Best Tent Camping near Frankfort, KY

Tent campsites near Frankfort, Kentucky include established locations such as Wildcat Creek Farm and Bourbon Trail Campground. Wildcat Creek Farm offers five tent sites along the Kentucky River with scenic views and peaceful surroundings. Bourbon Trail Campground provides both drive-in and walk-in tent camping options, while locations like Mimsey's Mayhem offer a more primitive backcountry tent camping experience with just one site available.

Most tent camping areas near Frankfort maintain basic facilities with variable amenities. Wildcat Creek Farm provides drinking water, picnic tables, toilets, and fire rings where campfires are permitted. Firewood is available on-site. Bourbon Trail Campground offers vault toilets and allows fires, but lacks drinking water and picnic tables. Many tent campsites in this region are operational year-round, though some locations like Boltz Lake operate seasonally from early May through late September. Campers should note that not all campgrounds offer drinking water or toilet facilities, particularly at more primitive sites.

The tent camping experience in the Frankfort area offers varying levels of seclusion and natural beauty. Tent-only walk-in sites provide a more immersive backcountry experience compared to drive-in options. A camper noted that "even on a clear night it was super relaxing listening to nature and looking up in the night sky and seeing orions belt and the moon directly above the river" at Wildcat Creek Farm. The farm setting at Wildcat Creek adds a unique dimension to the camping experience, with friendly farm animals occasionally visiting campsites. Several reviews mention the quietness of the area and the hospitality of the hosts. For tent campers seeking a more secluded experience, the primitive backcountry sites at smaller campgrounds provide deeper immersion in Kentucky's natural landscape with fewer amenities but greater solitude.

Best Tent Sites Near Frankfort, Kentucky (8)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Frankfort, KY

3 Photos of 8 Frankfort Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Frankfort, KY

508 Reviews of 8 Frankfort Campgrounds


  • E
    Jul. 15, 2019

    Kincaid Lake State Park Campground

    Hilly, beautiful and secluded

    My family stayed here because we were visiting the Ark Encounter.  I’m not sure if there are closer campgrounds, but we chose to primitive camp here for our visit.  We arrived with just enough time to set up up our tent and head back towards Alexandria for dinner and supplies at Walmart.  There is not much variety and choices very close.  The RV and tent area is very hilly.  Our tent ground sloped but it didn’t bother us very much.  The campsites are very close to each other but there was only two other tent campers and they were both over 4 sites over from us. The tent area has portable toilets.  I chose to drive to the shower house when I needed to use the restroom.  The shower house is typical of most campgrounds, a few cobwebs but generally clean with shower and toilet stalls.  There are two shower houses for the entire campground.  The lake is very pretty, a few camp grounds are right off the shore.  The only thing I didn’t like was that there was no water spigot in the main tent camp area.

  • Ella L.
    Mar. 23, 2023

    Horine Reservation Camping at Jefferson County Memorial Forest

    Know the flight path schedule for UPS and you'll have a GREAT TIME!

    Tent sites have so many trees surrounding them. If you're looking for more privacy anything off of the loop will do just fine. We stayed at FS1 and could only catch glimpses of other campers, although you do hear and see folks on trails frequently. The ground is SUPER SOFT due to all the pine needles that have fallen over the years. We moved our tent around a bit to get it anchored firmly for expected wind at night... some spots were to soft, but it made for good sleeping!

    Firewood was ordered in advance when I booked the site, delivered to our spot while we were setting up.

    We took our dog and he had a great time(on leash of course!).

    Restrooms are porta-style but hand sanitizer was everywhere and everything was VERY CLEAN.

    Since the camp sites are behind a locked gate there is no through traffic aside from other campers. Very nice!

    Going back this upcoming weekend as well! Camped this past weekend at Group Site 3. You could fit 6 tents here and still have space. Couldn't hear any other campers aside from some jerks at Group Site 1 that decided to start howling and barking around 11pm as well as playing a radio very loudly past 9:30pm. Couldn't hear the radio unless I walked up to the porta-potties though.

    Even with all of the planes overhead from folks leaving town after Derby the tree cover dampened the noise wonderfully. Love love love camping at JCMF.

  • Matt S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 13, 2021

    Hartig Park & Wildlife Reserve - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Hidden Getaway

    This is an awesome quiet campground tucked away in northern KY along the Ohio River. There are 10-12 dispersed campsites with fire rings and picnic tables. No electric, no water, porti potti at park entrance. Would need to drive if camping at the top of the hill or bring a camp toilet. Great views and semi secluded.

  • T
    Nov. 9, 2023

    Hartig Park & Wildlife Reserve - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Great Secluded Spot

    Stayed here two nights. The first night at campsite #10, which didn't really have level ground, so we moved to #8 for night two. Each spot has a picnic table and fire ring. The main road was nice to drive on, but the others were pretty rough. Had spots for hammocks, and the portopotty was well maintained. The spots were all pretty secluded. Great remote location!

