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Best Tent Camping near Grayson, KY

476 Reviews

Tent camping near Grayson, Kentucky provides access to several natural areas within the Daniel Boone National Forest and surrounding regions. Paragon Dispersed Camping Area in Clearfield offers primitive tent camping with walk-in tent sites situated along Cave Run Lake, approximately 30 miles west of Grayson. The Ole Cornfield campground features riverside tent sites along the Licking River with level, grassy areas ideal for tent setup. Pine Knob Loop Campground in Wayne National Forest, just across the Ohio border, provides backcountry tent camping accessible via hiking trails near Lake Vesuvius.

Most tent campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with Pine Knob Loop open from April to October. Primitive tent camping at Paragon Dispersed Area requires visitors to pack in all necessary supplies, as no potable water is available on site. Basic vault toilets are provided at most locations, but campers should bring their own toilet paper. Fire rings are available at The Ole Cornfield and some sites at Paragon, though not all primitive sites include established fire pits. Weather conditions vary significantly by season, with summer temperatures often exceeding 85°F and high humidity, while spring and fall offer milder conditions ideal for tent camping. Pack-in, pack-out principles apply at all dispersed camping areas.

The tent-only experience at these campgrounds offers direct access to natural features not available to vehicle-based camping. At Pine Knob Loop, campers report finding "secluded spots up the trail" with hiking routes "easy enough for an 8-year-old." Paragon Dispersed Camping Area provides waterfront tent sites where, according to one visitor, "the view of the lake from our campsite was amazing" with opportunities to observe herons, woodpeckers, and hawks. The riverside tent sites at The Ole Cornfield feature "a large flat grassy area with lots of sites right beside the river," creating a peaceful setting where campers hear only "the river running" rather than road noise. Bear activity has been reported near Paragon, requiring proper food storage and waste management.

Best Tent Sites Near Grayson, Kentucky (19)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Grayson, KY

476 Reviews of 19 Grayson Campgrounds

  • Chris M.
    Jul. 17, 2020

    Yatesville Lake State Park Campground

    Great camping on the lake

    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.

  • Melissa W.
    Sep. 17, 2021

    Grayson Lake State Park Campground

    Good location, ok campground

    Negatives: This campground is pretty hilly. Many of the spots don't have a great space for a tent. The flattest spots are in the middle of the circle with an open field behind them (but then you won't have any privacy or tree coverage). Even the RV camping on the inside of the loop across from us had its front tires suspended about a foot in the air to make it level though. Considering the flat spots are very limited, I don't think its a great tent campground and geared more towards RVs. One side of the campground runs against a golf course. If you're tent camping over a weekend, be prepared to have golfers tee-ing off next to you beginning at 7am. On Monday morning, be prepared for them to start mowing at 7am. The opposite side of the campground sits against a tree-line and therefore has much better spots. Many of the picnic tables are in pretty rough shape. The ones that have been replaced were done with the metal style that is dipped in plastic and are much sturdier. Likewise, some of the firepits are in pretty bad shape. I'd recommend having a grill grate with you just in case if you cook over the fire like we do. The firewood that is sold at the campground is kept in a shed but it was very wet, there also aren't any options around for buying wood outside the park. The office is supposed to be open until 6pm but one night it was closed earlier and the camp host wasn't on premises all weekend so we were stuck resorting to finding and burning downfall to get dinner cooked. 

    The positives: Its a good location and there are plenty of kayaking spots on Grayson Lake. Going to "The Grotto" aka Clifty Falls is a must (4.5 mile round trip). The same boat ramp has a decent place to get in and swim. Lick Falls Loop hike can be done from the campground and was nice (4.5 miles). We also kayaked the Southern portion of Grayson Lake in Laurel Gorge and that was much quieter than the Clifty Falls area. The campground bathrooms were clean. Most of the campsites were a decent size.

  • Chris H.
    Oct. 27, 2020

    Twin Knobs Recreation Area

    Hidden Gem

    We've stayed at Twin Knobs twice now in our popup camper. First time was at F26, second was at F24. We love how the outer loop sites have such quick access to the water.

