Cabin camping accommodations near La Grange, Kentucky cluster around the Ohio River and nearby lakes with sites available year-round. Most cabin facilities sit below 1,000 feet elevation within the rolling hills of Kentucky and southern Indiana. Weather ranges from humid summers with temperatures in the 90s to cold winters where overnight lows can drop into the 20s.
What to do
Hiking trails with history: Charlestown State Park Campground maintains several miles of trails with varying difficulty levels. "Rose Island is very cool- Haunting but sublime. The paved trail to see Rose Island is about 1/2 mile long hill that is very steep in parts," notes Greg S., who recommends bringing bikes for the flatter sections.
Shoreline fishing: Lake Shelby Campground offers multiple fishing spots along the shoreline. Martin M. reports, "You can fish both in the lake and on the stream below the dam. A couple of docks on the lake side." The campground charges a small fee for boat launching with an honor box system.
Water recreation: Paddle boat and canoe rentals are available at several locations. At Starve Hollow State Recreation Area, one camper advises, "If you want to rent one of the kayaks, get to the office right at 8 or they will be gone for the day." The lake there remains calm enough for beginners with 145 acres of water surface.
What campers like
Waterfront sites: Primitive and electric sites directly on the water rank highly with cabin campers. "We stayed in site 21 which was right on the lake. All the lake front spots seem to have a good amount lakefront footage. We probably had at least 40 feet," writes one visitor about Starve Hollow State Recreation Area.
Clean facilities: Modern restrooms and shower buildings receive positive mentions. At Deam Lake State Recreation Area, one camper called them "the best bathrooms I have ever seen. Not a single bug and they even had antibacterial hand soap at every sink."
Pool access: Several cabin facilities offer swimming options beyond natural bodies of water. At General Butler State Resort Park, one visitor notes, "The lodge lets campers use the pool 4-7 pm for free which is nice." This provides an alternative when lake conditions aren't ideal.
What you should know
Site selection matters: Not all cabin sites accommodate larger RVs or have level pads. At General Butler State Resort Park, Rebecca F. warns, "Heads up to check the map and Google Earth when booking. Some sites have a lot of room and others are super close to neighboring sites."
Noise considerations: Several campgrounds experience nearby train or road noise. At Louisville North Campground, reviewers repeatedly mention, "TRAINS. ALL. NIGHT. LONG. I'm a heavy sleeper and it sounded like the trains were going to crash into our RV."
Water and electrical details: Not all advertised features work as expected. One camper at Louisville North noted, "The woman told us we couldn't hook up our water because it wasn't pressure at site. That we needed to buy a px to put on water hookup, which I never have to have at other sites."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Multiple playgrounds distributed throughout campgrounds provide entertainment for children. At Follow The River RV Resort, there's "a pool, volleyball courts and a dog park" according to Jessica G., making it suitable for families with varied interests.
Budget-friendly activities: Free or low-cost recreation opportunities exist at most sites. Kyle notes that General Butler State Park offers "mini golf, canoe and paddle boat rentals" alongside playgrounds and hiking trails that don't require additional fees.
Safety considerations: Some waterfront sites have steep drop-offs. One camper described their experience: "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."
Tips from RVers
Leveling challenges: Many older cabin campgrounds weren't designed for modern RVs. "The sites were 20 feet long, but they allow front ends to stick out," reports a 40-foot class A owner who stayed at Lake Shelby Campground.
Winter accessibility: Several campgrounds remain open year-round but with limited services. Gregory R. shared about a late February stay: "Clean, plenty of room between sites, nobody around as was last of February. Good size campground. Clean restrooms."
Technical assistance: Some facilities offer on-site help with RV issues. At Scottsburg/Raintree Lake KOA, one camper noted, "They even have an on-site RV Tech that works for them who helped us fix our hot water heater. Very professional young man."