  • Heather K.
    Jul. 22, 2019

    Horine Reservation Camping at Jefferson County Memorial Forest

    Close to town with a country feel

    To find the campground, follow your GPS to Horine Reservation at 12304 Holsclaw Hill Rd. If you follow GPS to Jefferson Memorial Forest, you will end up at the zipline & welcome center. Once on Holsclaw Hill Rd, follow the road & signs to the campground until you reach a gate. A 4 digit code is given to you when you make a reservation. The gate gives a nice sense of privacy & security for the campsite. The camp sites are easy to find and well marked with big signs. I was at Group Site 1This site is huge! Just a guess, but I would say around 1.5 acres. About 2/3 of this site is open, grassy field. The other 1/3 is shaded. The shaded area has 3 large picnic tables, water, fire ring & a private latrine. I purchased firewood in advance & it was delivered to our site before we even arrived. The dumpster is conveniently located near this site. The private latrine is a small, open-air structure near the shaded area of the site. There are 2 composting toilets & the toilet paper was fully stocked. The building is partially open the elements, so it was a little dirty (to be expected) but we used our hose and sprayed the floor clean. The toilets are "squatting" toilets. Which mean they are close to the floor (see pic). There are plenty of wooded areas to explore & hiking trails nearby & several great areas for hammocks. The site looks well maintained & had recently been mowed prior to our arrival. There are enough trees & space to give plenty of privacy between sites. This site is perfect for a large group or family wanting to tent camp together. The picnic tables are the large, sturdy kind. The fire ring was huge with an attached grill. There was another fire ring and 2 more picnic tables in the open grassy area, closer to the road.  Designated parking is near the road, which is a bit of distance for carrying a lot of gear. However, since the ground was completely dry, we dropped our gear at the shady area and then parked our car at the road. Overall, this is a great space with unexpected beauty!

  • Melissa W.
    Jun. 22, 2020

    Clifty Falls State Park Campground

    Standard SP Campground

    All sites have a picnic table and fire ring. However, many of the picnic tables are very short which is fine as long as you have a small group or family. The fire rings are very nice and have a good grill grate. Bathrooms/showers were typical: moderately clean with luke cold water. Tent sites were decent (we were pleased with site 117). Some offer a little more privacy than others with brush growth and trees. RV sites offered less privacy but I was pleased with the separation between the tent and RV sections of the campground. The wood they sold was great and they also have ice for sale. The trails were crazy packed the second weekend in June so we didn't do much hiking (however, we've hiked the entire park trail system in the past and really enjoy it). The park is relatively flat so biking is a fun activity. They charge you to enter the park an additional 7-9$ even if you already reserved camping. A huge bonus is Madison, Indiana nearby (4.5 miles away) which has a couple of wineries (and restaurants) and you can also walk along the Ohio River. Overall, I would tent camp here again.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 31, 2018

    Camp on the Kentucky

    Seasonal Campground With Great Pricing

    Something that sets this place apart from others in the area is long term tent camping!! Yes you read that right, LONG TERM TENT CAMPING! For most of those who travel you know they often offer long term services for those in RVs which provides a discount for staying more than a night or two, but at this campground you as a tent camper can find a location that suits your Kentucky home needs on the road for a day, a week or even a month!

    But what does that entail exactly?

    This site is really nice, with level sites for RVs or tents, padded grass which is well maintained, nice gravel roads around camp and a river frontage with views which will make you just want to stop and take in the scenery.

    When I visited I noticed a lot of people staying here near the weekend were visiting to launch their boats and troll the river fishing for what looked like some pretty large fish. It was pretty cool to see some of the people setting up their campground fish fry, and they were even friendly enough to invite me to join, though I don't eat fish so it didn't really work out that way.

    The tent sites were shaded and had several different options, you could choose primitive which is only $17 or for a few dollars more you could have electricity. All sites come with a picnic table and fire ring and a pull in to keep you and your things closely together.

    There was a playground and volleyball, but I didn't see anyone using these when I was there. A small camp store has a lot of the essentials in case your forgot something or just needed to pick up a snack. There was also firewood available, a big plus!!

    This place is a bit older looking in appearance but it is charming and the owner is very cool. I didn't meet a single person there that wasn't just enjoying life.

    TIPS:

    • If you are trying to check in the office has kind of strange hours. They are only open until 2 Sunday through Tuesday, not sure why but call in advance if you are running later than this time and want to check in.
    • Check their online event schedule! This campground host tailgating for UK so you can find a good tailgate party if you plan in advance, right at your campground!!
    • This is nearby the Bourbon Trail as well as so many other places where you will find activities. I was here to check out the Castle (I have attached a few photos) Can't miss this stop!!!
  • Rachelle W.
    Aug. 5, 2018

    My Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground

    Primitive tent camping at My Old Kentucky Home

    The primitive tent camping is located in a grove of beautiful, mature trees. Fire rings & picnic tables are dotted throughout the trees. There is a highway right beside the campsite so you will best cars, but it is not a high traffic area.

  • Ella L.
    Mar. 23, 2023

    Taylorsville Lake State Park Campground

    Stellar Staff, great amenities, good for kids and big groups!

