Campgrounds surrounding Owenton, Kentucky primarily cluster along the Interstate 75 corridor, providing convenient access for travelers. Three Springs Campground and RV Park, located in nearby Corinth, offers tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping options within a forested setting. Other established facilities within a 30-mile radius include Big Bone Lick State Historic Site Campground, General Butler State Resort Park, and Kentucky Horse Park Campground, all offering various combinations of tent and RV camping with different levels of amenities and hookup options.
Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, with full services typically available from April through October, though several remain open year-round with limited amenities during winter months. As one camper noted, "The ride from the main road down to the campground is narrow and difficult if you meet another vehicle, but most understand the Check-in and Check-out hours, so it's not much of an issue." Access roads to some campgrounds may be steep or narrow, particularly at Three Springs, which requires caution when towing larger RVs or trailers. Cell service varies significantly throughout the region, with Verizon generally providing the most reliable coverage. Visitors should verify seasonal availability and reservation requirements before arrival, as popular weekends fill quickly at the more developed campgrounds.
Developed campgrounds in the area typically provide electric hookups, water access, and shower facilities, though sewer connections are less common. Campers highlight the region's natural setting, with Three Springs receiving praise for its "beautiful sites but fairly close together. Gravelled roads and pads surrounded by forest with three small streams cutting through." The proximity to attractions like the Ark Encounter and Kentucky Horse Park makes these campgrounds popular bases for regional exploration. While some campgrounds offer hiking trails, fishing ponds, and recreational opportunities, others are more basic with fewer amenities. Several reviews mention the friendliness of campground staff and the peaceful atmosphere of sites set back from major highways, though locations closer to I-75 may experience some highway noise.
$40 - $60 / night
"We decided to come to Kentucky to visit the Ark and the Creation Museum. I found this little campground by joining The Dyrt. Three springs, was the best choice this summer."
"Final approach/exit to the park is very steep. Beautiful sites but fairly close together. Gravelled roads and pads surrounded by forest with three small streams cutting through."
$35 / night
"There’s also some hiking and biking trails accessible from the main turnoff from the highway, so there’s plenty to do in the area if you’re stopping on through or staying a few days."
"we really enjoyed Big Bone. we went to their museum center on Saturday afternoon and walked the Bison trail to see the baby bison they had at the time. it was nice to have something different to do."
"The store was super close by and there you are not too far from the nearest town. Super beautiful and spacious especially since you’re close to the river as well!"
"Nice pull through close to the pool and bathrooms. Quiet during the week."
$36 - $46 / night
"Stayed here for 5 nights while attending an equestrian event at the Kentucky Horse Park. The staff at the park are really helpful & friendly. "
"About 30 minutes away from the Ark. Easy trip on I75, about 30 minutes. Some level sites, but most seem to have a slope."
$35 - $45 / night
"Trails were very well kept, playground equipment looked new and safe, workers were friendly, and bathrooms were clean."
"Great little park located just far enough away to get away but close enough to town to run and get something if you forgot it. Campground is pretty compact but stays pretty quiet."
$50 - $60 / night
"We didn't let the rainy Kentucky weather disrupt our weekend getaway! We stayed warm and dry inside Page's cabin. Uphill trails are spectacular, with plenty of pet friendly areas."
"Very quiet campground in a beautiful place surrounded by trees very friendly personal. Not far from the Ark endounter"
$35 - $38 / night
"I'll preface this with the fact that I am a Lexington, KY Native and have always lived close to the Kentucky Horse Park and Kentucky Horse Park Campground, but have never stayed there until this weekend"
"Clean bathrooms and sites, within easy walking distance to the Kentucky Horse Park. Pay attention to which site you pick- if you’re in c loop, it’s a long walk to the bathroom!"
"Surrounded by rivers and open green fields. Very nicely maintained. Lots of campers even this early in the season! Looks like kids and fishing folk would be in heaven."
"It was a short walk to the beautiful Elkhorn Creek (at the back of the campground). Perfect little spot for fishing (you will need a fishing license to fish, as it’s public water). "
"Nice lake, you are able to fish. Bathhouse is near entry and clean."
"Walmart and eating places are nearby."