    Both sites are shaded very well and the sites themselves are huge. We could see other campers through the trees but we felt pretty well secluded.

    Each site has several tall poles with hooks for trash bags/food storage. as well each site has a large fire pit with flip-over grill for cooking.

    The firewood bundles are a bit pricey ($7) at the checkin shack, but I'm glad they are available. we purchased at least 7 bundles to have a pretty much constant fire through the day and night.

    The bathrooms are clean and easily accessible. There was a bit of an overflow issue our first day on site but it was resolved in less than an hour by the loop hosts.

    Pop's bbq was a hit both nights we were there. We ordered carryout (covid) and ate at camp on the provided picnic tables. The Dollar General is also adequately stocked.

    All in all a fantastic visit which we will repeat ASAP. it's too bad they close at the end of October. I bet winter camping there would be a treat.

    Cheers,

    Chris

  • Frank H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 7, 2021

    Sandy Springs Campground

    Nice campground

    This was the last campground before returning home from a month long camping road trip across the country and back. Picturesque camp directly on the Ohio River. Very level. Small campground with about 40 sites. Basically all sites are for RVs and equipped with electrical and water and most with sewer. We were tent camping and set up and a very soft & thick grassy space on one of the empty sites. The owners plan to install dedicated tent sites along the edge of the woods. There is a camp store with most needed items. Ice and firewood sold. Very spacious and individual toilet and shower & sink rooms. Good showers with plenty of hot water. Playground for children. Volleyball for anyone. Dumpster for trash. Great people. Easy to make reservations.

  • Kelley K.
    Aug. 20, 2020

    Paintsville Lake State Park Campground

    Beautiful place, easy kayak launch, clean restrooms and showers

    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.

  • Sara S.
    Jul. 31, 2016

    Paintsville Lake State Park Campground

    walk in

    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!)

  • Mark S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 11, 2024

    Huntington / Fox Fire KOA

    This KOA is a Keeper

    This is a very cozy park tucked in between US60 and I64. We are in site 14 and its not quite level, but they were generous with gravel so the drainage is good! No parking in puddles!The staff is great, friendly, upbeat. The gentleman who led us to the site helped us get positioned, and squared up.The site has a patio, bench, picnic table, fire pit, and a huge gas grill. There is more privacy than usual at KOA, pine trees between sites.Well be back! You do have to watch for the entrance, there is a big KOA sign but its not aligned with the actual turn, so be careful.

  • KThe Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 27, 2023

    Carter Caves State Resort Park Campground

    Exceeded Expectations

    The night we arrived it was pouring rain. After sleeping in the car to stay dry we explored the park. The park really came alive with the rain, which really made the trip. Water was running over the edges of cliffs and boulders throughout the park into the river that flows through the park. The cave tours were cheap and interesting, although the self guided tour was closed due to flooding. We did the Three Bridge Trail which was moderately challenging but worth the unique geology and natural bridge formations.

    The tent campground was quiet but the RV campground was pretty full and lively. At site 110 we struggled to find a flattish spot—the sites closest to the road to the horse campground were much better. The bathrooms were randomly closed one night on a Saturday which was a little annoying. There wasn’t any clear communication of restroom hours.

    It was hard to find firewood nearby, we ended up seeing a sign of a guy selling firewood and we called him. It was $23 for 35 logs delivered to the site. This ended up being way more than we needed and we left some behind after giving some out for free to other campers, which was a cool experience.

    We left for the day on our second to last day and packed up most of the site in the car as we’d be gone a while. When we came back what we left was gone along with our reservation slip at the site entrance. It seems the rangers took it that we left and now I’m out a water jug.

    There was some scavenger hunt race going on too and people would come out of the forest and run through our campsite with no regard to us being right there which was a little odd.

    Overall I didn’t know what to expect as an out of stater but had a great time through the weather and all.

  • Anthony I.
    May. 3, 2022

    Zilpo Campground

    Nice and quiet.

