Best Tent Camping near Kuttawa, KY

About four miles of winding hills off the paved road. Cleared and not too rough. The site has 18 designed spots, all tiered into the wooded hillside. There is a natural boat launch into Bards Lake. A single Vault toilet and Dumpster as well. The gravel camping pads are reasonably level, each with a concrete picnic table and large fire ring with grate.The hillside spots were designed for tent camping and are tight. No campers larger than 20' will fit on the hillside, however the bottom four spaces will accommodate a class A rig. A fork at the top of the hill provides a space for small campers to turn around if needed. Space number 16 has poor drainage. The area is very shady, a nice deep woods feeling. Firewood must be deadfall or bring your own "bug free" wood. The welcome center at the entrance has fresh and "potable" water, and a blackwater dump. The center also has maps, sodas, candy, etc. Great area to hike, the weird history of the area can be seen everywhere. Hundreds of very old cemeteries and homestead ruins... Att signal was two bars at all times. Overall, a big thumbs up!!!

Located at Land Between the Lakes at the south end. This campground has about 18 sites. You can can camp near the water or back in the woods. The sites have concrete picnic tables, fire rings and gravel for parking and to set up your site. As m motioned, no electricity or running water. Nearest water point is about five miles away at the South welcome center. Vault toilet (one seat). Sites are close but not crowded. There is a small no wake lake next to the site and lake Barkley is 50 yards away. There is also a boat ramp into Lake Barkley a quarter mile away. This is a great site for relaxing and fishing.

Ranger Review: Renogy Backpack at Sugar Bay dispersed campground(dc), Land Between The Lakes(LBL), Ky

Campground Review: Sugar Bay dc is cement picnic tables and fire rings strategically placed throughout the woods adjacent a boat ramp at the end of forest road(FR)140.

There is a porta-john near the lake level sites and a pit toilet near the hill side sites. You can also set up camp in several mowed areas in the same area as long as you have your annual dispersed permit ($30 a year).

No frills camping at its best to include a few locals who look like they live in them there woods ;)

1st night we were there, after we had been asleep for about an hour the local coyotes announced their presence with a rather loud and nearby chorus of howls. Which was then answered on the far side of our campsite by more coyotes. Needless to say the dogs were quite vocal in their reply. We could hear (between dog barks) the pack moving on the hillside above us. I kept a careful eye on the smaller dogs when we went out to pee during the night. The following nights as the campsite filled with other campers we did not hear the coyotes again.

The LBL North/South trail meanders through the area and can easily be found off the side of FR140 about 1/4 mile up from the dc. The trail crosses the gravel road and currently is detoured from it’s original route. The N/S Trail runs the length of LBL from Kuttawa, Ky area to the South end near Dover, Tn. It would be a good practice trail for through hikers.

Also in the area is the Turkey Bay OHV Area and the Wranglers Campground. An off-road vehicle and horseback riders idea of a fun place to spend the weekend. Both with campgrounds and inclusive trails.

And of course there are the water sports on the lake. Another nice feature in the Sugar Bay dc is the ability to anchor your watercraft right next to your campsite after you put in at the boat ramp.

Golden Pond visitors center offers planetarium programs and there is an Elk and Bison observation area along the Trace which runs the length of LBL.

Cadiz, Ky is about a 15 mile drive down 68/80 if you want a taste of the local cuisine and Kentucky small town flavor. Ferrell’s Famous Burgers and Antiques are a few of the attractions.

Product Review: As a Dyrt Ranger I am given the opportunity to review products while camping. The Renogy Backpack https://www.renogy.com/I received is an innovative take on solar power collection.

The main attraction being the solar panel which is attached via zipper to the front of the pack. HOLD ON though , this solar panel can be zipped completely off, flipped over, and zipped back on. Effectively protecting it and giving you access to another small front pocket.

So that being said….