$45 - $55 / night
"The campground was a decent size, although we didn't drive around the entire loop. We were lucky enough to get a spot close to the river, so at night we could hear the river rushing next to us."
"Close to: Castle and Key, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, and West Sixth Brewery. Perfect location for some Bourbon Trail and beer hoping! I will definitely go back."
LegendGreat Location for Buffalo Trace, Woodford, Whiskey Thief, Wild Turkey, and castle key. Price is a bit stiff for amenities offered, but nice level concrete sites with stable electric
TravelerThe lady at Bear Creek started out in June 2025 a quiet place with friendly management and their friendly family entire family that all live at one end of the park so no one else can have their spaces a family that causes nothing but gossip and drama that is the reason why I stopped going to throw in dinners and events. The campground itself is a mess management let potholes go all winter long to the point that it was so bad people were complaining. I myself complained, and they acted like they were doing us a favor by getting some gravel and trying to half ass fill the holes the porta potties were out of commission all summer last summer and so far are still out of commission. The splash pad is a joke. The pavilion is just a place with some picnic tables and they have allowed DJ or live band on Friday or Saturday nights where they can all get drunk and act. Accordingly we asked for the owners number to voice our complaints to the people that own the landing at Bear Creek, but management refuses to give the owners information and we had to go other routes to get that information since then they have been harassing us taunting us. They called the police and tried to kick us out without our campers without my therapy cats without our pets without our belongings without our homes we sold our four bedroom house and bought two big campers and this is where we live full-time we will be leaving in April 2026. It is now March 2026 the middle of March and the harassment hasn’t stopped. They have told people things about us that are not true. They’ve been returning our mail just a laundry list of things that are not only illegal, but scary that two people could be that unhinged that they would act this way toward anybody, especially people like myself who have never had a complaint. I never really leave my camper because I have a small business that I run never caused any problems never caused a disturbance and I’ve been here since June 2025 once they found out that we were moving and that we wanted to talk to the owners to follow voice our complaints. It’s been nothing but police and harassment and it’s to the point where I’m afraid to even stay here. I’m afraid they’re going to harm my cats or myself. I’ve never seen two people more unhinged and crazy and spiteful and vengeful as I have the managers that are currently managing the landing at Bear Creek. I’ve never had this much interaction with police officers over managers of a property harassing so badly, knowing that I have mental health issues and using those mental health issues as a threat against me, I do not recommend people come. They stay for maybe a month or two and leave because they realize how awful this place is the gossip the drama there’s been drugs. There’s been a guy that had a knife and was trying to stab all his neighbors, and they found cocaine in his camper. There have been numerous incidents. Someone passed away out here in a strange fashion. This place is a wasteland. It is a routing negative energy and management is childish petty and the most spiteful, crazy, insane unhinged people I have ever seen in my entire life, the way that they have been behaving with their children in their truck driving up to my camper, harassing me outside of my camper, returning my mail just all this craziness. I can’t believe it. I can’t even put together in words to leave this post right now I’m so sorry this is the worst place I’ve ever seen and neither of the worst type of people I’ve ever met in my entire life. Please do not stay here for your own safety. If you’re trying to reach the owners to file a complaint about management the first picture shows you how to do so because management will not give you the owners information.
ScoutExcellent park for small to mid campers. Main road driving in is VERY narrow and curvy. Can be very difficult to pass oncoming traffic in various areas on road as there is nowhere to merge when meeting oncoming traffic. We have a 38’ pull behind and I will not take it here. Simply not safe as there is not enough room to maneuver at all for a camper that size. Beautiful park for small campers and tents!