    A lovely campground that is well-maintained and very peaceful. We opted for a site with electricity and it had a nice level pad for our trailer and truck, a fire ring, a picnic table and post for our lantern. The campground itself is quite large, taking up the whole peninsula, there are not many public areas to access the beach for swimming, but there are a few moderate to easy hiking trails and during our visit other than ice and firewood there was nothing available as the store was closed. We were at our campsite at the beginning of May, and I will say be very careful as I pulled more ticks off of myself and my dog than I ever have in my life, so be sure to triple check.

Guide to Grayson

Tent campsites near Grayson, Kentucky provide access to the eastern portion of Daniel Boone National Forest where elevations range from 800 to 1,200 feet. Summer nighttime temperatures typically drop to the mid-60s even when daytime temperatures exceed 90°F, creating comfortable sleeping conditions. Flash flooding can occur in low-lying campgrounds during spring and early summer thunderstorms.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: At Paragon Dispersed Camping Area, visitors often fish directly from their campsites. "Most spots have boat in access," reports camper Wayne H., making it convenient for anglers seeking bass and crappie in Cave Run Lake.

Wildlife observation: The quiet shoreline at Paragon offers excellent bird watching. One camper noted, "Our first morning a heron was fishing in the lake less than 100 feet from us. We saw him catch a fish. There were woodpeckers, hawks and several other birds."

Paddling on calm waters: At Timbre Ridge Lake, boaters enjoy restricted motorized access, keeping the water peaceful for kayaks and canoes. The lake is stocked with bass, bluegill and catfish for shoreline fishing.

What campers like

Waterfront locations: The proximity to water draws many campers to Paragon Dispersed Area. According to Kevin C., "The view of the lake from our camp site was amazing. Very picture worthy!"

Budget-friendly options: Free camping presents a significant draw. As Wayne H. describes Paragon, "This drive in campground is awesome for those who like to camp for free. Right off the highway!"

Hiking access: At Pine Knob Loop Campground, campers appreciate the backcountry experience accessible via moderate trails. "We hiked in at this point near Lake Vesuvius in the Wayne National Forest. Found a secluded spot up the trail," reports Carri D.

What you should know

Trash management concerns: Several campgrounds require strict pack-in, pack-out practices. At Paragon, camper Shari G. notes, "We arrived right after a busy holiday weekend, and found our site full of extra fire rings and heaps of trash. We spent a good hour cleaning up the area, and filled one section of our truck bed with it when we left."

Variable campsite conditions: Not all dispersed sites include standard amenities. According to Lynn G., at Paragon "there are no amenities besides a pit toilet and a few fire rings. Make sure to bring your own water treatment."

Access limitations: Road closures can affect campsite availability seasonally. One camper reported, "June 2019 was not able to access the campsite due to a gate blocking the road" at Paragon Dispersed Area.

Vault toilet maintenance: At Timbre Ridge Lake, Kenda A. observed, "The vault toilet had not been cleaned recently, nor had trash been emptied," suggesting campers should bring their own sanitation supplies.

Tips for camping with families

Trail difficulty assessment: When hiking with children at Wayne National Forest trails, parents report that most paths near camping areas are manageable for school-age children. One parent noted trails were "easy enough for an 8 year old!"

Wildlife safety education: Proper food storage is essential in these areas. Sandra M. warns, "If you leave food and garbage out you will attract Bears. Always remember we are in their home so yes they will come for food!"

Night sounds preparation: For families camping near fishing areas, prepare for occasional nighttime activity. At Timbre Ridge Lake, Kenda reported, "There were fishermen coming and going several times through the night."

Tips from RVers

Solar power benefits: For those with small travel trailers, solar equipment offers advantages at primitive sites. One RVer at Paragon explained, "There is no potable water or electrical hookups, but with our solar panel we are always ready for primitive sites."

Site selection timing: Arriving midweek improves chances of finding suitable spots for small trailers at non-reservable campgrounds. "We rolled up on a Tuesday night in mid-July and found the campground about ¾ full but still plenty of space for our little trailer," reports Shari G.

Muddy conditions preparation: Bring leveling blocks and ground protection, especially after rain. Lynn G. notes that Paragon "can be very muddy" which presents challenges for smaller RVs and trailers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Grayson, KY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Grayson, KY is Pine Knob Loop Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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