PROS: 1. It’s a solar panel w/USB port for electronic charging

2. It has plenty of pockets for your electronics

3. The solar panel is detachable and when detached it still has a zipper compartment that can hold your electronics

CONS: 1. The backpack is more Urban jungle then Outdoor enthusiasts designed

2. As with any solar unit direct sunlight is the optimal charging environment....not always conducive for electronics, a power charger makes more sense.

3. That’s all I got right now

This would not be a Backpack I pack up and run into the woods with , that being said I would pack it up and run all over town and college with it and will.

Redd Hollow is a Self-service campground in Land Between the Lakes (LBL) with improved camp sites, fire rings, picnic tables, vault toilet and trash dumpsters. Some sites are directly on the water, some are higher up, with great views of the lake.  The campsites are pea gravel based, and while some are smaller and closer together (ideal for tents or car camping) there are a few that are large enough for dry docking a small RV.  I didn't pay attention to whether there was potable water, (I haul mine in) but the Dump Station just south of Golden Pond Visitor Center has potable water.  

The road going back to Redd Hollow is an improved gravel road that is in good condition. Easily traveled in a car, 4WD is not needed.  All sites are first come- first served, so you will want to come early.  At Self Service areas, I drive through, find my site, then walk back to the entrance and complete the registration card, place payment in the envelope and drop it in the "Iron Ranger".   A Dispersed Camping permit does not allow you to camp in a self-service campground.

Further details for LBL's camp grounds:  https://landbetweenthelakes.us/seendo/camping/rules/

Well kept campground offering a more basic camping experience as compared to the larger campgrounds at LBL. Gravel pads with concrete picnic tables and fire rings. Be mindful when picking a site that some of the fire rings are damaged, some are the older short (12" tall tops) style and still others are brand new and have the adjustable cooking grate.

The actual gravel pads that we saw were for the most part in good shape. One or two sites suffered a bit from heavy wash running across them and rutting or washing gravel off the pads.

About half the sites are on the left hand side when you drive in and you can pick from sites tucked back in the woods a bit or sites nearer the water. Farther into the campground the road passes the vault toilet and boat ramp and goes uphill to higher up sites still. Sites in the woods with a longer walk to the lake but potentially better views and breezes.

We found that campers here did not limit themselves to staying on the defined tent pads. They would park on the pads and set up tents around the true camp site. Not a super big deal but it made getting down to the water a little awkward because you had to walk a little too close to someone else's tent for my liking.

The Forest Service could stand to go in and add some of the timber framing or bigger rip-rap bordering around the sites and maybe a splash of the smaller sized gravel to help level out the pads. You do need watch to make sure you get a level site.

If there are say 30 sites here, only about 15 were occupied over Labor Day weekend. Way less than what we expected for a holiday but it was exactly what we were hoping for, avoid the crowds at the larger, more amenity-filled campgrounds.

Last thing regarding the lake. The back end of Redd Hollow is shallow. Nice place to wade for kids. However, when they start pulling the lake down what were water access sites become gravel and mud bar access sites. In the dead middle of the summer the back end of the cove is probably full of water. Early spring and late summer early fall it is not. I suspect you can use the boat ramp year round though.

Land Between the Lakes tends to be very back country, there is very often not any cell service, and you have to travel at least 20 miles to a small town if you need anything (but every small town in western Kentucky has a Dollar General!) so you need to pack in everything you need, to include drinking, cooking and cleaning water. Smith Bay is very primitive, with a vault ("pit") toilet and a boat ramp readily available. Smith Bay is popular for tent camping and often used for launching small water craft like kayaks. It is accessable by paved road with the camp ground roads being gravel and compacted rock, making it available to small RVs and campers too. The campground slots run the perimeter of the area, and are spaced far enough apart to give privacy without being too far from the water front. Some areas are wooded and well shaded, others are in direct sun without shade. All sites have a picnic table and fire ring, are first come first serve, and require a back country camping pass (available at either LBL Welcome Station or Corps of Engineers campground) or you may pay a daily fee.