ScoutThe manager at this RV park assaulted me and snatched my iPhone out of my hand! Are you kidding me?? The video was edited(shortened) because these review sites won't allow anything more than 30 seconds. BUT what was said by both of us beforehand and afterwards doesn't matter. The fact is she's supposed to be the professional and she not only called me a"d*ck" and an"a**hole", but she proceeded to violently take my phone out of my hand and refused to give it back. I ultimately talked her into giving it back but WHO DOES THIS? She later actually punched me in the face. Yeah! Right in the face. But unfortunately, the video started and when she got on me, I guess I accidentally hit the stop button I was so scared. What was I scared of? Because, in the professions I've had, you learn that people are capable of anything. I didn't know if she was armed. I know I wasn't. I called 911 and am going to pursue the prosecution of her for assaulting a person over 60 yrs old, which is a felony. These types of animals do not need to be on our streets much less managing a nice RV park. This all came about because the sewer pipe on my motorhome is only 5" off the ground when parked. The lot she gave me has a sewer inlet pipe that sits over a foot off the ground meaning the feces would have to flow uphill to work. When I pointed this out, this manager said,"that's your problem, you'll have to figure it out". When I asked for a refund, she said no way and started in on my calling me vulger names(she did this several times). What professional person dealing with the public does this? She also refused to move me to another site saying she doesn't have any, but anyone can look around and see the park is not even half full- so, that's a lie. Annndddd, there's more! But I'll be posting every day on this site(and many others), so I’ll address more tomorrow and in the coming days and weeks.
LegendWe spent two nights here and were pleasantly surprised that most of the campsites had probably at least 50 to 60 feet between each one and lots of grass and trees. The campsite we stayed in, 140, was a pull through so that was bonus. Most of the campsites look like they had at least water and electric and I think there might have been some sites that had sewer as well. Right next-door to the Kentucky Horse Park, which is a must see. Very interesting museum and lots of barn with different types of horses in them to visit. If you buy your ticket at the campground, you would get five dollars off the admission fee.
GuideWe stayed for several days so that we could visit distilleries on the Bourbon Trail. Frankfort is almost close enough to bicycle to. Lexington is less than an hour away. It was a great base for visiting many interesting places.
Elkhorn Creek RV Park was fantastic. The sites were clean and everything worked. The staff was super friendly. We stayed in a creekside site so we had a little bit of scenery. It is a pretty urban place, not a state park, so we didn't expect it to be as pretty as it turned out to be.
The pool was plenty warm. The bathroom was clean. The classic rock singer who came in and sang in the pavilion on Saturday night was fun.
ScoutWonderful campsite. They put a lot of time and thought into this property. It’s truly incredible.
RangerI stayed here for 2 weeks while visiting family in the area. Very safe & quiet campground with very friendly staff.
RangerVery clean and friendly state park. Quick stop over but would definitely stay again if in the area. Would like to do some of the trails there
Camping sites near Owenton, Kentucky range from full-service RV parks to more basic family-oriented campgrounds, most within a 30-45 minute drive. The area sits at approximately 930 feet elevation in the rolling hills of northern Kentucky, where summer temperatures typically range from 65-85°F while spring and fall can bring significant temperature fluctuations. Camping season generally runs from April through October, with fewer facilities available during colder months.
Fishing opportunities: Three Springs Campground offers a small fishing pond that's particularly popular with families. As one camper noted, "There is a pond the kids caught crawfish in," making it an easy activity that doesn't require leaving the grounds. The pond is catch-and-release only with no license required for registered campers.
Bison viewing: Big Bone Lick State Historic Site Campground provides educational exhibits alongside living history. "Great Attraction, you can walk the trails and even get the excitement of seeing REAL LIVE BISON. Pretty sweet experience!" reports one visitor. The bison enclosure is accessible via a short trail from the main camping area and offers viewing areas along the fence line.
Educational experiences: Families can explore natural history at several campgrounds. As one camper at Big Bone Lick explained, "This is a small and simple park with a lot of opportunities to learn. There are a lot of little trails the criss cross each other and a lot of informational signs and a little museum." The museum includes fossil displays and information about the area's prehistoric significance.
Swimming options: Kentucky River Campground provides direct water access for cooling off. "The river is close which is awesome and great for swimming. No life guards on duty," notes one visitor. River conditions vary significantly based on recent rainfall, with higher water levels typically occurring in spring and early summer.
Proximity to attractions: Many campsites serve as convenient bases for visiting regional highlights. One camper at Whispering Hills RV Park mentioned it's "Really nice for off-site attractions (Creation Museum, Ark Encounter)." Similarly, at Big Bone Lick, a visitor appreciated that "This park is super convenient if you're planning on going to the ark encounter and the creation museum because it's about 30-45 minutes in either direction."