    The shower/bath house is on a European level of well-equipped. Reasonably clean(a little bit of boot muck on the floors but you should be wearing shower shoes anyway in a public facility) Self flushing toilets, air dryers for your hands.

    Well thought out for handicap accessibility as far as the toilet and shower stalls. Hand sinks could be a bit lower for folks using a chair but they do have a low hand dryer and no threshold in the doorway to get over.

    There are windows that look into the bathroom and although they are up high, pervs and curious kids will find a way. Campground should def. frost them but if you have the stall door shut to the space you're using you can hide your shame. A+ on the restroom space. Seriously impressed.

    Very well heated on a cold morning and although I didn't use the shower there were plenty of places in the shower stall to keep your things up off of anything wet. Single use stall and there were several. Door shuts and there is also a shower curtain to keep moisture off of your things.

    Outlets by the sinks for hair dryer if you bring one.

    Campground has hit or miss tent spots depending on how much space you need. We had a 3 person tent, 2 hammocks and a dog and we reserved spot 8 on the primitive loop and had more than enough room. There was a fire ring(one at every site) and two picnic tables. This spot, as most of them appeared to have enough room for at least 2 very large tents and a dining fly if that's your thing.

    With the brush cover during May site P10, although small, seemed to be the most private. We were at P8 and couldn't see anything at P10 though the brush.

    If you are looking for privacy, although you are still going to see headlights of cars on the loop road and hear pretty much everyone else on the Primitive loop P10 probably has the most privacy as far as brush shielding you. I would say that everything on the outer part of the Primitive loop towards the back is going to be the furthest away from other people but you are still going to hear everyone else. P6, P7, P8, P10 look the best to me as far as just being chill sites with a bit more space away from others.

     All of the sites on the interior of the loop back into each other and those seemed to be more of the "party sites" the night that we stayed. A lot of competing blue tooth speaker music at very loud volumes well after the quite time of 11pm. Loud music started again at 7:58AM. It was Bollywood music, which was different and honestly kind of fun... we were already awake though.

    Our site itself was fairly even although there were a lot of tree roots. No problem finding a grassy place to set up our tent however. We picked up all the trash, aside from a weird sock, left by previous campers so that aspect was a little sad... campers leaving cigarette butts and plastic water bottle caps laying around. Tree cover would be more than adequate at this site during a hot summer day. Water spigot is next to the dumpster by the shower house btw.

    Bundles of wood were fairly small compared to some other campsites and unfortunately wrapped in plastic but the wood was good quality, dry, and didn't burn overly smoky. There is a nylon strap handle that will be stapled through the plastic wrap into one piece of the wood so if you want to burn that piece you'll need to pry the staples out/cut the strap off.

    The woman working the registration check point, we didn't catch her name, was amazing, pleasant, helpful and gave great directions. She drove by a few times in a golf cart checking on things and didn't hassle anyone. If you ask at the check point for a map you will get a packet of papers with rules and a few different slightly blurry print outs, it's a lot of info and we found it helpful exploring a few of the points of interest in the park that you can drive to. Overall it was a fun experience and although it was louder than I expected when people did quiet down it was VERY quiet and we heard owls all night and what sounded like coyote howling in the distance.

    Super good place for families!


Guide to Frankfort

Tent camping near Frankfort, Kentucky offers a blend of serene landscapes and friendly hosts, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking to escape the hustle and bustle.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Some prices for tent camping range from $15 to $30

Tent campers should check out Wildcat Creek Farm

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find tent camping sites in Frankfort, KY?

For tent camping near Frankfort, Wildcat Creek Farm offers a beautiful riverside setting on the banks of the Kentucky River. This private campground features friendly farm animals including goats, horses, and cows, with hosts who provide excellent hospitality and firewood delivery. The scenic location allows for campfires under the stars. For additional options, Bourbon Trail Campground provides reservable tent sites with toilet facilities, making it convenient for visitors exploring Kentucky's capital region.

Are there any affordable or cheap tent campgrounds in Frankfort, Kentucky?

Tree Line Retreat offers budget-friendly tent camping with basic amenities including water access, making it an economical choice near Frankfort. For those willing to travel slightly further from Frankfort for affordable camping, Mimsey's Mayhem provides drive-in and walk-in tent camping options with a reservation system to secure your spot. Be aware that some locations listed as camping areas in the region, like Bullock Pen Lake and Boltz Lake, are actually just boat ramps without camping facilities, so verify amenities before planning your trip.

What primitive tent camping options are available in the Frankfort area?

For primitive tent camping near Frankfort, Birdsell Castle offers a back-to-basics experience with both drive-in and walk-in access while still providing basic amenities like water and toilets. Another option for those seeking a unique primitive experience is Drakes Ridge Rustic Nudist Retreat near Bennington, which offers a more remote setting for those comfortable with naturist camping. When searching for primitive sites, be cautious about locations like Boltz Lake Ramp and Bullock Pen Lake Ramp, which are only boat launches without camping facilities despite sometimes being incorrectly listed as campgrounds.