult trails. Trail markers difficult to read or non existent in some spots. Wash outs and downed trees blocking trail common. Seems to be common in VA state parks, most staff had zero knowledge of their trails.

20 minute drive to grocery, restaurants, etc

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!!!

Kingdom Come State Park is a little jewel in southeastern Kentucky! There are 6 tent sites (7 if they allow you to reserve the one next to the duck pond), each with a gravel drive, mulch tent pad big enough for two smallish tents, fire ring, and picnic table. The nearby shelter house provides restrooms and trash cans. The local ranger was most helpful in providing firewood (free!) and offering to bring us water to wash up with or for drinking (there is a water fountain across from the CG, but it wasn't turned on and there is running water in the restrooms). The area is known for bear activity, but we saw none. The surrounding mountains provide many short hikes that can be easily strung together to make for a longer trek if desired. We look forward to camping there again!

We have stayed at Pappys multiple times this year and each time is better than the last. We tent camp and always have plenty of room. Campground is located right next to the East Lynn outlaw trails. The owner and staff very friendly and even set us up with a local group to show us around. They also offer parking and you don’t have to worry about any one messing with your stuff because there is alway some one there! Just an absolutely awesome place for kids and adults.

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.

We tent camped at one of the hike-in (it's a well maintained gravel path) sites at PLSP, #33. This is the first site on your way in. I was by myself with my son and dog so I felt more comfortable being here near the bathhouse. There are raccoons who like to eat so be sure to put your food up at night. The lake is really calm. There are boats coming in and out but not "traffic" per se, no issues at all kayaking and we went out several times. Fishing was good with rooster tails and panther martin spinners (silver), 1/8 and 1/16 oz. The water was down so there were a lot of places to paddle onto the shore and wade fish. There is some access right at the campground for littles to get in the water. I really recommend water shoes as there are some hooks/lures in the water. We never left the campground during the weekend, so I can't comment on the proximity to restaurants but it was only 5-8 min or so back to town. I had terrible phone service with Sprint here. We did have one new camper come in at 3am on Saturday morning to set up their tent and being so close to the entrance of the hike-in spots, I woke up. That was tough. When we go back, I'll pick a site further back up the hiking path and bring a wagon to tote our stuff. The staff at the gate are amazing and so friendly. The restrooms are clean. Three showers. NO ONE other than the tent campers seemed to use the bath house so I never waited for a shower or anything and there were several families tent camping and the rv sites were completely full. It's a really nice and safe place. I really recommend it and look forward to going back. One thing, the actual tent pad was 11x13 and seemed a bit small but worked fine for us.

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!!!!

The campground has some really nice sites. Most are pretty level, but bring some blocks just in case. Some of the campsites are shaded and some are directly in the sun (18, 19, 21, 22, & 23). There was one (20) that you parked on beside the road and had to go down stairs to get to your picnic table and fire pit. We stayed on 15 at the end of a loop, kind of secluded. I definitely liked the loop that had sites 1 thru 15. Ours was further from the shower house (which was clean and typical of a state park), but there was a flushing bathroom at the end of the loop for our use. Nice hiking trails and beautiful scenery. There was a boat in campground closer to the lake. The trails led down to the lake at spots. The boat ramp was just a short drive over the hill and easy access. Fishing was great. We caught catfish, bass, bluegill, and crappie. Hosts were wonderful. We camped in a tent, but will return in our camper next summer.

     The God's Wilderness Campground wasn't much to brag about, but the couple who run this Christian-themed camp are super-religious, good-hearted people who live full-time on Paradise Island.

     Priscella Cline Smith and her husband host a lot of church groups, revivals and Southern Gospel sings, but they also welcome tent, RV and ATV campers looking for cheap accommodations near the Hatfield-McCoy Trail system

     The campground offers tent camping,  hook-ups for RV's, and lodging in facilities with names such as "The Upper Room Inn," "The New Testament Bunkhouse," and "The Vineyard Bungalow."  I went for the primitive option at $7.00/night and camped next to the Guyandotte River which is known for its good fishing.

     They have some interesting oddities here such as the Teepee Chapel, the "Jesus Praying in the Rock" stone, and the "Passion Trail" portraying Christ's birth, ministry and resurrection.   

     To find Paradise Island, WV, set your GPS for 777 Paradise Island Verner, WV 25650

     If you camp here, I recommend a side-trip to Matewan, WV, a historic town know for the "Matewan Massacre" where abused miners revolted against coal barons and their security thugs.  You can actually see bullet-holes and slugs in the walls around town where Sheriff Sid Hatfield and armed miners shot and killed seven coalmine detectives who came to town with eviction notices for miners trying to organize a union.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Great spot in an interesting area, we were here to go to the high point, Black Mountain. Portal 31 is closer, but this is a significantly more natural experience.

6 sites that are tent-centric but doable with a small trailer, there are two additional sites that can be accessed if you ask the ranger to open the gate.

We saw a bear across the valley, so take the warnings seriously and follow the instructions.

No dump station, and the road in from Cumberland is STEEP! We made it una mini van pulling a scamp, so you’ll probably be fine.

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.