Clean facilities: Campground cleanliness consistently receives positive mentions. At Elkhorn Campground, campers appreciate the "Clean showers and restrooms," while another visitor noted the "great pool and bathhouse with full bath suites in beautiful tile." Most campgrounds in the region offer shower facilities that are regularly maintained.
Family-friendly amenities: Many campgrounds cater specifically to families with children. "This is a great place to take the family! A lot of Kentucky heritage here!" said one visitor about Kentucky Horse Park Campground. Another camper at Elkhorn Campground shared: "Family friendly, clean, up to date, pool, activities super staff."
River views: Several campgrounds offer sites with water views. At Kentucky River Campground, a camper described their experience: "Our site had a level concrete parking pad and concrete deck overlooking the river. On the deck was a patio set with an umbrella and 4 chairs and 2 Adirondack style plastic chairs with a portable fire pit."
Seasonal considerations: Most campgrounds operate on limited schedules. Big Bone Lick State Historic Site is open "April 1 to October 31," while Elkhorn Campground also operates seasonally from spring through fall. Some facilities remain open year-round but with reduced services during winter months.
Site variations: Campsite quality and privacy can vary significantly within the same campground. At General Butler State Resort Park, one camper observed "Some sites have a lot of room and others are super close to neighboring sites. Heads up to check the map and Google Earth when booking." Another noted that "some of the sites were very narrow, and some had a huge drop off from the camping pad to the grass."
Road conditions: Access roads to some campgrounds require careful driving. A camper at I-75 Camper Village reported that "road leading into campground is narrow and bumpy." At Kentucky Horse Park Campground, the entry roads are generally well-maintained but can become congested during special events.
Limited privacy: Many campgrounds feature sites in close proximity. A visitor at Three Springs mentioned "beautiful sites but fairly close together," while another at Whispering Hills RV Park noted that despite other positive features, "the spots are pretty small."
Mini-golf and playgrounds: Several campgrounds offer kid-friendly recreational options. At Big Bone Lick, a visitor mentioned "There is a pool, mini golf, and tennis plus some play areas for the kids." Some facilities charge additional fees for these amenities, typically $3-5 per person for mini-golf.
Educational opportunities: Families can combine camping with learning experiences. "The museum and gift shop have a lot of educational stuff which would be excellent for a home schooling trip. A good interactive grade school age children campground," noted one visitor to Big Bone Lick. Several campgrounds offer junior ranger programs during summer months.
Swimming options: When choosing a campground with kids, consider water access. At Follow The River RV Resort, one camper mentioned "There is pool access, a tree for shade at every lot, a picnic table at every lot and water access as well." Most campground pools operate from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with specific hours posted at each facility.
Safety considerations: Some campgrounds present specific challenges for families. At General Butler State Resort Park, a visitor cautioned about one particular area: "At site 11 and a few others, they had no backstops at the back of the blacktop pad. If the site was level, it wouldn't have been as bad. Upon setting up our 16' camper, it began to slip backwards down toward the woods."
Leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the region have uneven sites requiring additional equipment. A camper at Whispering Hills noted that "The sites are gravel and most are not level, but not too bad. There is all manner of leveling going on!" Most experienced RVers recommend bringing extra leveling blocks.
Hookup variations: Water pressure can vary significantly between campgrounds. At Whispering Hills, a camper warned that "The water pressure was quite high (70 psi) according to the worker at the campground so make sure to have a water pressure regulator." Most campgrounds offer water and electric hookups, but sewer connections are less common.
Size considerations: Big rig accessibility differs across campgrounds. At Three Springs, one RVer mentioned: "Sites are pretty level, although we did have to unhook to keep truck from sticking out into road. Since the park wasn't full, the owners let us park our truck in site next to us. We stayed in our 38' travel trailer with our Ford F250 truck." Calling ahead to confirm measurements is recommended for vehicles over 35 feet.
Utility management: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups. One camper at Three Springs noted: "I deducted a star from overall and value rating only due to no direct sewer connection. Although they do have a dump station, I prefer to have a direct hook-up." For stays longer than a weekend, plan accordingly for tank management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Owenton, KY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Owenton, KY is Three Springs Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 16 reviews.
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